Careers in Science Forum – Monday 31st October 2011

Are you wondering what your science career options might be, or do you have an idea of what you want to do but are not sure how to get there? Maybe you know how to get there but would like some inside information to boost your application?

As part of the Science themed week UCL Careers Service has organised a Careers in Science Forum on Monday 31st October. The Careers in Science Forum is the ideal place to get your science careers questions answered.

This Forum is aimed at Science and Engineering students and researchers who are looking to pursue research-based or other careers in the science sector.

Event Format

Panel Discussion: 5:25pm – 6.30pm (location confirmed when you book)

Networking: 6.30pm-7.30pm (South Cloisters)

The Forum  starts with an hour long panel discussion (for which you must register) with representatives from selected occupations telling you about their line of work and answering your questions.

This will be followed by a networking event (no registration needed) with representatives from various organisations covering a wide range of careers in the science sector.

This is an excellent opportunity to gather key information about the nature of specific job roles, how you can enter the profession, what working conditions are like and future industry trends. Please note: many of the representatives are there solely to provide information and do not necessarily have opportunities available. If they have any opportunities they are of course free to discuss these.

Organisations on the Panel:

• Academia/Science Policy/Publishing – UCL Academic
• Chemical Manufacturing – AkzoNobel
• Consultancy in Physical Sciences – Institute of Physics
• Patent Attorney – Carpmaels & Ransford
• Pharmaceuticals/Regulatory Affairs – Freelance Consultant
• Research & Development – Unilever

Networking:
The panellists will be attending the networking event, along with representatives from the following sectors:

• BioPharma/Regulatory Affairs – Eureca Consulting
• Chartered Scientist and Science Careers – Science Council
• Clinical Technologies and Clinical Services – Bracket (UBC)
• Fast Moving Consumer Goods R&D and Manufacturing – L’Oreal
• Geophysical Services – CGG Veritas
• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships – UCL
• Law in Science – Field Fisher Waterhouse
• Medical Communications – KnowledgePoint360
• Medical Education – Nucleus Central
• Patent Law – Withers & Rogers
• Pharmaceuticals – EISAI
• Pharmaceuticals – GlaxoSmithKline
• Publishing – BioMed Central
• Scientific & Medical Affairs – United Biosource Corporation (UBC)
• Specialised Recruitment Agency – Match Tech
• Teaching – Teach First
• Technology Transfer – UCL Business

More may be added to this list.

BOOK NOW:
Current students who wish to attend the panel discussion MUST book in advance using your My Careers Service account.

Research Staff employed by UCL should book through the Research Staff Booking Form.

For the panel session, you must arrive by 5.25pm to guarantee admission. If you arrive late you may not be admitted.

There is no need to book a place to attend the networking session afterwards, just bring your UCL ID card.

Comments from last year:
Here are comments from some students who attended in previous years:

“It was interesting to hear the speakers talk about their experiences and why they made the career choices they did. It was also nice to know that many of them had had the experience of not knowing exactly what they wanted to do when they left university (an experience that many of us students share!) but yet they all seemed to have found jobs that they enjoy. A list of websites with further information about specific careers in science was also given out as part of the course, which was useful to take away and look up later.”

“I feel the science fair is essential for students who are thinking of pursuing industrial experience before deciding on PhD etc. The panel discussion and the experiences of the Professional does help to look at science from different angles and not just research.”

A Career in Medical Writing? – MedComms Career Event

 

 

MedComms are holding their second London careers event on 15 July 2011 at the Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL.  It is free to attend and is primarily intended for post-docs and PhD students from biomedical sciences departments in Universitites. However, they would also welcome anyone who would like to meet with a number of medical communications professionals for a session which presents medical writing and account management in medical communications as an attractive career option.

Full details are at www.medcommsnetworking.co.uk/london11.html. Please register in advance by emailing your name and current positions to Peter Llewellyn – peter@networkpharma.com.

If you are interested in a career in medical writing you will find lots more information at www.medcommsnetworking.co.uk/startingout including videos and the latest edition of the MedComms Careers Guide.

Interested in a career in Medical Communications?

If you are interested in a career in Medical Communications you might want to find out what the role actually involves. A number of MedComms specialists have produced short videos, using their own style and words, to explain their work and to pass on tips to people looking to start a career in medical communications.

See the first video posted by Nigel Eastmond who is a freelance medical writer and consultant. In his video he talks about his background and his day-to-day work in medical communications.

You will find the video along with the latest edition of the MedComms Careers Guide which is free to download and lots more useful information at www.medcommsnetworking.co.uk/startingout.

