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Army MOS · Medical

71A Microbiology

Current service use not established

This code is listed in the directory. Inclusion alone does not confirm current service use.

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Overview

A Microbiology officer conducts and directs microbiology, parasitology, and immunology procedures. The officer investigates microorganisms, their life processes and relationships with other living forms, and their reactions to their environments.

Core Skills

  • Parasitology and immunology laboratory procedures
  • Investigation of microbial interactions and environmental responses

Civilian Career Paths

Career associations are editorial assessments of the cited evidence, not an official crosswalk unless the evidence explicitly says so. O*NET supplies civilian occupation information, not proof of a military match. Related experience does not confer civilian qualifications. Tasks and tools below describe civilian work, not military training.

Microbiologists

Conducting and directing microbiology procedures and investigating microorganisms' life processes, relationships, and environmental responses directly supports civilian microbiology work.

How to prepare: Build a methods-focused portfolio describing your microbiology procedures and investigations, then match it to the specimen types and research focus of target laboratories.

What the civilian work involves
  • Isolate and maintain cultures of bacteria or other microorganisms in prescribed or developed media, controlling moisture, aeration, temperature, and nutrition.
  • Examine physiological, morphological, and cultural characteristics, using microscope, to identify and classify microorganisms in human, water, and food specimens.
  • Supervise biological technologists and technicians and other scientists.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Microsoft Excel

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

Experience conducting and directing microbiology, parasitology, and immunology procedures provides a foundation for clinical laboratory testing.

How to prepare: Compare your existing education, laboratory experience, licenses, and credentials with the intended state's laboratory licensing rules and target employer's credentialing criteria to identify any specialty-training gaps. Technologists typically need a bachelor's degree; some states require licensure or registration, sometimes with certification, and employers may prefer certified candidates.

What the civilian work involves
  • Analyze samples of biological material for chemical content or reaction.
  • Analyze laboratory findings to check the accuracy of the results.
  • Enter data from analysis of medical tests or clinical results into computer for storage.
Civilian tools and software (examples)
  • Commercial plate reader software
  • Microsoft Excel

Notes & Sources

Evidence for this guidance (4 documents)
  1. Army COOL MOC feed: 71A Microbiology

    [1] data/authority/army-codes.json entry 71A (OSD COOL feed, fetched 2026-07-25); DB rank officer, authority codeType officer

    Supports: Parasitology and immunology laboratory procedures, Investigation of microbial interactions and environmental responses, Microbiologists (O*NET 19-1022.00), Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists (O*NET 29-2011.00)

  2. O*NET: Microbiologists

    [2] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Microbiologists (O*NET 19-1022.00)

  3. O*NET: Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists

    [3] O*NET 30.3 occupational data

    Supports: Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists (O*NET 29-2011.00)

  4. Bureau of Labor Statistics: clinical laboratory technologists and technicians

    [4] How to Become One; retrieved 23 September 2026

    Supports: Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists (O*NET 29-2011.00)

Defense contractor jobs for 71A

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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