This document provides career planning advice for biomedical science students. It discusses reflecting on one's skills and strengths, researching career options both related and unrelated to one's degree, and gaining relevant experience through internships, placements, volunteering or student activities. The graduate job market for biomedical scientists is also examined, including common career paths such as laboratory technician roles, further study, scientific publishing and the pharmaceutical industry. Support resources available through the university careers centre are highlighted.

1. Careers and Employability Centre
Career Planning for
Biomedical
Scientists

2. Today we’ll look at:
• Thinking about the future – career planning
• Identifying your skills and strengths
• Researching your options
• The graduate job market
• What Biomedical Science students do
• Getting experience
• Careers support
Session aims

3. When you’ve finished your studies ….
Work
Further
study ????
Time
out
What will you do?

4. How will
you get
there?

5. Understanding
who I am
Researching
what’s out
there
Making
choices
Making
applications
Gaining
experience
Career planning

6. Understanding
who I am
Researching
what’s out
there
Making
choices
Making
applications
Gaining
experience
Career planning
Exploring:
• Types of work
• Different employers
• Further study
• Lifestyle
• What’s available
• Decisions
• Priorities
• Contingency
plans
• Work experience
• Internships
• Job shadowing
• Student activities
• Volunteering
Thinking about:
• My criteria – what I want
• My strengths
• My values
• What I have to offer – my
skills and experience
• CVs
• Covering letters
• Application forms
• Interview
• Assessment
centres

7. Thinking
about
yourself

8. Through your degree: Through your experiences:
• Internships, work experience, placements
• Part time work
• Volunteering
• University societies, interests and other
activities
What skills are you developing?
Your skills and strengths

9. Which of your skills:
• Do you most want to use?
• Are your strongest?
What are your career values or motivations?
• Having autonomy
• Stability and security
• Enterprise
• Sense of purpose
• Variety
• Being in a team
• Leading a team
• Balanced lifestyle………
What’s important to you?
To think about this more, have a go at some
Careers profile quizzes:
• Prospects Careers Planner
• Profiling for Success
www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/careerchoices/interests

10. Researching
your options

11. Careers research
resources
We have a wide range of
resources online to help you
identify:
• career options related to your
degree
• career options related to your
interests
• further study
• working overseas
• and more…!

12. CEC resources for life scientists

13. Researching your options
Science Careers Pathways,
including life, industry and
nuclear
Science and health related
careers in the NHS
Biomed Sci careers info
and accreditation

14. Researching further study options
Things to do
• Look at the resources on our
website
• Talk to Academics here
• Talk to Post Graduate students
• Talk to course providers
• Talk to a Careers Adviser

15. The graduate job
market

16. The national graduate labour market
Recent government survey of graduates in the labour market:
In July to September 2017:
• Graduates were more likely to be employed than non-graduates.
• Graduates were more likely to work in high-skilled posts than non-graduates.
• Annual earnings for graduates were higher than for non-graduates and reach a
peak at a later age.
Other info:
• Small increase in graduate recruitment in 2016, with more planned for 2017
(official stats not yet out for 2017)
• Uncertainty in the job market re. impact of BREXIT

17. What do biomed science graduates do?
Data from:
Prospects.ac.uk – biomedical science degree
More Science degree info stats in:
What Graduates Do:
http://www.hecsu.ac.uk/current_projects_what_do_gr
aduates_do.htm
Employed
Further study
Work and study
Unemployed
Other
Health professionals
Technicians and other
professionals
Retail, catering and bar work
Science professionals
Other
Top jobs for biomedical science graduates include:
• Biochemist
• Medical scientist
• Laboratory technician
Of the 25% in further study, a fifth are studying
clinical medicine.
National data, 2015 graduates

18. 0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Percentage
Work Graduate Work Further study Other Unemployed EPI
Life Sciences Biomedical Science
Sussex Biomed Sci destinations - 2016
LinkedIn for
Sussex Alumni
data and
information

19. Analytical Scientist – Bioventics
Assistant Scientist – Envigo
Data Analyst – NHS
Editorial Assistant – The lancet
Intern in Clinical Trial Operations – Medpace
Medial Laboratory Assistant – NHS
Laboratory Assistant – ALS Food &
Pharmaceutical
Administrator for Cardiac Nurse Specialist
team – NHS Bristol
Recent graduate destinations
Trainee Accountant – Ioannou and Co.
Health and Safety Consultant – Assurity
Consulting
Marketing and Research Assistant – Conde Nast
Recruitment Consultant – TEKsystems
Senior Lettings Negotiator – Brighton
Accommodation Agency
Teaching Assistant – Secondary School
Tutor – The Career Group
Life Science graduates – University of Sussex 2016

