You’ve finished your undergraduate, graduate and PhD or stopped at any of these stages. Now, what’s next? You’re to enter the career world but you don’t even know where to start looking?
Here’s a short guide to potential job options for Life Scientists:
- Researcher: You’ve completed your PhD and have the following attributes: a passion for your field, a thirst for problem-solving, a desire to communicate science, a fascination for data collection and analysis? Committing to a research career may be the right option for you. But will you do so in an academic or industrial setting?
- Bioinformatician: You love statistics, mathematics and engineering. You want to develop methods and tools to process biological data more effectively? Plunge in the digital world and become a bioinformatician!
- Industrial Pharmacists: Use the latest technologies and processes to develop drugs and medications. Look into this, if you are interested in topics such as drug action, pharmacy law and ethics or diagnosis and monitoring. This may be great for those wanting one foot in industry and the other in medicine!
- Forensic scientist: A Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot or crime based series fan? Guess what? You can use your scientific background to assist prosecution in criminal cases by: conducting post-mortem investigations, analysing blood patterns or tracing drugs in body fluids.
- Doctor: Are you drawn in by patient-centered professions? Do you want to bridge leadership, innovation and critical thinking to improve health care in communities? Graduate medicine may be the perfect path for you. Bear in mind that conversion to medicine from STEM backgrounds is a competitive route but passion can take you a long way!
Featured Courses
The CPD accredited courses are carefully crafted to help you gain in-depth knowledge on a topic of your interest.
Stem Cell Technology
The field of stem cell technology is a cornerstone of regenerative medicine, offering transformative pathways to repair or replace damaged tissues. This course provides a comprehensive exploration of stem cell biology, from the fundamental differences in cell potency to advanced techniques such as induced pluripotency and direct reprogramming. Participants will gain insight into differentiation protocols, the development of 3D organoid systems, and the application of CRISPR gene editing to correct disease-associated mutations. Beyond the laboratory, the course addresses essential quality control standards, global regulatory frameworks, and the complex ethical landscape of modern biotechnology.
Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
This intermediate-level course provides a thorough overview of the field of next-generation sequencing, from its properties and strength and its major applications, to an overview of a typical sequencing workflow.
Molecular Ageing
The study of molecular ageing is a cutting-edge discipline, providing a novel lens through which to understand and treat age-related decline. This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the biological drivers of ageing, from evolutionary theories to the molecular hallmarks that define the biological clock. Participants will explore the mechanisms of DNA repair, the impact of oxidative stress, and emerging therapeutic frontiers, including senolytics and rejuvenation technologies moving from the laboratory into clinical consideration.
Cancer Biology: Exploring the Molecular and Genetic Aspects
This is an intermediate-level course that explores the molecular and genetic basis of cancer, its evolution, and cancer immunology.
Neuroscience
Neuroscience is one of the most advanced and fastest growing sciences. The beginning of the 21st century has seen huge developments in techniques to study and understand how the brain works.
CRISPR: Revolutionising Genome Editing
This advanced-level course is designed to develop an understanding of complex concepts related to genomics, particularly CRISPR/Cas technology and its applications...
Careers outside STEM with a STEM degree?
- Science writer or journalist: Do you have a passion for writing, engaging with people or delivering impactful messages? Opt to write for newspapers, magazines and websites either as a freelancer or via publication houses!
- Consultant: You love giving advice to solve complex problems. You want to conduct market research, analyse statistics and improve a company’s business profitability? Join a Life Sciences consultancy company where you can apply all your scientific rigour and expertise to help businesses reach their goals!
- Lawyer: Areas like IP litigation or patenting may draw you in. Remember that your acquired scientific skills are transferrable and will allow you to join almost any law practice domain! If areas such as commercial, international or environmental law interest you, think about a conversion path in law after your Bachelor or Masters.
- Banking and Finance: Are numbers, data analysis and problem-solving your fortes? Worried that you don’t have a Bachelor’s degree in commerce or accounting? Rest assured, employers strongly value STEM students for their critical and analytical thinking, resilience and innovation. Give it a shot!
- Entrepreneur: Dreamt of starting and running a business? Now could be the time. A few tips before you get started: work with the perfect team, make sure you can take the personal or financial risks, jump onto opportunities, network and enquire!
