Clinical biochemist : Employers and vacancy sources

Registration is compulsory in order to work as a clinical biochemist. Most clinical biochemists are employed in clinical biochemistry, clinical pathology or clinical chemistry departments in the National Health Service (NHS) (see NHS Careers ). The NHS recruits staff into more than 70 careers, employing 5% of the workforce in England (more than one million staff) with many more in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A willingness to move around is important during the early part of your career with the NHS, as posts are geographically widespread and posts will not necessarily be vacant in your current hospital when you come to the end of your training.

Some opportunities also exist in industrial companies, particularly diagnostics pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, where clinical testing of drugs is an important part of the work.

Sources of vacancies

• Search graduate jobs on this site.
• Association of Clinical Biochemists (ACB) News  
• Nature Jobs    
• New Scientist Jobs  
• NHS Careers    
• NHS Jobs    

Most trainee clinical biochemist vacancies are advertised through the NHS Clinical Scientists Recruitment Scheme . The closing date for applications is early in the year. Those health services not using this scheme advertise vacancies in ACB News and the national press.

Recruitment agencies rarely handle vacancies.

Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.