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Medical Botany Jobs in Oregon (NOW HIRING)

Medical Botany information

See Oregon salary details

$13

$80

$203

How much do medical botany jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 2, 2026, the average hourly pay for medical botany in Oregon is $80.46, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.25 and $203.32 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is medical botany?

Medical botany is the study of plants and their use in medicine. It involves understanding how various plants can be used to prevent, treat, or cure diseases, as well as identifying their active chemical compounds. Medical botanists research medicinal plants, their traditional uses, and how they can be used in modern healthcare. This field combines knowledge from botany, pharmacology, and ethnomedicine to discover and develop new drugs and therapies.

What are some typical challenges faced by professionals working in medical botany?

Professionals in medical botany often encounter challenges such as accurately identifying plant species and ensuring consistent quality of plant materials. They must stay up-to-date with evolving regulations regarding the collection and use of medicinal plants, and may work closely with both laboratory scientists and field researchers to validate the efficacy and safety of botanical products. Additionally, collaboration with interdisciplinary teams—including pharmacologists, ethnobotanists, and healthcare providers—is common to ensure research meets both scientific and clinical standards.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a medical botanist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Medical Botanist, a strong background in plant sciences, pharmacology, and biochemistry, often supported by at least a bachelor's degree (with many roles requiring a master's or PhD), is essential. Familiarity with laboratory research methods, botanical databases, and analytical tools such as chromatography and mass spectrometry is typically required. Attention to detail, critical thinking, and effective collaboration are important soft skills for excelling in research and interdisciplinary projects. These skills ensure the accurate identification and study of medicinal plants, contributing to scientific discoveries and the development of new therapies.

What is the difference between Medical Botany vs Pharmacognosy?

AspectMedical BotanyPharmacognosy
Required CredentialsBotany degrees, certifications in herbal medicinePharmacy or pharmacognosy degrees, certifications in natural products
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, herbal supplement companies, botanical gardensResearch labs, pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions
Industry UsageHerbal medicine, alternative health, botanical researchDrug discovery, natural product research, pharmacology

Medical Botany focuses on the study of plants used for medicinal purposes, emphasizing herbal remedies and botanical applications. Pharmacognosy involves the scientific study of natural products, including plant-derived compounds, for drug development and pharmacological research. While both fields overlap in plant-based medicine, Medical Botany is more applied to herbal practices, whereas Pharmacognosy is centered on scientific analysis and pharmaceutical development.

What are popular job titles related to Medical Botany jobs in Oregon?

For Medical Botany jobs in Oregon, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Medical Botany job openings in Oregon as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, and 50% Temporary. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $167,361 per year, or $80.5 per hour.

Supervisory Research Agronomist/Agricultural Economist/Soil Scientist/Microbiologist

Work With Us : USDA ARS

Pendleton, OR • On-site

$125K/yr

Full-time

Posted 9 days ago


Job description

The incumbent will serve as a Supervisory Research Agronomist, Agricultural Economist, Soil Scientist or Microbiologist Leader for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Soil and Water Conservation Research Unit in Pendleton, OR.
As Research Leader of the Management Unit, incumbent is the responsible for developing advanced technologies, improved techniques, and optimized equipment for crop production and soil and water conservation in the Columbia Plateau and related land resource areas.

Qualifications:Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
Basic Requirements - Economist Series- 0110:
A. Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus.
OR
B. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Basic Requirements - Microbiologist Series - 0403:
1. Degree: microbiology; or biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included at least 20 semester hours in microbiology and other subjects related to the study of microorganisms, and 20 semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences combining course work in organic chemistry or biochemistry, physics, and college algebra, or their equivalent.
OR
2. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in microbiology, biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Basic Requirements - Soil Scientist Series - 0470:
1. Degree: soil science or a closely related discipline that included 30 semester hours or equivalent in biological, physical, or earth science, with a minimum of 15 semester hours in such subjects as soil genesis, pedology, soil chemistry, soil physics, and soil fertility.
OR
2. Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in soil science or a related discipline that included at least 30 semester hours in the biological, physical, or earth sciences. At least 15 of these semester hours must have been in the areas specified in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Basic Requirements - Agronomy Series - 0471:
1. Degree: agronomy; or related discipline of science that included at least 30 semester hours of course work in the basic plant sciences, including at least 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, such as those dealing with plant breeding, crop production, and soil and crop management.
OR
2. Combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, including a minimum of 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Graduate Education: Agronomy, or one of the related disciplines or fields of science, such as plant physiology, soils, or genetics, where the curriculum or pattern of training placed major emphasis on field crops or agronomy. Graduate study in related fields, such as botany, plant pathology, and biochemistry may also be qualifying, provided it placed a sufficient amount of emphasis on agronomy.
Examples of advanced degrees appropriate to this position include: agronomy, agricultural economics, natural resource economics, biology, soil science, microbiology, plant physiology, geology, meteorology, botany or the management of soils, water, crops or natural resources.
In addition to meeting the basic requirements described above, applicants must also meet additional qualification requirements as stated below.
GS-14: Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for the GS-14 level of this position includes: Independently identifying and conducting basic and applied research for crop production systems and soil science.
GS-15: Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. The specialized experience requirements for the GS-15 level of this position includes: developing advanced technologies, improved techniques, and optimized equipment for crop production and soil and water conservation and overseeing research projects.
This is an interdisciplinary position and may be filled in any of the job series/position titles listed. In addition to the specialized experience requirements, applicants must submit proof that they meet the educational requirements for at least one of the series described in the announcement. Applicants may only be appointed to job series/position titles for which they meet all experience and educational requirements.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

To further support your qualifications, it is strongly recommended that you submit a one-page abstract of your MS thesis and/or Ph.D. dissertation. Failure to do so could result in loss of your consideration/referral. Also, please submit a list of names, addresses, and phone numbers of persons familiar with your stature, contributions, recognition; any honors or awards received; memberships in professional or honor societies; invitations to make presentations at scientific/technical meetings; scientific society office and committee assignments; presentations (other than invitation); and publications.

Applicants must be available to report for duty at the time a selection is made. Selections are typically made within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Education:See educational requirements above.
Employment Type: OTHER