Unemployed Scientist?

Ruben Wolfe

Hey
I have recently received a 2.1 in my Bsc Hons Degree in Industrial Biology and I am really disheartened at the lack of positions available in this area at present. I like many, felt relatively secure five years ago in the knowledge that I had chosen a progressive and dynamic field of study which was growing in strength in Ireland, with a seemingly endless stream of new positions and opportunities being announced in this area by the day: Biopharmascience in particular.
I now am forced to do a Masters degree like so many other graduates out there, as a result of this void of silence I am presented with in my search for a graduate position. I am quite surprised that I have been successful in obtaining offers for a Msc in Biotechnology in Barcelona, and another Msc in Quailty in the Biopharm Indst at DIT, given the sheer number of graduates that must being doing the same thing; including last years. Has anyone seen this shy creature called the Knowledge economy?

Q: How many of you out there have recently graduated from a science disipline and found the Holy Grail that is a science graduate position, or have now received offers for postgrads
?

Tree

I've recently graduated, and found the jobs are thin on the ground and so are the phd's unfortunately. Ive got a short term internship, but its not quite what i wanted to get in to.

I think most people are in the same boat, some are doing masters, others are skipping the country.

The knowledge economy is something that wouldnt appear for a couple of years had they continued to put in the funding to postgrads and college places, now that they're cutting taht, it may be even longer before we see it here.

Hersheys

Have you considered volunteering in a lab/company? Tell them that you'd be willing to work for free and see if they'd be willing to hire you. Ok you wouldn't be earning anything, but you'd be getting invaluable experience that will just look good on your CV and make you stand out from the crowd.

El Siglo

Postgrads seem to be the only way now. I didn't do a Science undergrad, but I'm doing a Science postgrad now and it seems to be the only thing left. For a lot of the courses there's tons of competition to get in, in the first place and the taught courses are usually only a year long, so you're postponing the inevitable for a year. Funding isn't thin on the ground, it's almost non-existent. There's also rumours going around that the SFI are winding down grants like crazy, so it's only going to get worse.
'Knowledge economy', just another bullshit, double-think, buzz words. Absolutely meaningless.

aidoh

I'm a year away from finishing a zoology degree. I sort of knew all along I'd have to do at least a masters to get any job even slightly related to the field, so i don't mind the extra year. I'm bummed at the cost of a masters and the fact that i'l be broke for another year though.

Rubecula

I did a degree in applied biology some time ago (quite a long time now unfortunately)

I am currently working on repairing Aeroplanes. Aeroplanes for the uninitiated are not biological:D

I did get a biology related job for a short time after Uni. I was a pest contol technician. That is I was employed as a rat catcher.

So employment in your chosen field is not exactly the easy option these days.

My suggestion is to find yourself a job in whatever field you can and continue to search for something while you are working. It may not be good for the soul but it is good for the wallet. And we all need to eat.

CramCycle

ICON have a few positions just gone up. Seen it posted in UCD.

http://www.iconplc.com/careers/job-opportunities/

Not terrific to work for, social wise though, I know people who left after both talking to people and the radio was banned from the lab.

Ruben Wolfe

CramCycle wrote: »

ICON have a few positions just gone up. Seen it posted in UCD.

http://www.iconplc.com/careers/job-opportunities/

Not terrific to work for, social wise though, I know people who left after both talking to people and the radio was banned from the lab.

So just like University again really. Both these things were band in the lab while I was doing my research project.
Thanks for the tip, I'll definately apply!

CramCycle

Ruben Wolfe wrote: »

So just like University again really. Both these things were band in the lab while I was doing my research project.
Thanks for the tip, I'll definately apply!

Thats horrific, I've never been in a university lab where conversations were banned, most also have radios, do you not allowed mind me asking where you went to college, I must warn future generations.

I know some people who still work at ICON, I think its more the lab your in and more importantly the manager, I was just giving one (very negative) example, it may have changed since then.

aidoh

Does the converstion ban mean you can't even ask a for a colleague's help or an opinion or does it just mean no chatting about the weekend and stuff? Either way that sounds like a pretty de-humanising place.

CramCycle

aidoh wrote: »

Does the converstion ban mean you can't even ask a for a colleague's help or an opinion or does it just mean no chatting about the weekend and stuff? Either way that sounds like a pretty de-humanising place.

I presume it's just general chit chat, but as anyone who has worked in these areas, without the people there to talk to you will lose your mind quite quickly, so yes, I presume the weekend stuff is banned, but it shouldn't be. Probably why ICON has such a high turnover of staff compared to other companies I know.

coronaextra

Yes this type of thing really piss*s me off, the government etc. for the past ten years or so crying out for more students to do science at third level for all these "great" jobs which are available!

So you go and spend 4 years of your life doing one of the hardest and most time consuming degrees at third level.... when your finished there are no jobs there and if your lucky enough to get a job you are paid the minimum wage, treated like shi* and have no career prospects! The cleaners in the lab have a better life and more money!!!

I graduated in 2007 with a science degree and couldn’t get a look in anywhere, everyone looking for 1-2 years experience!
and all that was when the economy was in top gear!!!!

Nolanger

Why can't people do a science degree because they actually love science rather than just to get a job at the end? The skills you learned can be used in other areas if you're prepared to retrain?

coronaextra

Nolanger wrote: »

Why can't people do a science degree because they actually love science rather than just to get a job at the end? The skills you learned can be used in other areas if you're prepared to retrain?

Im afraid "loving science" will not pay the bills!

I do however see where your coming from and agree I really enjoyed doing my degree, you just have to go a little bit further after your degree and diversify into an area which you enjoyed the most.

ancapailldorcha

Nolanger wrote: »

Why can't people do a science degree because they actually love science rather than just to get a job at the end? The skills you learned can be used in other areas if you're prepared to retrain?

I'd say that's why most of us chose our courses. I'm up north at the moment doing an MSc and most of the people here are going home at the end to draw the dole.

Nolanger

If you did a degree in Industrial Biology why are you doing a masters in the same subject? Surely your job propects would be better if you did a masters in a different area e.g. business? Then you will have two set of skills that will make you stand out instead of digging a deeper hole? Surely a 2:1 degree would get you a relevant science job if they were any? If you did a masters in another area that could give you better prospects?

MsMoo

Hersheys wrote: »

Have you considered volunteering in a lab/company? Tell them that you'd be willing to work for free and see if they'd be willing to hire you. Ok you wouldn't be earning anything, but you'd be getting invaluable experience that will just look good on your CV and make you stand out from the crowd.

^^^^ This.

I was told by a colleague recently that Servier in Arklow are looking for microbiologists. Maybe you could drop them a copy of your CV.