Careers in Science

Bakharwaldog

Im interested in science and thinking of studying it at NUIG next year. Im wondering what careers there are realistically, and how easy it is to find employment....Id also rather not be stuck in a lab the whole time, im interested in Earth and ocean sciences at the mo but i dunno..

ninja 101

going to nuig?Take up rowing ya boyo!Anyways afaik careers in science are plentiful at the lower end salaries 20-25k a year but to earn more you'll need experince and or further study

edanto

Realistically, a lot of Irish science jobs are in production and it takes a lot of effort to get a research job. I have one and I find it well interesting, compared to what I think a job in a biopharma/medical devices company would be like.

The way to get one is to make some contacts - say in your case if you're into Ocean Science you could contact the research centre (MRI) at NUIG and ask if you can come in for a few weeks over the summer. Show some enthusiasm and you'll get something.

Keep doing stuff like that - summer jobs in science during college and then by the time you finish up you'll know enough about the people and the industry to get something nice.

A guy I know has a research job in Ocean Sciences, for example. He's investigating bacteria that grow in the deep ocean. The reason they're doing that is because some of those bacteria make a molecule that's expensive to harvest using traditional methods - so their research could turn into a money spinner.

He's in the lab plenty, but also heads out on deep sea voyages to the Atlantic and further. So, yeah there are non-traditional science jobs out there, but you'd need to introduce yourself to the people working in the areas that you're interested in and get some experience before you finish your degree. Sure, those jobs are advertised, but you're off to a good start if you know the people advertising; they might just get in touch with you first.

Bakharwaldog

cheers, thats helpful...I just dont think i could bare working for some big company, doin shifts in a lab, monitoring products or ingredients or whatever, doin the same thing everyday, ya know.....it shud be an interestin course though.

fasterkitten

DON'T DO IT!!! There's no such thing as a 'career' in science without a PhD, and even then..... I have a 1:1 and can't get minimum wage

Gurgle

c_k_m wrote:

Im interested in science and thinking of studying it at NUIG next year. Im wondering what careers there are realistically, and how easy it is to find employment....Id also rather not be stuck in a lab the whole time, im interested in Earth and ocean sciences at the mo but i dunno..

Do a degree in general science (can be done in 3 years in UCD afaik), then go straight into a PHD, another 3 years. With the PHD you can pick your own interest and follow it up. Pick something saleable & you're laughing all the way from the submarine to the bank.

sittingbull

You have to figure out exactly what you want to do with your time in college or it will be boring. So many people do science and then a month into it think .... wait a minute ! i didnt realise there was all this lab work! what do people expect from science! science is not sitting in front of a computer all day or constantly outside collecting things for analysis! The reason you are doing it is to analyse!!! in the lab. Dont do science if you are not prepared to do long hours in a lab, if you like science this bit will excite you! if it doesnt you wont enjoy it. Also the comment that you need a phd to get a decent career is bull sh*t if you do a phd you will get diddly squat of a job in industry because they feel you dont have any lab experience worthwhile to them. A phd is only good to you if you want to continue in the section your phd was in ! So many people think that a phd is the dogs balls but its not and trust me i seem them leave my lab and every year the end up doing a job they could have dsone with a degree! be very sure about what you want to do!

plonk

im doing earth and ocean science in NUIG. I think it is a good way to go as the environment is getting more and more important and people are realising how important it is. Im in my 3rd year now and I really enjoy it. There isnt as much chemistry and physics as normal science.
The problem is that without a 1.1 degree its hard to get a good job in science. You have to work hard to be successful

mikep

c_k_m wrote:

.I just dont think i could bare working for some big company, doin shifts in a lab, monitoring products or ingredients or whatever, doin the same thing everyday, ya know.....it shud be an interestin course though.

If you go into the Chemistry/bio chemistry end of things you will have to get some lab experience in order to get anywhere in the future...Think of it as a necessary evil...although you may learn to love it....I know plenty in labs who never want to leave them!!

