Science Career Regret

book smarts

In the last year or so, I've been reading loads of Science books- basically as many 1st year University level books, and lecture notes downloaded, as I can get, in all subjects. I never realised how interested in Science I was. I can understand everything and am beginning to wonder should I have chosen a career in Science?

I make good money, but my job is boring and always will be. I see many science graduates on here talking about how they don't make enough money. Well I believe it is MORE important that your job makes you feel that you are making a difference. Your money will not live on after you, but a contribution made in Science might. The consumerist culture, although it keeps everyone in jobs, and drives some areas of progress, leaves me feeling empty.

I am wondering, is a Science career what I think it is? I presume it is tedious, boring at times, but is it worth it for it's own sake? Don't they say nowadays it's no longer a calling, but a career? I'm sure many scientists are trapped in dead end research, or chose the wrong area to specialise in themselves. Are you surrounded by intellectual snobs? Whats it really like?

Jimoslimos

Wow, interesting first post there!

You don't say what you are doing at the moment or whether you've been to college before but I'll try answer some of your queries. I'm working as a R&D scientist with a large multinational company after studying Science (Biology&Chem) at college. I love my job and couldn't see myself doing anything else

I see many science graduates on here talking about how they don't make enough money. Well I believe it is MORE important that your job makes you feel that you are making a difference.

True, money mightn't seem like a big deal when you already have it or are earning for the first time but it does matter, particularly as you get older and have more responsibities. Part of the problem is that science graduates feel undervalued, having studied for a degree, which is far more difficult than some others (I won't mention), to be earning less. And yes it is good to know that something you are doing will have a beneficial effect on peoples lives.

The consumerist culture, although it keeps everyone in jobs, and drives some areas of progress, leaves me feeling empty

Given that most science jobs (in Ireland esp) are in the private sector you will have to tow the company line. Even within academia, outside funding will determine what is done to some extent (potential financially rewarding projects being chosen)

I am wondering, is a Science career what I think it is? I presume it is tedious, boring at times, but is it worth it for it's own sake?

Even within my job there can be times when you'd rather being doing something else. Research in science can be very exhausting (mentally and physically) and poorly paid. Burnout is common and many research scientists end up doing something else. That said I can't speak for everybody who works within science since it is such a broad area and in many cases does overlap with other disciplines (business, etc.). Also to note a science degree is desired by many other sectors as much as specialist qualifications because of the skills learned.

Are you surrounded by intellectual snobs?

I'm surrounded by people who have a genuine desire to do what we do. Sounds cheesy yes, but true. Do I like all of them, no, but not much different to any other job then.

So I'd suggest you do some more research before deciding whether this is the career path you want to take, and even then if you do, don't be surprised if you end up changing your mind and doing something completely different.

GuanYin

book smarts wrote:

In the last year or so, I've been reading loads of Science books- basically as many 1st year University level books, and lecture notes downloaded, as I can get, in all subjects. I never realised how interested in Science I was. I can understand everything and am beginning to wonder should I have chosen a career in Science?

Its not too late - OU does a good course from what I'm told.

I make good money, but my job is boring and always will be. I see many science graduates on here talking about how they don't make enough money. Well I believe it is MORE important that your job makes you feel that you are making a difference. Your money will not live on after you, but a contribution made in Science might.

Great to hear someone say this. I personally could if I had chosen a different career option, be on about 15K more a year right now. But I'd have to deal with alot of high pressure stuff I don't want to - I've seen that side of things and I would wake up every morning dreading the day.

I took a career with less (albeit good) money and there isn't a day I wake up not wanting to go into work. When I'm sick or on holidays, I miss my job.
I could do alot with 15K a year (who couldn't) but I don't regret it for a second.

The consumerist culture, although it keeps everyone in jobs, and drives some areas of progress, leaves me feeling empty.

alot of it has to do with the cost of living in Ireland - It shouldn't be that high and the facade of us being a rich society gives people notions.

I am wondering, is a Science career what I think it is? I presume it is tedious, boring at times, but is it worth it for it's own sake?

Name a job that doesn't have an aspect of tedium? Such a thing doesn't exist.

It depends what you mean by "a career in science" there are literally hundreds of things you could be doing - from pure thought-based office work, to statistical desk jobs, to quality control, to goal driven lab work, to academic lab "open"-research to field work on a boat, mountain, snowcap or sea.

If you mean an academic job - for which you could get a tech position with an MSc or a full research fellowship with a PhD (both after an initial BSc) you have alot of freedom, alot of thinking - you could learn and try new techniques every week (budget allowing) - you work the job and not the clock (which is a good arrangement if you like your job) and the good days are great.

On the down side, you can go ages in frustration, head banging tedium when nothing works, job security is hard to find and as they say, pay is low.

It depends on what you want from life.

Don't they say nowadays it's no longer a calling, but a career? I'm sure many scientists are trapped in dead end research, or chose the wrong area to specialise in themselves. Are you surrounded by intellectual snobs? Whats it really like?

