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Career Options for Science students

What can I do with a Science degree?

Your science degree opens up many career options. To choose a career, you need to consider the extent to which you would like to use your scientific knowledge in your future career. You may choose to work in pure science, applied science, an alternative career requiring an understanding of science or use the general skills you have acquired whilst studying.

Also, you have gained a high level of technical ability alongside general skills. Having an awareness of these skills and being able to give examples of them in applications and at interview will make you more employable (for more information go to “Skills developed in a Science degree”)

Careers for science graduates fall into three main categories:

  • Careers using your specialist science knowledge
  • Careers where an understanding of science is an advantage
  • Careers using your other skills

Careers using your specialist scientific knowledge

For those of you who have thoroughly enjoyed studying your major at The University of Sydney you may like to continue to work in science. Science is a diversifying industry with new doors opening all the time. Consider your ideal role and your preferred environment.

If you want to find work in a specialized area related to your major, you may find that you need more than a pass degree. Professional scientists usually have at least an honours degree but more likely a PhD, particularly if working in research areas.

Occupations which would allow you to work with your expertise include:

  • Research (eg. university academic, medical researcher, working in pharmaceutical research and development, environmental researcher, agricultural researcher, marine scientist, biotechnologist, physicist, research scientist, research officer, laboratory research technician, etc.)
  • Analysis and investigation (eg. forensic investigator, IT systems analyst, statistician, clinical research associate in pharmaceutical industry, nutritionist and/or dietetian, analytical chemist, geophysical technician, etc.)
  • Consultancy (environmental information consultant, agricultural consultant, IT consultant, IT systems developer, information services officer, geoscientist, etc.)
  • Quality control (clinical research associate, environmental health officer, resource manager, toxicology consultant, water treatment consultant, quality assurance officer, quality control area of manufacturing company, etc.)
  • Product and process development (pharmacologist, industrial chemist, product designer, process mapping assistant, product supply area of manufacturing company, etc.)

Scientists are found in private industry (pharmaceutical, biotechnology, petrochemicals, toiletries, polymers, electronics, telecommunications etc), academic institutions, hospitals, utility companies and research organizations.

The industry you choose will have an effect on the type of work you do. For instance, in higher education you are more likely to be involved in blue sky research than if you were working in industry. Many industries require the application of scientific knowledge to solve practical problems such as utilising resources, developing new products or ensuring safe use for humans.

For more information on careers related to specific majors, have a look at “Degrees of Success: careers in Science and Technology”, a booklet produced by the Faculty of Science, which also includes profiles of graduates. You can see a copy online at http://www.science.usyd.edu.au/fstudent/undergrad/careers/deg_success.shtml

Also, have a look at various departments’ web sites.

Careers where an understanding of science is an advantage

The following careers could be appealing to those of you who wish to use your scientific knowledge but not to the extent required in the careers listed above. This list is not exhaustive. Some of these occupations require a relevant postgraduate qualification as your career focus is different from your undergraduate career. Others will just require some relevant work experience and this would include any voluntary work experience.

  • Teaching
  • Law (may choose to specialize in areas of law related to science such as environment, professional indemnity – medical negligence, product liability, etc.)
  • Patent work
  • Information Management
  • Human Resources (may be in a science-related organization)
  • Sales and marketing (of scientific or pharmaceutical products)
  • Environmental Science
  • Science journalism

To find out more about these occupations, you can go to Graduate Careers Australia’s web site where you can download a booklet on “Careers for Science Graduates” as well as booklets on careers in physics, chemistry, environmental science, teaching, marketing etc. http://www.graduatecareers.com.au/content/view/full/25

To search for postgraduate qualifications that are relevant to these areas, you can go to http://www.graduatecareers.com.au/content/view/full/123

Careers using my other skills

There are many options which do not require a scientific background. Many employers are interested in the general skills you have gained through your degree so it is important that you are aware of these skills and in an interview situation, be able to give an employer examples that would demonstrate that you have them (go to the section on Skills developed through a Science degree). Your academic results may be taken as an indication of how well you have developed certain graduate attributes so it is important to achieve good results and you may find that for some employers, an honours degree will be preferable.