The future looks good for chem/biochem due to the new biopharma projects under construction...

bushboy

both myself and my girlfriend are working in industry at the moment and everybody making any kind of serious money has a PhD. QC, Environmemtal, Quality, Production and General Managers all have PhD's and earn twice as much as us plebs in the lab. U will never move up the ladder without one, and a masters isnt as important so I wouldnt bother. A PhD leaves u open to research, work in a lab, lecture, do a post-doc etc. Believe me it gives a lot more options. And although u dont like the idea of working in industry, its almost impossible to have a career in science without at least some experience,im afraid.

fasterkitten

Gurgle wrote:

Do a degree in general science (can be done in 3 years in UCD afaik), then go straight into a PHD, another 3 years. With the PHD you can pick your own interest and follow it up. Pick something saleable & you're laughing all the way from the submarine to the bank.

It would be VERY difficult to get accepted for a PhD with just a BSc(Gen), and you would be competing with people who have BSc(Hons) for grants so basically that's impossible

Professor_Fink

Actually, I think many universities officially only accept a 1 or 2:1, although there are cases of people getting in with 2:2s. As a result it is essentially impossible to even get accepted as a PhD student, without having to first go through a HDip and Masters first, if you have only got a pass degree.

mrac

Hi, im in sixth year at the mo, and maths ,app maths and physics are my favorite subjects, so id really like to do either maths science of physics but the problem is i cant see what kind of job i could get at the end of it ?

ecksor

This is the site that they point us at in the department I study in: http://www.mathscareers.org.uk/

You might be surprised who'd want that sort of qualification. Theoretical physics graduates being in demand by investment banks for example.

Go to http://www.prospects.ac.uk/ , find the "career options" menu and select "options with your subject" for quite a bit of information.

You should end up at a page like this: prospects

Professor_Fink

Graduated from TP in UCD about 2 years ago. I've yet to hear of anyone in physics not being able to get a good job. TP is a little special though, since it tends to attract people who are extremely interested in physics for its own sake, and so nearly everyone ends up doing a PhD because they want a research career.

Theoretical physics has a reputation as being one of the hardest courses (whether this is true or not is irrelevant to the point I'm making here) and because of that if you graduate with a TP degree you are automatically labeled as smart by most people, including potential employers.

Gurgle

Professor_Fink wrote:

Actually, I think many universities officially only accept a 1 or 2:1, although there are cases of people getting in with 2:2s.

You can go straight for a masters degree with a 2.1, and after 2 years you get your masters and continue for a PhD.

A 3rd class honours (in an honours degree) + 3 years experience will also get you into the masters courses.

Also theres a big difference between a pass result in an honours degree and a pass degree.

Professor_Fink

Gurgle wrote:

You can go straight for a masters degree with a 2.1, and after 2 years you get your masters and continue for a PhD.

Are you sure you don't mean a 2.2? A 2.1 will usually get you straight into a PhD. Also, you can do most master in 1 year, although research masters tend to take 2.

scorphonic

Professor_Fink wrote:

Are you sure you don't mean a 2.2? A 2.1 will usually get you straight into a PhD. Also, you can do most master in 1 year, although research masters tend to take 2.

Getting a PhD will give you more of a choice in terms of available jobs since some high end jobs require a PhD as a prerequisite. (often in your chosen field but some dont specify)

I'm planning on doing a PhD and have found that making good contacts with doctors in the labs has helped me get a feel for the area that I would like to go into. I have also been offered a few positions as it stands so I would strongly recommend that if you go into science, be very prepared to seek out lab based jobs in the summer and make yourself known to your doctors early on rather than in your final year.

At the end of the day, you want to show in your CV that you are outgoing and willing to put in the effort in your subject. The world is your oyster if you build up a strong CV early on in college..will save you time later on. I know this because I'm having to go through my CV for applications to other colleges outside Ireland and they are all strongly focused on your achievements.

cmahon

Just to let you know a PhD is not the be all and end all, I have a great research job and no PhD, although without a 1:1 and a good project in fourth year I wouldn't be so fortunate... I work in drug discovery for a pharmaceutical company in Dublin and although this lab is the first of its kind in Ireland there are other companies that will soon follow. My advice is to follow your interests, do what you enjoy. Failing that, if you do choose science, I recommend microbiology and biochemistry as these give you good experience in molecular biology techniques which will be good to have in the future.