Science, R&D
This sector is very wide ranging offering jobs in both R&D and scientific services. The research jobs are mainly, but not solely open to graduates with PhD level qualifications. Industry sectors advertising for Exeter graduates and postgraduates range from manufacturing to the defence related organisations.
For many other jobs it can useful to follow your first degree with a more specialised taught masteres course. Careers information about jobs in the environment can be found on our Environmental work and animal care/behaviour webpage and information about patent work in on the Information, Patent and Library page.
You can also download a list of Employers of Exeter graduates in science and mathematics.
Career Zone Employability Schemes
These employability schemes can help increase your work experience and networks in this area.
- Career Zone Internship schemes: Internships can be extremely useful, so try to get relevant vacation work or placements.
- Ask an Alum: A fuss-free way to connect with University of Exeter alumni to ask careers questions.
- Career Mentor Scheme: A popular employability scheme which matches a student or graduate with an experienced professional, for sector insight and one-to-one careers advice and guidance, over a 6-month period.
- Professional Pathways - a suite of sector specific training courses and paid week-long internships that take place in June.
Information Resources
Chemistry/Physics:
- Bioindustry Association - includes links to a number of biotechnology companies
- Chase Pharmaceutical Recruitment - agency specialising in medical sales with section for new graduates
- Institute of Physics jobs service
- Warwick University National Guidance Research Forum - provides sector information, labour market reports, employment opportunities and further education and training
- See also our IT and Engineering pages
Life Sciences:
- Microbiology Society Careers - useful resource for careers in microbiology including links to sources of vacation job funding
- BioIndustry Association - includes links to a number of biotechnology companies
- BiologyJobs - agency includes a range of jobs especially in biotechnology and bioinformatics
- Chase Pharmaceutical Recruitment - agency specialising in medical sales with section for new graduates
- Jobs in Life Sciences - Vacancies for recently graduated students
- cglife - Connecting Bioscience professionals
- Nextsteps - Royal Society of Biology's options after a Bioscience degree
- Wellcome Trust - support for research into biomedical science
- PORTIA - Portia Ltd designs and implements effective strategies for gender equality in Science, Engineering and Technology
- Prospects: Science and Pharmaceuticals
- Science and Technology Facilities Council
- Targetjobs - Science and Research - Places where you can find science related job vacancies
- Handshake - our vacancy database with employers who are targeting University of Exeter students
- Academic Medicine - weblink for a career in biosciences from The BMJ
- Latest jobs in Physics and Engineering
- DSTL - Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
- European Patent Office
- Gradcracker - Science, Engineering and Technology recruitment site
- Graduate-jobs.com - Science and technology
- Graduate Recruitment Bureau - agency includes jobs in science and mathematics
- Inside Careers Vacancies
- Matchtech.com - engineering and technical job agency with section for new graduates
- Ministry of Defence - jobs and information for scientists and engineers in the defence industry
National Newspapers (Online) - Science, Engineering and Technology Vacancies on particular days
- The Guardian (Thursday, Saturday)
- The Daily Telegraph (Tuesday and Thursday)
- The Times (Thursday)
- The Observer (Sunday)
- The Independent
- The Financial Times
- New Scientist - magazine and job vacancies
- Nature - magazine and job vacancies
- Nuclear Graduates - jobs in the nuclear industry
- Pharmajobs - agency specialising in medical sales positions
- Pharmaceutical jobs with emedcareers - emedcareers is a specialist recruitment website providing graduates with the very latest entry level jobs in the biopharmaceutical and healthcare industries
- Prospects Jobs Vacancies
- ResearchGate Job Board - International jobs board focusing on scientific research and academic positions
- TARGETjobs Vacancies
- The Met Office - research jobs for physicists and mathematicians
- Association of Applied Biologists
- Biochemical Society
- British Computer Society (BCS) - The Chartered Institute for IT
- Energy Institute
- Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)
- Institute of Clinical Research
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management
- Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA)
- Institute of Physics (IoP)
- Institute of Science Technology
- Institution of Chemical Engineers
- Royal Astronomical Society (RAS)
- Royal Meteorological Society (RMS)
- Royal Microscopial Society
- Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)
- Royal Society
- Royal Society of Biology
- Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
- Royal Society of Medicine
- Science Council
- Best Companies Guide
- Best Places To Work In Industry 2013
- Times Top 100 by Sector - milkround.com
- Wikijob - information on companies, application and assessment procedures, typical interview questions
- BioIndustry Association - includes links to a number of biotechnology companies
If you would like to pursue postgraduate study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study information page for more information about choosing further study.
It can often be useful to gain postgraduate qualifications in the relevant subject area if your undergraduate degree is in a different topic but, beware, there are many courses on the market, and they are not all equally successful in getting you that "dream job". You can always complement your degree with professional qualifications to show your commitment towards the industry (see Professional Bodies section).