Careers in science

Emma-Louise From turning on a light bulb or listening to music on our phones…

Frankie To the processes and production that puts food on our plates.

Emma-Louise Science plays a part in many of the things we take for granted in our day-to-day lives.

Frankie Science has made our lives easier and more fun…

Emma-Louise Through medicines and technology. It's made our foods last longer and be more nutritious. Science has even helped take us to the moon and back.

Frankie So, let's take a look at where science can take you.

Emma-Louise The world of science and research employs just under 428,000 people, with a projected growth up to just over 445,000 by 2025.

Frankie There are a vast number of job roles that suit so many different kinds of personalities and interests. So, sit tight as we take you through a few of the many options available.

Emma-Louise You might be familiar with the role of a pharmacist, a person who's professionally qualified to prepare and dispense medicinal drugs. They earn a median salary of just under £45,000 and there is a projected increase in the number of jobs available of 3% by 2025.

Frankie And then, there are chemical scientists who study chemicals and materials analysing how they behave under different conditions. Their work can help in a variety of ways, from diagnosing and treating illnesses to investigating environmental issues or analysing forensic evidence. They earn a median salary of around £36,000, with a projected increase of 4% in the number of job roles available by 2025.

Emma-Louise Biochemists and biological scientists work to understand how chemical processes happen in living things, from viruses and bacteria to humans. They aim to improve quality of life, for example, by running lab experiments to develop effective medicines.

Frankie They earn just over £40,000 per year and the number of roles is expected to increase by 5% by 2025, adding almost 5,000 more jobs to the sector.

Emma-Louise And there are many other jobs in the sector that are not based in laboratories, such as social and humanity scientists.

Frankie They study and analyse human behaviour and language and do research in areas such as sociology, economics, politics, archaeology, history, philosophy, literature and the arts.

Emma-Louise Or environmental professionals and scientists who identify environmental contamination, provide guidance to governments, companies and other relevant organisations and assess the impact of activities and projects on the environment.

Frankie Let's have a look at some of the career pathways into the science sector. If you want to be a biochemist, you'll generally need to get a Science degree at university. There'll be different course options, Biochemistry, Biotechnology and a great deal more, just look at this list of options. For entry there's usually a requirement of three A-levels or equivalent, including Biology and Chemistry.

Emma-Louise And if you want a job in industry or research, you might also need to take your studies further and do a master's degree or a PhD.

Frankie If you're a science or engineering graduate, the NHS also offers the NHS Scientist Training Programme, or STP. The STP offers training opportunities for senior healthcare science roles across a range of disciplines, including biochemistry. The training programme lasts for three years and you'll be awarded accredited workplace-based training and a master's degree for your effort.Emma-Louise To become a pharmacist, you need a four-year university degree known as a Master of Pharmacy or MPharm approved by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

Frankie Followed by a one-year pre-registration training course in Pharmacy.

Emma-Louise You'll need at least three A-levels or equivalent to get onto the MPharm degree course, including Chemistry and often other Science subjects.

Frankie But don't worry if you don't quite have the grades, you can do a two-year Pharmacy Foundation degree and then take a job as a pharmacy assistant or technician.

Emma-Louise And apply to enter the MPharm degree in its second year.

Frankie Another role you may be interested in is as a laboratory technician. You could get into this job via a university degree in a Science subject such as Biology, Chemistry or Physics, for which you'll usually need three A-levels or equivalent.

Emma-Louise But there are also college courses you could do, such as a level 2 certificate or a level 3 diploma in Applied Science, A-levels in Chemistry, Biology or Physics, or a T-level in Science.

Frankie You could also look at an apprenticeship scheme, gain experience through working as a part-time laboratory assistant, while studying or completing a year in industry as part of your degree. Let's hear from someone who's been working in this sector. Lauren is a global clinical trial manager based in London and does medical research. "I studied my BSc in Biomedical Science and then began working at a Clinical Trials Unit at a university. Every day I'm honoured to contribute to medical knowledge for patients all over the world.

Frankie It's surprising how many different ‘hats’ an academic trial manager wears… Every day is different!"

Emma-Louise Barbara is a scientific researcher at the Institute of Food Science and Technology. She says: "The sector will need to continue to be able to adapt to constantly changing circumstances, pressure on the supply chain because of climate change, the need for environmentally sustainable and more affordable, healthier food. It will need more decision making and critical thinking skills so people can take a range of data and information and use it to get the best outcomes."

Frankie Not exactly what you thought it would be? Good. Hopefully we've got you thinking about the variety of roles the science sector has to offer.

Emma-Louise And before we go, I'll leave you with this gem from Kurt Vonnegut, a famous American science fiction writer. "Science is magic that works." So, ask yourself, what could you change through science?