Xenobiology is the study of alien organisms, which became a government-paid job after the discovery of such organisms (albeit, non-sentient) during humanity's colonization of nearby systems.
The UNSC Engineering Corps, a government organization known for surveying newly-discovered planets, required xenobiologists for their surveys.[1] Professor Ellen Anders is a well-known xenobiologist, having lectured on the subject at Rishard University.[2][3]