Science: Overview

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• The science sector in the UK is in a strong position. Although the UK accounts for just 1% of the world’s population, over 12% of citations to published scientific papers are to UK papers, and the UK publishes almost 13% of papers with the highest impact.
• UK scientists receive around 10% of internationally recognised scientific prizes every year. Knowledge transfer activity from universities has increased substantially, with spin-out formation, licensing income, and patent applications increasing four-fold over the last ten years (see Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP)).
• There are many opportunities to find employment in numerous functions across the sector, especially in research and development (R&D), biotechnology and environmental science.
• Fewer opportunities are emerging in manufacturing with even the largest manufacturing sector, food and drink, reporting job losses of 14% from 2000 to 2005 (Food Production Daily).

What kind of work can I do?

Work in the science sector encompasses a huge range of occupations, including:

• product and process development;
• research and development;
• manufacturing;
• teaching;
• writing and editing;
• management and administration;
• consultancy;
• data management;
• IT support;
• HR;
• marketing;
• logistics;
• sales.

As so many different roles exist across the sector, graduates from non-science backgrounds can also find many opportunities in science-based organisations. For science-based roles, graduates are recruited from across the academic spectrum, including applied, physical, material and life sciences.

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What’s it like working in this sector?

Working conditions

• Conditions vary according to your role. You could be working in a laboratory, office, or warehouse, on the factory floor, or outdoors.
• Pay varies widely between roles. See job roles for details of typical salaries.

Ethical issues

Areas in the science sector that excite debate include:

• animal experimentation;
• drug testing;
• the involvement of global, commercial corporations;
• the environmental impact of scientific work;
• the ethics of work in the defence/military environment.

Go to Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) to explore these topics in more detail.

Diversity

• The 2005 report 'Science, Engineering and Technology and the UK's Ethnic Minority Populations’, produced by the Warwick University Institute of Employment Research for The Royal Society and available via their website, found that some ethnic minority groups were under-represented in science, engineering and technology (SET). 1.6% of the Bangladeshi population and 2.3% of the black Carribean population were in SET employment, compared with just over 5.3% of the white ethnic population.
• The report also highlights a clear gender divide in terms of participation in SET, with men being approximately four times more likely to work in an SET occupation than women. This ratio was broadly consistent across all ethnic groups.
• Women into Science, Engineering and Construction (WISE) and the The UKRC offer career advice and mentoring to women embarking on a career in science.

How big is this sector?

The UK government has highlighted major industries within the UK science sector.

• The chemical industry directly employs around 200,000 people in 3,100 companies (2007 figures).
• There are approximately 450 biotechnology businesses in the UK, employing 21,830 people, with revenues around £2.63billion.
• The food and drink sector generates sales of £70billion and employs around 500,000 people (2007 figures).
• The pharmaceutical sector employs around 73,000 people, 27,000 of whom work in research and development (R&D) (2007 figures).

More detailed information is available on the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) websites.

Where can I work?

• Opportunities exist in major towns and cities across the UK.
• Scotland has a strong pharmaceutical sector.
• In the South of England, work can be found in the ‘golden triangle’ of Oxford, Cambridge and London.
• There are lots of opportunities to work overseas - see opportunities abroad for more information.