What a typical day can look like
A general picture, not one person. Real days vary by employer, season and place.
What do embryologists and IVF technicians do with livestock?
In cattle and some other species, eggs can be collected from a donor female, fertilized in a laboratory, grown for a few days and then placed into recipient females. Embryologists and technicians carry out the lab steps: evaluating eggs, handling sperm, observing development, grading embryos and keeping every sample labeled and tracked.
The goal is to produce more offspring from animals with outstanding traits. Mistakes in labeling or timing can waste months of work, so accuracy is the core of the job.
Quality control runs through every step. Incubators must stay at the right temperature and gas mix, media must be fresh, and equipment must be clean. Technicians often keep daily checklists to confirm that each condition was met.
- Evaluating and grading eggs and embryos
- Preparing lab media and equipment
- Tracking samples with careful records
- Supporting veterinarians who handle collection and transfer
Is this the same as human fertility work?
No. Human clinical embryology is a separate field with its own education, certification and legal rules, and this guide does not cover it. Animal embryology in agriculture follows different standards and employers. If you are curious about human fertility careers, ask your school counselor to point you toward official health career resources.
Within animal work, rules about who may perform collection and transfer procedures vary by state and are overseen by veterinary boards. Always check local rules.
Ethics and animal welfare matter in every setting. If you ever work in this field, you will be expected to follow veterinary direction and recognized standards for the care of donor and recipient animals.
What education and skills are helpful?
Employers look for strong backgrounds in biology, reproductive physiology and lab technique. Many people hold a bachelor's degree in animal science or biology, and some roles want advanced degrees. Technician roles may hire people with an associate degree and training on the job.
Beyond classes, skills such as steady hands, patience, microscope work and clean handling matter a great deal. Employers also value people who admit mistakes quickly and follow protocols exactly.
Because microscopes are used all day, good eyesight, a steady posture and comfort with fine detail are practical advantages.
How can a high school student explore this field?
Take biology, chemistry and math, and ask about any lab or biotechnology classes your school offers. Join FFA or 4-H and learn about breeding and genetics through animal projects. If you can, visit a university reproduction lab through an extension event or a school field trip.
Practice careful lab habits at home or in class: label everything, write observations immediately and clean up methodically. Those habits are exactly what the job rewards. Ask a college instructor whether a student can watch a lab demonstration.
- Take biology and chemistry
- Ask about lab or biotechnology electives
- Practice careful note taking and labeling
Where do these specialists work?
Employers include embryo transfer companies, breeding and genetics firms, university labs, research programs and veterinary practices. Some positions travel to farms, and others work in a lab all day.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook lists related jobs such as agricultural and food scientists and technicians. Check those pages for typical education and for current pay and outlook, which differ by employer and region. Large breeding operations tend to have the most positions, but university labs also hire technicians and student workers.
What are the hard parts?
Lab work is repetitive and exact, and the results of a week of effort may not show up for months. Travel can be long when work happens on farms, and breeding seasons bring busy periods. Farm facilities also have risks from animals and equipment, so training and supervision matter. OSHA and NIOSH publish safety materials.
Because the field is small, positions can be few and may require moving. Be honest with yourself about flexibility. Because the work is precise, it can feel stressful when a procedure does not go as planned. Ask professionals how they handle disappointments.
What questions should you ask a professional?
Ask how they got into the work, what a good day looks like, how success rates are tracked and what they would learn first if they started again. Ask whether they prefer lab or field settings.
Also ask about ethics and animal welfare. Good professionals welcome the question.
Finally, ask about the technology. Methods in reproductive science change as research advances, and professionals who keep learning stay valuable over time. A person who enjoys reading new studies and trying new techniques will find plenty to explore.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook. Related career, not a promise of pay or a job. See the career profile.
Your next steps
- Livestock embryologists and technicians handle eggs, sperm and embryos in the lab.
- Human fertility careers are a separate field with different rules.
- Careful technique, record keeping and patience matter more than speed.
- The field is small, so expect to explore options and possibly relocate.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Ag Jobs & Careers Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.