The other thing employers are looking for are graduates who demonstrate a genuine interest in their organisation.

The types of occupations you can go into that are general and suitable for any graduate are quite broad and it would be difficult to list them all. However as a starting point, you could look for positions in:

  • Administration (eg. tertiary administration, working in public or private sector)
  • Business analysis
  • Marketing
  • Market research
  • Management consulting
  • Public relations

The types of organisations which look for the right combination of skills and interest rather than a specific degree are also quite broad but they do include:

  • Public Sector Departments (includes all level of government, some related to science)
  • Management Consultancies
  • Market Research Companies

Find out more about options for graduates from all disciplines by going to the Graduate Careers Australia web site at http://www.graduatecareers.com.au and downloading their booklet for “All Graduates”.

Check out which companies are interested in graduates from all disciplines at www.careers.usyd.edu.au/students/newsevents/events_gradrecprog.shtml. Look in the table under ‘disciplines’ to see which companies list ‘all’ (some of these will be management consulting firms).

Find out more about employment in the public service at www.careers.usyd.edu.au/students/jobsearch/findjobs_public.shtml

The Careers Centre receives a number of vacancies throughout the year where the employer is looking for graduates from any discipline with a specific set of skills. To look at vacancies listed on the Careers Centre web site, go to Your Careers Centre

How can I find out more about my career options?

* Take a look at the Faculty of Science publication 'Degrees of Success' at http://www.science.usyd.edu.au/fstudent/undergrad/careers/deg_success.shtml

* Use the internet to search for other options related to your major. There are some good UK and USA sites that would be helpful.
For example, the official graduate careers web site in the UK, Prospects UK, has a section on “Options with Your Subject” at http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Options_with_your_subject/p!eXbLc. While it is a UK site, the information is quite relevant and helpful.
The same applies to the web site of Purdue University, USA. If you go to https://www.cco.purdue.edu/Student/Series_Major.shtml, you’ll see some information on career options for various majors.

* Check out relevant professional associations. You can check out our links to professional associations online or go to the Occupations information at http://www.myfuture.edu.au/services/default.asp?FunctionID=5002&Action=Advanced and you’ll find the relevant professional association listed under each specific occupation.
Some of the professional associations have a lot of information on their web site about careers. For example, if you go to the National Institute of Forensic Science web page at http://www.nifs.com.au/ under the Education section, they have information about careers in forensic science and about relevant courses.
Also, some employers prefer to recruit graduates they have met through the professional association activities rather than advertising a vacancy so it can be a good idea to consider joining a relevant association (some of them have student associations and/or offer student membership). For example, the Australian Biotechnology Association has an interest group called the “Australian Biotechnology Students Association”. They also list their corporate members and this is a good resource for anyone interested in a list of companies involved in biotechnology.

* You can also go to myfuture.edu.au which is a unique, comprehensive, online career information service. myfuture.edu.au has a career exploration tool and careers information about occupations, education and training etc. as well as links to other resources. Alternatively, for a list of occupation descriptions go to the Job Guide

* You may find some of the books in the Careers Library helpful. Go to http://www.careers.usyd.edu.au/students/resources/index.shtml to see the list.

* If you need help with job search strategies and finding potential employers, go to our section on Job Search at http://www.careers.usyd.edu.au/students/jobsearch/jobsearch.shtml

Skills developed in a Science degree

The University aims to develop the following attributes in all students by the time they graduate:

  • Scholarship
  • Lifelong Learning
  • Global Citizenship

For more information on Graduate Attributes go to www.itl.usyd.edu.au/GraduateAttributes/about.htm The Faculty of Science has listed the specific attributes of its graduates as:

  • Research and Inquiry
  • Information Literacy
  • Personal and Intellectual Autonomy
  • Ethical, Social and Professional Understanding
  • Communication

