Explore Your Career Options

Getting a science job without a degree might sound difficult. Perhaps you decided that university wasn’t right for you. Or maybe you studied a non-scientific subject at university. But you still have this curiosity about the science world. You want to contribute to the progression of science in some way. Well, there are options for you out there. In this blog post, there are a collection of articles which have some useful information for someone who wants to get a science job without a degree. E…

As a science graduate, there is a point where you will ask yourself whether you need a PhD or not. This is likely to occur during your undergraduate studies, but may also come up later on. The reason you ask yourself this question might be because you want to pursue a path which you think requires further study. You may also think that the more ‘qualified’ you are, the more employable you are. Or, you may just not know what to do next apart from study further.

When I was doing my Biology degree…

Many science graduates want to pursue environmental science careers. You might have a degree in environmental science, ecology, zoology, biology or chemistry. Perhaps you specialised in environmental science modules within your more general science degree. Or maybe you spent time volunteering for a conservation charity whilst studying and realised its where you want your career to be.

You might be wondering what options you have with an undergraduate degree, and whether you have to pursue furth…

Through careers talks, online research, networking and informational interviews, I have discovered many ways to use my science degree in my career. When it first clicked that I didn’t want to pursue an academic career, it seemed like there was an empty space in front of me. I didn’t know what I could do as an alternative. It also frustrated me that my degree wouldn’t necessarily be useful if I didn’t become a scientist. Luckily, my drive to discover ways I could use my science degree opened up m…

Science communication jobs are an increasingly popular field for science graduates to explore. This is the case for those with a bachelor’s degree or PhDs who want to make a career change. There is also more emphasis for scientists to communicate their work as part of their duty to the public.

Science communication can be an exciting field to work in and often attracts those with a science background. It offers the chance to use your degree in a different way, and the opportunity to work in int…

There are many industries where a scientific background combined with legal skills would be an extremely valuable combination. The growing field of biotechnology is an example of this. Working in intellectual property within these fields is a common route for scientists to take. There is also the field of environmental law, if your background is in environmental science or ecology. If these examples of legal careers has sparked your interest, have a look at the following resources for more infor…

If you are wondering what science graduate jobs are out there, you may be pinning your hopes on getting onto a graduate scheme. These programmes can be very popular and there are many options out there for science graduates.

I joined a graduate programme at a pharmaceutical company right after finishing university. It helped me develop at an accelerated pace and gain a breadth of knowledge about the industry. However, I also know many people who didn’t start their career through a graduate sche…

For a long time, I didn't know what I could do with my Biology degree. I thought if I wanted to get a business-focused job, my only options were in banking and finance (which is where a lot of science graduates end up). I really didn’t want to go further in academia, even though I loved my degree. The lab was just not for me. Ideally, I wanted to keep some sort of link to science, so that I could be putting my knowledge from my degree to some use!

With a little exploration, I found out that the…

Have you ever thought about becoming a high school Maths teacher? Is education something you have considered as an alternative career path? Do you want to share your passion and knowledge for Maths with the next generation? It’s often hard to make these decisions without having an insight into the industry from someone who is doing the role.

Informational interviews and networking are both good ways to start getting this insight before making any major career moves. Shadowing and work experienc…

If you know academia is not for you, you will want to know about non-academic career paths for scientists. You might want to transition out of academia but feel overwhelmed or unsure where to start. Your science degree gives you many skills, but it can be difficult to know where you can apply them. It may feel like you are limited by your science degree and couldn’t work in a non-science industry. The truth is, you have many transferable skills from your degree that will set you up for success i…