Genetics

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Academic researcher
• Biomedical scientist
• Clinical research associate
• Clinical scientist, genomics
• Clinical scientist, immunology
• Genetic counsellor
• Plant breeder/geneticist
• Research scientist (life sciences)
• Research scientist (medical)

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Agricultural consultant
• Biotechnologist
• Clinical scientist, biochemistry
• Data scientist
• Epidemiologist
• Forensic scientist
• Further education teacher
• Medical science liaison
• Nature conservation officer
• Patent attorney
• Physician associate
• Scientific laboratory technician
• Science writer
• Secondary school teacher
• Teaching laboratory technician

Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Work experience

Many degrees offer a placement year in industry or within a research institute and this can give a great insight into the work as well as the chance to build some good contacts. If your course doesn't offer this, look for opportunities yourself for short periods of work experience, internships or volunteering opportunities that can be completed within the holidays.

Even if the role doesn't perfectly align with the job you want to go into, the experience of the working environment will provide valuable insight when it comes to deciding what sector or company you want to work in. Also, it's a good idea to gain some experience within industry as well as academia so you can compare the two and decide which you prefer.

Temporary work within a healthcare environment, for example in a hospital, may also be helpful for exploring career ideas. Laboratory work and experience of the techniques used in the genetics field is also useful to have. However, check your course details, as some courses' placement years offer hospital experience in addition to or instead of placements in other industries.

You could also volunteer with organisations that specialise in researching genetic conditions or supporting people with inherited disorders.

Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships.

Typical employers

Many careers relating to genetics are based in the health services, such as:

• hospitals
• research institutes
• pharmaceutical companies
• universities, particularly in a research capacity.

You may want to consider opportunities in industries related to biological sciences instead, such as:

• agriculture and horticulture
• biotechnology
• biomedical research
• conservation and environmental assessment.

However, other opportunities within different fields of scientific practice for genetics graduates can include:

• consultancy companies
• fermentation
• food and drink companies
• forensics
• health and beauty care industry
• scientific civil service.

It's also possible to use your skills in fields such as:

• business
• finance
• management
• publishing
• retail
• sales
• teaching.

Find information on employers in healthcare, science and pharmaceuticals, and other job sectors.

Skills for your CV

Studying genetics provides you with specialist subject knowledge, skills and techniques that are essential if you intend to pursue a career in a genetics-related career such as:

• biological research disciplines - e.g. therapies for human diseases
• collecting, recording, analysing and interpreting of masses of scientific data
• genetic research specialities - e.g. genetic engineering and diagnosing genetic conditions
• laboratory techniques and practice
• research skills
• scientific research protocol.

Employers are also interested in the broader skills you acquire, such as:

• awareness of current issues and ethical debates
• business awareness
• communication skills, including report writing and making presentations
• logical and critical thinking
• numeracy, IT and data analysis skills
• problem solving
• recording, analysis and interpretation of masses of scientific data
• research skills
• self-reliance and initiative
• teamwork and strong interpersonal skills
• time management.

Further study

Many genetics-related employers value postgraduate study and the technical and research skills you develop to a higher level, as well as other transferable skills such as critical analysis and report writing. Postgraduate study at Masters and PhD level is particularly useful, and sometimes essential, for jobs in research.

There are many options at postgraduate level to enhance the knowledge gained in your first degree. Some subjects are directly related, such as medical and molecular genetics, while others derive from genetics, like immunology and pharmacology.

For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search for postgraduate courses in genetics.

What do genetics graduates do?

The top five jobs held by genetics graduates include biochemists and biomedical scientists (13%), laboratory technicians (10%), biological scientists (5%) and teaching professionals (4%).

Find out what other science graduates are doing 15 months after finishing their degrees in What do graduates do?

Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.