Science administration

Supporting operations, strategy, or management through roles in training, research funding, and scientific projects within universities, research institutes, funding bodies, or scientific societies.

Project management

Coordinating cross-functional projects in academia, non-profits, or the private sector, from guiding biotech projects through the drug development pipeline to managing strategic initiatives in a scientific publisher.

Consulting

Providing expert analysis and advice to organisations, companies or individuals to help solve complex problems, optimise processes, or make informed informed decisions.

Business development

Fostering external relationships that provide valuable insights or can lead to future business opportunities or mutually beneficial partnerships.

Entrepreneurship and management

Founding or leading (scientific) companies with a focus on operational and commercial aspects, rather than research strategy. Further details coming soon.

Clinical trial management

Working within a team that coordinates all aspects of clinical trials, including managing relationships with participating doctors and clinics, overseeing trial protocols, and analysing trial data to ensure compliance and efficacy.

Clinical services

Supporting technical services in hospitals and other clinical settings, such as working as an embryologist in an IVF clinic or a clinical microbiologist in a hospital. These roles vary depending on the specialty and national healthcare system. Further details coming soon.

Clinical practice

Returning to clinical practice after a brief period in research for those with an MD or other clinical background. Further details coming soon.

Communications and outreach

Engaging diverse audiences by translating complex scientific concepts into accessible information for academic organisations, museums, and scientific societies, as well as for companies by converting complex medical information into clear, engaging content.

Scientific publishing – journal editor

Supporting scientific publishers in coordinating the peer review and publication process for manuscripts submitted to scientific journals.

IP, technology transfer, and patent law

Helping academics and companies protect intellectual property (IP) and commercialise potential applications of their work while working in a patent role within the national or EU civil service.

Venture capital

Supporting venture capital firms or pharmaceutical departments in making informed investment decisions, managing existing investments, and identifying new opportunities in start-ups.

Science policy and government affairs

Supporting the use of scientific knowledge and consensus to design evidence-based policies that best serve the public interest while engaging with key stakeholders.

Regulatory affairs, quality and safety

Understanding, communicating, and applying product and safety regulations, documenting relevant information, applying for required approvals, and coordinating related processes.

Academic principal investigator (PI)

Running an independent research group in academia.

Academic non-PI roles

Providing technical support and assisting research in scientific teams and core facilities, such as staff scientist positions and other core facility roles.

Industry research

Performing lab-based or computational research in (bio)pharmaceutical for therapeutic development, target identification, or toxicology, as well as in R&D for developing new product prototypes in other types of companies.

Technical support, application science, product management

Using in-depth knowledge of particular technologies and scientific tools to provide expert technical support and training to customers and stakeholders, or to coordinate overarching strategies for specific product portfolios.

Sales and marketing

Promoting and selling products or services through direct interaction with clients to provide advice, close deals, and offer ongoing support. Identifying business opportunities for new products and developing strategies to promote these products or services to target customer groups.

Medical affairs

Acting as a bridge between the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare providers, medical affairs roles – such as Medical Science Liaison (MSL) – update clinicians on the latest scientific and clinical trial data while gathering feedback on existing products and unmet clinical needs.

Market access and health economics

Understanding market dynamics and demonstrating the effectiveness and economic impact of pharmaceutical products for establish pricing structures and market strategies that ensure products reach patients, gain acceptance from national agencies and health insurers, and recoup the company’s R&D investment. Further details coming soon.

Data science, analytics and software

Analysing and interpreting complex data to drive decision-making and improve business operations across various industries, using programming, statistical analysis, and data visualisation skills to create software solutions, optimise processes, and/or generate insights that support companies’ strategies.

Academic teaching

Delivering engaging lectures and practicals, mentoring students, and depending on the higher education institution, possibly conducting independent research in one’s field of expertise.

Secondary teaching

Inspiring students by teaching science-related subjects and fostering critical thinking skills in schools and further (pre-university) education colleges.