What can I do after a bioscience degree?

When you complete a degree in a bioscience you should come out with a number of skills that many employers find valuable. These will include:

Quantitative Skills i.e. good with numbers.

Communication Skills i.e. can talk and write about your work and other topics to different people.

So when you explore what you can do with these skills, really think about what you enjoy and are good at rather than just thinking you have been trained to work in a laboratory. A science degree does give you laboratory experience, but it can give you so much more than that.

So what types of job can you do with a bioscience degree?  The Guardian did a Q&A session on this subject earlier this year. Have a look at some of the useful suggestions from their panel of experts.  There is also a very useful booklet called ‘Next Steps: options after a bioscience degree‘ which is available as a PDF here. There are example CVs in this booklet, including an academic CV and a more ‘skills based’ CV which can be used for work outside of science and/or academia. The Society of Biology also has a careers section on their website.

If you decide to pursue a career in research and are thinking of doing a PhD, it is a good idea to keep your options open and get some broader work experience alongside your PhD. Think about doing a PhD that involves close collaboration with industry e.g. a BBSRC CASE Studentship.  Alternatively, consider doing a PhD at a university that offers a PhD with an internship attached e.g. BBSRC Pips.

Thinking broadly about your skills and developing a wide range of experience will mean that you have career options both within scientific research and beyond.

If you want to discuss your options and ideas, book an appointment with QM Careers: 0207 882 8533.

Tracy Bussoli
Careers Consultant for Researchers
QM Careers

Science jobs – think outside the laboratory box

If you are a student studying a life science degree at Queen Mary, you are probably aspiring to work within a laboratory  (http://www.prospects.ac.uk/options_biomedical_sciences_job_options.htm) after your studies. Why wouldn’t you? That is what a life science degree trains you to do, right? Well that is one option, but, if you think more broadly there are many more alternatives. Just think beyond your laboratory skills and knowledge.

You will have developed your written and spoken communication skills during your degree, especially if you have been involved in some of the many societies (http://www.qmsu.org/sportsandactivities/societies/) that are on campus. As well as developing a scientific knowledge, you will also have developed the language and jargon that is used in a scientific environment. This language will prove very useful within a scientific organisation.

With this in mind, think about which organisations deal with science and/or life science. These organisations will employ many people, many of whom do not do laboratory research. Your science knowledge and vocabulary will be welcomed in these environments. Jo Brodie, who is a science communicator, has drawn up a comprehensive list of organisations that are associated with science, with links to their job sites (http://brodiesnotes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/organisations-that-make-it-easy-for-you.html).

This site is well worth a look to spark your imagination and encourage you to think beyond laboratory research. Look at the job options, see what skills they require, then think about how you can develop these during your degree!

Tracy Bussoli
Careers Consultant QM Careers

Work or study in Europe

Eurograduate have launched the digital issue of Eurograduate 2012.

Eurograduate focuses on graduate recruitment and further study opportunities in Europe. This issue includes:

Working abroad

Women in the workplace

Industry information from Tourism to Automotive

Postgraduate courses

University profiles.

You can view the magazine online and save a copy.  For more information about working or studying abroad please see Prospects and visit Careers in WG3 in the Queens’ Building.

The NHS Healthcare Scientist Training Programme Open Now

Applications for the 2012 intake to the NHS Healthcare Scientist Training Programme are now open.

The NHS Healthcare Scientist Training Programme is a comprehensive work based training scheme. Lasting three years, the programme involves work-based and academic learning, whilst undertaking a university accredited master’s degree.

There are 3 different pathways:

• life sciences
• physical sciences and biomedical engineering
• physiological sciences

Each pathway includes training in different rotations, before specialising towards the end of the programme. To see more about the pathways and which specialisms they lead on to go to http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/hcsi_scientific_pathways_in_HCS.shtml

The healthcare science workforce is one of the most exciting and dynamic in the NHS. Healthcare scientists play a vital role in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease and the rehabilitation of patients. Their innovation and expertise help save lives and improve care and is crucial in helping the NHS to respond to the challenges of public and patient needs in the 21st century.

For further information and details on how to apply see: http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/hcsi_how_to_apply.shtml

The deadline for applications is the 27th of February.

‘Non science’ internships in science / pharmaceutical companies

Internships are a chance for students to gain experience of the working world.  Sometimes searching for the right internships can be quite tricky but it’s well worth doing – you even get paid!

What can you gain from internships?

• New skills and putting your own skills into practice
• Experience in a working environment
• A boost for your applications and CV

You will probably find that there are lots of interesting opportunities in companies that you never thought about applying to.  Did you know that there are lots of options to work for a science / pharmaceutical company in a non-science role?

It doesn’t matter what degree you do you.  If you do a science degree and want to get out of the lab, or if you do a non science degree but are interested in the pharmaceutical industry,  you can gain experience in many fields.  The opportunities range from working in Marketing and Purchasing internships at GlaxoSmithKline, to Finance and Brand Manager internships at AstraZeneca and P & G or even regulatory affairs at ABPI.  Keep your eye open for vacancies in HR,  purchasing, IT, account managment and sales too.

This is the chance for you to work on some challenging assignments which will be underpinned by the appropriate levels of support and training.

Don’t miss out on this excellent prospect to build you CV, get work experience and see whether it is the right job for you!

Do I need a postgraduate degree for a career in science?

 

What is the difference between a PhD and a Masters?
What does PhD stand for?

These were some of the questions asked at the seminar ‘Do I need a postgraduate degree for a career in science?’ Before you can answer whether you need a postgraduate qualification for a scientific career, it would be good to know what a scientific career is!