For more information on these contextualized Graduate Attributes go to http://www.itl.usyd.edu.au/GraduateAttributes/facultyGA.cfm?faculty=Science and see http://www.lifelongearning.science.usyd.edu.au/index.html

Remember that embedded in these attributes are the more practical skills that employers look for when selecting employees. Consider how you can demonstrate these skills through your degree:

  • Team work
  • Data handling
  • Time management
  • Technical writing
  • Logical thinking
  • Accuracy
  • Presentation
  • Decision making

You might also be able to demonstrate these skills through your involvement in student societies, work experience, voluntary work and travel.

Graduate Employment and Salaries

* Check out where University of Sydney Science graduates have found employment and their starting salaries.
http://www.careers.usyd.edu.au/students/forms/04Science.pdf||Graduate destinations for those who graduated in 2004]]

* Check out where Science graduates from across the country have found employment and their starting salaries. National figures for starting salaries for graduates can be viewed at www.gradsonline.edu.au/gradsonline and
www.wagenet.gov.au

* The Australian Council of Deans of Science wrote a research paper on “What did you do with your Science degree?” It is a national study of employment outcomes for Science degree holders 1990-2000. To download the report go to http://www.acds.edu.au and click on ‘Occasional Papers’.

* There is also a site with information on job search, feedback from employers and graduates at http://www.lifelongearning.science.usyd.edu.au/index.html

* For information on salaries, go to http://www.gradsonline.edu.au/gradsonline/. Also, relevant professional associations can often provide information about salaries in specific fields of employment.

Academic Tips

Professor David Day
Dean, Faculty of Science

  1. Don’t just respond to advertisements; contact people/firms that you want to work with, directly and ask if there are opportunities.
  2. Make the most of opportunities at university to improve your communication skills (oral and written); presentation is everything
  3. If you have an interview, do your homework; research the people on the panel and have a practise interview
  4. When applying for jobs, stress your generic skills as well your specific training
  5. Be confident and enthusiastic about what you have done and what you would like to so – without being a pain.

Dr Adele Pile
Marine Biology, School of Biological Sciences

  1. Volunteer on a variety of projects. You may get a free trip to a really fun place. Even if the projects are not in your field of interest you will learn something new. It also helps in organizing people to give you references.
  2. Take classes outside of your discipline for your electives. Employers are interested in well rounded people and you never know when that class in Greek mythology will come in handy.
  3. Go to class, work hard and get good grades so you can take advanced classes. Advanced classes really provide you with an opportunity to explore a variety of fields so you can decide what you like. You should go through life with a short list of things you will never do again, rather than a long list of things you want to try.
  4. Write, write and write.
  5. Develop a career plan so you can plan your academic career. It's a plan not a contract.
  6. You can always change your mind if what you are doing is not making you happy. I've never really figured out if I'm good at something because I like it or I like it because I'm good at it. Then again, while I do like playing tennis, I really am pretty bad at it so go figure.
  7. Talk to your lecturers. Go to their office and find out about what they do and why they do it. We usually do not lecture on what we do for research or what we are interested in. People love talking about themselves and they might offer you a cup of tea. Plus, this is how you find out about projects to volunteer on.
  8. Attend seminars that are on offer around the university. They are frequently at lunch time (bring your lunch, everyone else will) and it's very different from a lecture. You'll learn heaps of new things.
  9. Put your hand up to do things. Offer your assistance. Lecturers can't read your mind and if you are just dying to go out to the Simpson desert you have to tell someone. They are not going to ask you if you do not give them any indication of your interest.
  10. Did I mention that you should work on your writing?

