Science careers that aren't lab based

[sunhigh]

Any scientists here who don't work in a lab?

What potential career options would you suggest for a person with a chem masters and phd that don't involve working in a lab? DS is starting to think about applying for jobs and is adamant he's had enough of working in the lab, but wants to do something that uses his scientific knowledge (so doesn't want to go into banking/finance etc)

I'm sure he's looking at all sorts but MN can sometimes come in useful with these sort of dilemmas and we talk a lot...so, has anyone gone off on a tangent after uni and forged a successful career doing something scientific but not hands on?

Consultancy or teaching spring to mind initially

Is he still studying or recently completed? He may still be able to access the university careers services and find some advice there

A few ideas based on people I know:
Industry, eg in research operations, sales
Patent attorney
Publishing (science journals)
Non-lab academic jobs (eg grants office, tech transfer office)
Government (eg research councils)

Environment Agency?

I'm not sure how many of his skills are transferrable, but epidemiology? I work closely with many, and it seems more data base/pulling data etc and none work in labs and all WFH. They all seem to have scientific backgrounds though.

A previous role in clinical research, we had many masters students move from labs based roles to hands on patient roles in research.

Civil service have a wide range or roles as do the NHS- not all patient facing either.

What would he prefer to do? Face to face with people, field work, in an office?

Have a look at Innovate UK, lots of science type jobs there and civil service conditions.

Regulatory affairs, quality, or documentation in any medical devices or pharmaceutical or biotech company

Could look in to working in a tech transfer office

Food Science?

Patent. Chemical ingredients updating all the time. I know a chemistry grad working in this.

Environmental sector might be worth a look, multi disciplinary companies supporting the development sector (Atkins for example), oil, gas and water companies. Agri-businesses, surveyors, analysts, project designers and so on. Also site decontamination and restoration work, if he is in the Midlands have a look at the Mine Remediation Authority (used to be called the Coal Authority), they’re a great employer, lots of progression opportunities.

He's very interested in this but it's very competitive - he's doing quite well in interviews but not had an offer yet so also looking at other areas.

What sort of consultancy? I always think of consulting as something people do when they're very experienced in a job (but I'm not a career person so don't know much about it!)

Dash off an email to Brian Cox and ask him.

He can't be in a Lab because he's always on the telly! 🤣

Patent attorney

Public health?

Science comms? Specialist procurement?

Health and safety especially around COSHH and COMAH regulations. Nuclear, oil and gas and renewables would probably all have this.

If he is getting interview for trainee Patents jobs then he is doing well, I applied for 2 years and was offered a single job!
Patent examiner for the Patent Office is also a good stepping stone.

Chemistry project management, generative chemistry, computational chemistry, regulatory study manager (human and environmental safety), dossier preparations.

And anything to do with modelling is good.

Health care scientist in the NHS. Lots of different roles depending on specialty. Some lab based (biomedical scientists), some patient facing (physiologists, medical physics), others can be neither (bioinformatics, clinical engineering).

Patent Attorney is a good one. I'm a patent paralegal at an IP firm and the attorneys I work with are definitely doing well for themselves and really enjoy it. Competitive as you say and you have to do a lot of exams but a solid career choice.

He's got to final stage interview x 3 and then for several others didn't even get a response!

Sounds very familiar - I totally underestimated how many applications I would need to make.
In my first year applying I did around 10 applications, got 3 interviews and no job. Second year, more than 50 applications, 2 interviews, one job offer. It is very very competitive, but also very rewarding once in role.

Definitely not interested in healthcare - he's not really a people person (don't get me wrong, he can talk to people but he thrives on getting his head down and cracking on with a job. He's very focussed and industrious)