Pharmacologist : Salary and conditions

• PhD studentships offer tax-free stipends of around £13,550 to £19,000 a year.
• Typical salaries start from £23,000 for pre-doctoral roles and £27,000 for post-doctoral roles in academia.
• Salaries at senior level/with experience range from £35,000 to £80,000.
• Salaries in industry tend to be higher than those in academia, and pharmacologists with a PhD are likely to earn more than those without.
• The intake of new employees at big pharmaceutical companies tends to show considerable peaks and troughs.
• Working hours are normally nine to five-thirty, but some flexibility is needed in order to monitor and manage experiments. Some weekend or shift work may also be required for the same reason.
• Work may take place in universities, government-funded research institutes, commercial research centres, contract research organisations, pharmaceutical companies and medical charities.
• Consultancy work is an option once you become more experienced.
• Part-time work and flexible working arrangements are available, and career breaks may be possible.
• The wearing of protective clothing is generally required in order to avoid cross-contamination.
• A significant part of pharmaceutical research involves the use of animals, although this does not necessarily have to be part of your work.
• Experimental work may involve working with hazardous and toxic materials and may need to be carried out in sterile conditions.
• Travel within a working day is occasionally needed, but absence from home at night is uncommon.
• Travel in the UK, as well as overseas, is sometimes necessary for attending conferences and seminars.
• Most major pharmaceutical companies have global offices, and there are universities and research organisations across the world, so there are many opportunities for overseas employment.

Salary figures are intended as a guide only.