Professor Merlin Crossley
Professor in Biochemistry

General Tips:

  1. When seeking references for positions it is likely that University staff who know you will be happy to act as referees. It is important that you ask them beforehand, send them a copy of the job advertisement, and a copy of your application. In this way they will be best able to provide the most relevant and up to date reference.
  2. As well as asking staff who know you well to act as referees, also consider including someone senior, whose status can easily be officially judged (the Head of the Teaching Committee or the Head of School where you did your most senior studies perhaps).
  3. Make your application neat and brief. Be sure to highlight evidence that you can be successful. You need not be good at everything but employers will look for evidence that people can achieve at the things they enjoy.
  4. Look for opportunities for advancement rather than the perfect job to start with. It is sometimes easier to secure an interesting job or move up once you have demonstrated success in the workforce.
  5. Remember that social skills and energy are amongst the most important attributes of successful workers. If you are blessed with these qualities be confident in the interview. Have some examples of projects, work, activities and other achievements which you have accomplished and enjoyed. Do not worry if you cannot answer all questions, not all questions are easy.

On becoming a research scientist:

  1. Recognize that before you, yourself, are judged you will probably be prejudged on your written record of achievement, your grades, the Universities, and laboratories you have attended. Be sure to choose institutions and mentors that are widely respected.
  2. If you are choosing a lab in which to conduct a PhD or to work as a research assistant always talk to staff and students in the lab. The lab head will invariably say that the lab is good but workers in the lab are generally only too willing to discuss the good and the bad and give a balanced picture.
  3. When choosing a lab be sure to investigate the fate of past employees and students who went to that lab. See if they have gone on to successful positions elsewhere, have published well, or have left science altogether.
  4. Have a careful look at the publication record and grant record of the lab. Do not interview your prospective employer about this but find out by looking on the web.
  5. Choose a large field that is competitive and is expanding rather than a small field where you can become the world expert overnight. Although competition will be greater in the hot fields the pool of opportunity will be greater.
  6. Plan to move every few years while you are young. This is not essential and it can be hard and heart wrenching but it is often the best strategy in the long run.
  7. Identify a mentor whom you respect and do not hesitate to ask for advice.
  8. Identify a scientific problem that is well defined and be prepared to focus and dedicate yourself to this even if it is not rewarding at once. The most common mistake made by brilliant young scientists is chasing too many butterflies at once, better to stick to one moth and pin it securely.

Dr Rachel Ankeny
Unit for History & Philosophy of Science

  1. Keep an open mind: you may find that your career goals and interests change over time so don't narrow your options too early.
  2. Develop a range of skills: though for many jobs you will need particular expertise, you also need those all-important skills of written and verbal communication, critical thinking, and working in teams
  3. Expect to change jobs or even careers a number of times in your life: although your grandparents likely were in the same job for a lifetime, statistics show that change will be the norm for you, so seize the opportunities that present themselves to you
  4. Get experience in an area before committing to pursuing it as a career-track: even volunteer work or a short research project may be enough to convince you that your interests indeed lie in a particular area, that you are especially good at something, or perhaps more importantly, that you need to rethink and investigate other options
  5. Don't listen to your parents, friends, or partners: consider your goals, interests, and skills when choosing your course of study, particularly when thinking about a career you (and not they!) will need to live with

Professor Mike Thompson
Head, School of Biological Sciences

  1. What I look for as an employer:
    a.Good (and consistent) grades
    b.Extra curricular activities (shows get up and go)
  2. As a teacher:
    a.Make as many contacts as you can (definitely talk to your lecturers, as well as your peers)

Tips for Honours and P/g students going into biology (but relevant to other disciplines)

  1. Make yourself as well know as possible (many opportunities arise from who you know as much as what you know)
  2. Be involved as a volunteer, especially in field work if that reflects your interests
  3. Get involved in relevant societies outside of the university
  4. The contacts that you make at University during your postgraduate study will be important to you throughout your career, so “network” at University.

Useful links

Career Links

For more Career Links, go to http://www.careers.usyd.edu.au/students/resources/careerslink.shtml

Professional Association Links

For more professional associations, go to http://www.careers.usyd.edu.au/students/resources/profassoc.shtml

Job Vacancy Databases

For more Job Vacancy Databases, go to http://www.careers.usyd.edu.au/students/resources/jobvacancy_australia.shtml