I don't thin it was ever a calling - an obsession maybe, but it was always a career, because your success is measured by peers not good will.

You can choose the wrong area, but getting into a different one isn't that hard.

Snobs, yeah sometimes - but you get that kind of person everywhere in every profession.

John

I did a degree in neuroscience, now I'm in a psychology department doing a PhD in neurophysiology. Others from my class went into different areas of biology, some went into working in the health sector on desk based jobs, a couple of others went back to medicine. Speaking for myself, I love what I'm doing and wouldn't change it for the world. I make enough money to do what I want and live comfortably which is all I ask for. At the moment I'm in my first year of a research post. My hours are roughly my own (within some reason) and the tedious bits aren't as bad as I thought. Frustration is a large part of being a scientist but it's like raising a kid, all the frustration and the tantrums end up being something worth keeping

As you said, it's more important to be happy in a career than to be earning more and more money. If you have a degree, I'd recommend looking at doing maybe a year long course in something from the OU to get you back into study mode and consider doing a masters from there in an area you find interesting.

book smarts

Hey, Thanks v much for the info guys.

I'm a Civil Engineer, which was a joke of a course compared to some Science courses- in understanding and volume of content.

It seems to me that most problems encountered can be broken down and reduced to analogies- that is the essence of the issue for me here. When you look at what people actually do, day to day, without posturing or politics.
It isn't about making a difference to peoples lives as much as it is a philosophical issue for me. I mean, the human race will go extinct eventually, but the quest for knowledge is the highest ideal, imo- I mean ultimately, what else is there?

However, realistically a career change at this stage might mean a low-level technician job at best- I know careers have peaks, and the cut throat world of scientific research wouldn't have much room for a latecomer I don't think.

kowloon

Youll get exemptions if you already hold an engineering degree, if youre going the OU route it will shorten your course a good bit, your standard of maths if you can still remember it will help you a lot.

hunnymonster

I'm a scientist. If I was 18 again. I would do a business degree, earn some money and work 9-5. As it is, I work silly hours for bad pay. The Intellectual superiority I get from understanding quantum physics doesn't pay for round the work trips unlike the dull number crunshing of the accountant I live with. It could just be a case of the grass is always greener for both me and the OP.

Professor_Fink

hunnymonster wrote:

I'm a scientist. If I was 18 again. I would do a business degree, earn some money and work 9-5. As it is, I work silly hours for bad pay. The Intellectual superiority I get from understanding quantum physics doesn't pay for round the work trips unlike the dull number crunshing of the accountant I live with. It could just be a case of the grass is always greener for both me and the OP.

Well, I'd certainly stick with physics. I can't really imagine doing anything else. Sure the pay will never be as good as what could be achieved in Industry, but it's not to bad either.

Oddly, I have a completely different experience with quantum mechanics. In the last 6 months I've been to Canada, Japan and Australia primarily because of quantum mechanics (I was either going to a conference or visiting collaborators). One thing to be said for an academic career in the sciences is that there is no shortage of travel.

lizzyvera

There is a lot of money to be made in pharmacy related jobs in science and plenty of jobs in the civil service which don't seem well paid until you consider the holidays and pensions etc.

Engineering crosses over with science in a lot of areas, could you specialise in something scientific but within engineering?

lizzyvera

hunnymonster wrote:

I'm a scientist. If I was 18 again. I would do a business degree, earn some money and work 9-5.

That would be selling your youth! You spend so much more time in work than on holidays, it's much better to like your job. The best holidays are cheap anyway.

I work part time with archaeologists and, while it's not for me, I love it because they are so happy with their jobs and the atmosphere is great.

book smarts

Say you had all the money you wanted, and all the free time you wanted. What then? Say you travel for a while. Then you get bored with that. Then you buy a house and have a family. Then they grow up(or you get bored with that!). What then? Watch television? Sit around drinking lattes all day? Shop till you drop? Rule the world? Yawn......

The answer I always come up with is- do Science. Now thats a nice ideal, but you have to balance that against reality. A bit less money for more personal satisfaction is a good deal imo.

Anyway, ta for info crew, haven't decided what to do yet. I'll keep devouring the books for now!

professore

I graduated in 1993 in Physics and Mathematics. There were no jobs in either at the time so I got into IT. Now I run a software company for a living, and my degree gives me the background to understand and analyse projects far better than I think even an IT degree would (try writing computer software for science or engineering applications with an IT only background - bet I get flamed for saying this.)

It's not exactly science, but it's not bad, I love it, and make better money than if I had stuck to science to boot.

I also find that non-technical people tend to describe what they want in a very imprecise and unspecific way with lots of waffle, taking 10 paragraphs to say what can be summed up in a sentence. Cutting through that waffle to the facts is critical to my work and is what science has taught me.

If you like it then go for it - there are lots of ways to use your science afterwards, and physics is a fascinating subject to study.

Good luck!