20. What’s possible
for you?

21. Careers for biomedical science graduates
Teaching via further
training (PGCE)
Research degree for career
as a scientist in academia,
government or industry
Lab work in NHS, eg:
• Biomedical scientist
• Clinical scientist
(STP)
Many careers open to
graduates with any
degree
Scientific publishing
(writing and editing)
Medical and allied
professions, eg:
• Medicine
• Physician’s assoc.
Pharma and
biotechnology
A wide range of
options!

22. Accountancy Publishing Banking
Administration Civil Service Social Work
Marketing Computing Journalism
The City Information Insurance
Broadcasting Law Police
Conservation Sales Film
Counselling Charities Health service
Human Resources Retail Teaching
Development
Career options with any degree
Graduate careers site with
“options with your subject”
www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/careerchoices
/researchingcareers

23. • Biomedical Scientist – accreditation through IBMS for
HCPC approval
• Clinical Science: NHS Scientist Training Programme STP
• Academic Research and Development Industrial Research
and/or Development:
e.g. utilities, food, FMCG, energy, pharma, civil
service (e.g. DSTL), environmental
• Entry level technician roles
IMPORTANT:
• Placements/work experience give an advantage
Year in Industry, summer internships or summer research
projects
• Postgrad study may be desirable/essential
I want to work in a lab

24. I want to use my degree, but not in a lab
Healthcare
Science communication
Teaching
Med Sales
Patents

25. Medicine:
• 4 and 5 year programmes available to
graduates
• Work experience critical, shadowing and
care experience
Other NHS roles, e.g. Physician’s Associate,
Physician’s Assistant
Other healthcare areas:
• Physiotherapy
• Radiography
• Nursing
• Pharmacy
• Dietetics
• Veterinary Medicine
Medicine / healthcare support

26. Science communication
• Scientific journalism (newspapers,
publications, learned societies, online)
• Medical writing (PhD often needed)
• Scientific publishing (further
qualifications needed for more specialist
areas)
• Public engagement
• Advertising, marketing and events, e.g.
product launches, brand strategy
Relevant/work experience is important!
Societies, volunteering, blogging, “Mad
Science” type jobs…

27. Teaching
Classroom experience
important/experience with kids
Student ambassador scheme, taster days,
mentoring…
Med sales
Shadow a rep to find out if it is for you
Summer placement in a pharma/FMCG
company (sales/marketing)
Patents
Good grades, second European language
Science information

28. Gaining experience?
Gaining experience is important for
many of these roles:
• Internships
• Placements
• Part time jobs
• Volunteering
• Research projects

29. What next for you?

30. Today we’ve talked about:
• Thinking about YOU– what you’re good at, your skills and qualities, what you
like, what’s important to you, your values …….
• Researching what’s out there, what others have done, what’s available,
organisations, etc
• Getting experience of applications, getting experience of different jobs to help
you find out more about what you want/don’t want and build up your CV
It’s not a one-off – these skills will evolve and develop through your life
To summarise

31. • Reflect on your skills?
• Research job sectors and your options?
• Organise some experience (internships,
volunteering, placements, societies etc)?
• Search for vacancies?
• Write a CV?
• Attend careers events?
• Network – join LinkedIn?
Get support with all of this
from the Careers team
What next for you?
What are
you going to
do now?
Create an
action plan

32. Get inspired by Sussex alumni speakers and
employers, gain insight into different careers,
expand your ideas and develop your skills during
this fortnight of events.
All students and graduates welcome!
Find out more and book here:
www.sussex.ac.uk/careers/makeithappen
#makeithappensussex
Life Sciences – Weds 28 Feb, 6 – 8 pm, Fulton A

33. How do I get support?
Careers and Employability Centre
• Online resources
• Events programme – employer events
and careers workshops
e.g: (book on Careerhub online)
• Short interviews with a careers
adviser – book via CareersHub
• Careers drop in JMS new social space
– 1st Weds of each month
www.sussex.ac.uk/careers