Science careers
It is easy to think that a scientific career means research (see Research careers in science) but research is not the only career option that might make use of your science degree. Scientists are desirable for their analytical and numerical skills in a range of roles:

• Finance
• Teaching
• Policy e.g. the civil service, research councils
• Communications e.g. journalism, PR
• Healthcare e.g. NHS Scientist Training Programme.

Postgraduate study
A science Masters may be an asset in such roles, but it can be more beneficial to have a postgraduate degree in another subject, such as journalism. Some employers have a clear line of career progression and may question why you have approached them with a qualification they have not asked for. Getting relevant work experience before you begin study is a good way to see if it is right for you and this experience would be something that employers would value.

A Masters degree and a PhD are not the same. A Masters tends to be one year full-time and can be taught (similar to undergraduate) or research-based. It may or may not be linked with your undergraduate degree. Each course will have different entry requirements. Some may require a relevant undergraduate degree, others may be open to people who are changing subject.

A PhD tends to be at least three years long. A PhD involves independent research led by a supervisor (having a good supervisor is key). Applying for a PhD may involve writing a research proposal.

So do you need a postgraduate degree?
For most research careers, a postgraduate course is increasingly required by employers — at least a Masters, and often a PhD. Some non-research career areas for scientists require a relevant Masters degree, some do not therefore it is best to check beforehand. Looking at the job description can tell you which qualifications the employer wants. For some careers, a Masters (or another qualification) might be included as part of the training. It is always worth finding this out before choosing to study for a postgraduate qualification independently.

Postgraduate study has a lot to offer such as building skills in project management, problem-solving, writing arguments and collaboration. However, continuing into postgraduate study is a huge investment and so you should be sure that you will make a return on the investment. If you are continuing because you are interested in the area do not expect the qualification to automatically boost your career prospects.

Further information
QM Careers has information about postgraduate study and careers advisors can discuss your options with you. Plus there are some great online resources.

• http://www.careersinscience.com/ – directory of science websites
• http://www.sciencecareers.com/ – directory of science websites
• http://www.vitae.ac.uk/ – career development for researchers and research staff in higher education institutions and research institutes
• http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/Pages/Home.aspx – partnership of the seven UK research councils
• http://www.ktponline.org.uk/ – knowledge transfer partnerships, three-way projects between a graduate, an organisation and an institution
• http://www.findaphd.com/ – searchable database of PhD opportunities
• http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/occupations – A-Z of jobs
• http://www.careerstagged.co.uk/ – use tags to search for careers information and resources.

Oh and by the way, a PhD stands for a doctorate of Philosophy.

Research careers in science

Most people’s definition of a scientific career would be research (see Do I need a postgraduate degree for a career in science?). Scientific research takes place in a number of settings: academic institutions, private companies, governmental organisations (although many of these have become either private companies or have been absorbed into universities) and charities. These sectors can overlap. For example, a private company may do collaborative research with a university, or an innovation from university research may lead to a spin-off company.

Academic research
Universities often concentrate on what is called ‘basic research’. The aim of this research is to add to fundamental knowledge of the world around us. The most well-known research degrees are the MA or MSc in research and the PhD.

The next step after completing a PhD is one or more short-term post-doctoral research jobs. As well as producing high quality publications, you need to develop the ability to apply for research funding and will often engage in teaching alongside your research.

Remember that you have great access to more tips about academic research through your contact with lecturers, tutors and research staff.

Industrial research
Industrial research feeds into developing a new service or product – research and development – in order to make a profit.

Postgraduate study is not essential to getting into industrial research but it is an increasingly common requirement. There is an emphasis on having practical laboratory experience. There may be opportunities to complete a postgraduate degree in industry, this would often be part-time therefore longer, relevant to the employer and often based in a university.

There are also opportunities in business roles which support research like granting research licences, patent services for new technologies and consultancy. Such roles still value practical laboratory experience in their candidates.

QM Careers has resources about research careers in the information library so please come and have a look in room WG3,  Queens’ building.

NHS Scientist Training Programme launched

Studying a science degree? The NHS Scientist Training Programme has now been launched. There are three main schemes: life sciences, medical physics and clinical engineering, and physiological sciences.

The jobs are relevant for those with a “relevant pure or applied science degree” (such as biology, biochemistry, biomedical science, physics, etc) They usually look for those who are heading for a 1st or 2:1 degree and if you have previously done any kind of research it can be beneficial.

The list of all the jobs are available at the NHS careers website and more details about each individual job including the person specification, job description and details of how to apply can be found on the NHS jobs website.

What a difference BIG BANG experience makes

Did you come to the QM SBCS Forum?  If so, you may have been inspired by our speaker from the Society of Biology who spoke about careers in Science Communication.  Work experience is a great way to boost your employability and The Big Bang Fair 2011, 10^th -12^th March, London Excel  is a great chance to get some relevant experience in your CV.  They are looking for volunteers to look after the ‘Working with Wild Animals’ interactive stand over the three days.  If you’re interested, email s.wedderburn@qmul.ac.uk for further details.

NHS Scientist Training Programme

A new graduate training programme for healthcare scientists has been developed to start in the Autumn.  Approximately 200 training posts in life sciences, physics and engineering, or physiological sciences will be offered.

Successful candidates will joining a 3 year fixed term, integrated training programme of workplace-based learning and a Master’s degree in their chosen specialism.

Full details of the scheme will be made available on the NHS Careers website in early February.  At the moment the closing date appears to be March 13th 2011.

For current information see: http://www.nhsemployers.org/PlanningYourWorkforce/Modernising-Scientific-Careers/MSC/implementing-MSC/Pages/ScientistTrainingProgramme%28STP%29.aspx

Interested in Science? See our website to find out more about our Focus on Science week 31st Jan – 4 Feb 2011.