A science degree plus strong therapy-area knowledge; many enter after a PhD, PharmD or clinical role.
Starting salary (UK)
£45,000–£55,000 (post-PhD/experience)
Pharma & life sciences
Medical writer
Turns clinical trial data into regulatory documents, journal articles, or patient materials for pharma companies.
Life SciencesBiomedical ScienceEnglish
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£28,000–£35,000
Research & laboratory science
Microbiologist
Investigates bacteria, viruses and fungi in labs, hospitals, public health and food safety.
MicrobiologyBiomedical ScienceBiology
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£26,000–£32,000
Science & society
Patent attorney
Helps inventors protect new technology and drugs through intellectual property law, a well-paid blend of science and law.
Any science degree
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£30,000–£40,000 (trainee)
Pharma & life sciences
Pharmacologist
Researches how drugs interact with the body, developing and testing new treatments before they reach patients.
PharmacologyBiomedical ScienceBiochemistry
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£26,000–£33,000
Healthcare & clinical practice
Physician associate
Works alongside doctors to diagnose, manage and treat patients, a rapidly growing clinical role that does not require medical school.
Biomedical ScienceBiologyPhysiologyAdult Nursing
Route in
A bioscience or health degree, then the 2-year Physician Associate Studies MSc/PGDip.
Starting salary (UK)
£34,000–£41,000
Operations, quality & compliance
Process and operations analyst
Uses data and process mapping to improve how organisations, including hospitals, run day to day.
Any numerate degree, e.g. Economics, Maths, Statistics, Finance
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£26,000–£32,000
Commercial
Product manager (general tech)
Leads development of a product from concept to launch, valued for structured problem-solving over a specific degree.
Any degree
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£32,000–£42,000
Communication & education
Public engagement officer
Designs events, exhibitions and campaigns that help the public understand and connect with scientific research.
Any science degreeScience Communication
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£22,000–£28,000
Public & global health
Public health officer
Designs and runs programmes that improve population-level health outcomes.
Public HealthBiomedical Science
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£28,000–£35,000 (NHS Band 6)
Finance & risk
Risk manager
Identifies and manages financial, operational, or regulatory risk for an organisation, a broad, structured path that welcomes analytical science graduates.
Any numerate degree, e.g. Economics, Maths, Statistics, Finance
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£30,000–£38,000
Communication & education
Science communicator / health journalist
Translates complex health research for the public, through outlets, charities, or government bodies.
Any science degreeScience CommunicationJournalism
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£22,000–£28,000
Communication & education
Science journalist / editor
Reports, edits or commissions science stories for newspapers, magazines, broadcasters, websites and publishers.
Any science degreeJournalismScience Communication
Route in
Degree routes listed above; entry paths vary by employer.
Starting salary (UK)
£22,000–£28,000
Communication & education
Science teacher / lecturer
Inspires the next generation of scientists in schools, colleges or universities, a route that keeps you close to the subject.
Any science degreeEducation
Route in
Science degree plus a PGCE or salaried teacher training route; lecturing usually needs a PhD.
Starting salary (UK)
£28,000–£34,000
Engineering
Tissue engineer
Works on growing or engineering biological tissue for research or regenerative medicine.