PhD Employers Forum – Careers in Science

Date/Time: 9 June 2011, from 11am
Venue: North Cloisters, Wilkins Building

This event gives PhD students the opportunity to meet potential future employers who specialise in science and related sectors face to face. You will have the opportunity to find out about options available beyond your PhD and practice some of your employability skills. The day will be of interest not only to students nearing the end of their research, but also to research students at any point their career wishing to gain an insight into the PhD labour market in sectors including Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Natural Resources, Environmental Consultancy, Patents and Intellectual Property, Knowlege Transfer, Medical Writing, Scientific Publishing, Defence Technology and Clinical Trials.

Companies confirmed for 2010/11 include:  Biotronics 3D, Carpmaels & Ransford, CGG Veritas, Defence Science & Technology Laboratory, Dianthus Medical, GSK, Institute of Clinical Research, Institute of Physics Publishing, Matchtech, Oakdene Hollis, PRN Clinical Services, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Unilever, UCL Advances – HELO Programme and UCL Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.

This one-day event takes place in two sections:

* Information Fair – From 11am until 1pm there will be a table top Information Fair with a selection of exhibitors who regularly recruit PhD students – this will give you the opportunity to find out about a range of employers and discuss with them any opportunities they have on offer.

* One-to-One Sessions – During the Information Fair you will be able to sign up for 15 minute informal one-to-one sessions with employers (with the agreement of you and the employer). These sessions will take place in the afternoon and are intended to allow you the chance to use the skills you have developed during the research student skills development programme in a one-to-one situation.

To take a look at the career histories of some previous UCL science research students – go to http://www.ucl.ac.uk/careers/current-students/phd/careeroptions#phdstoriesucl.

To help you get the most from the Forum, UCL Careers Service will be holding a session titled ‘How to use the PhD Employers Forum’ on Tuesday 31 May 2011 in the Seminar Room, UCL Careers Service, 4th floor, ULU Building, Malet St. This session will be held from  11.00am to 12.00pm. It will provide you with a run down of the various different techniques and strategies you can adopt to make the most of the event. Please note that places are limited to 45 and there is no formal registration for this information session.

For more information and to register for the Forum please go to http://courses.grad.ucl.ac.uk/course-details.pht?course_ID=2165

From academic to medical writer – a guide in getting started in medical communications

The UK is home to numerous leading medical communications agencies that serve the global pharmaceutical industry. If you would like to be a successful medical writer working in one of these agencies you would need:

• ideally a doctorate in a bioscience subject
• ideally post-doctoral research experience
• genuine enthusiasm for science and its application to medicine
• flair for writing about science and medicine
• the ability to work independently within a small-team environment

Medical writing can literally take you all over the world and provides attractive long-term career pathways.

To find out more about medical writing go to Medcommsnetworking where there is also a guide to getting started in medical communications (3rd Edition, published March 2011, written by Dr Annick Moon, published by NetworkPharma).

The guide focuses primarily on the role of the Medical Writer in medical communications agencies. The Medical Writer’s role is to use science and language to deliver education and communication programmes for the pharmaceutical industry, while working to the highest ethical standards and adhering to industry regulations and guidelines. The aim of this guide is to give the industry information you need to decide if you are suited to the role of Medical Writer, and to provide the insider knowledge you need to excel at interview.

Forthcoming External Careers Events

1. Society of Biology, Life Science Careers Conference

24th November 2010 12.30 – 18.00, Henriette Raphael Building, Guys Campus, Kings College, London

The careers event include presentations covering a wide range of science-related subjects, a CV workshop providing tips on how to ensure you secure an interview for your perfect job, and a chance to mingle with the experts and ask informal questions over lunch and afternoon refreshments.

MedComms Networking, Lunchtime Careers Event – 10 January 2011 – Oxford

An audience of post-docs and DPhil/PhD students and others from the biomedical sciences departments within and around Oxford and from other Universities, to meet with a number of medical writing and communications professionals for a highly engaging session which presents medical writing as an attractive career option. 

Please note: the above events do not involve the UCL Careers Service.

Posted by Dr Calum Leckie, UCL Careers Service

Interested in a Career in Medical Communications?

I’ve just received an email alerting me to a careers event that has been successfully run at both Oxford and Manchester, and is now coming to London. The MedComms Networking career event, managed by NetworkPharma, will take place at Imperial College on the 5th of July and is a great opportunity to hear about an area of the medical and pharmaceutical industry where recruitment is particularly healthy, and to meet informally a number of company representatives.

Medical Communications offers those with excellent communication skills the opportunity to remain  involved in the knowledge end of science research without staying in academia. If you are unable to attend the event, you can still find out about this career by downloading their PDF career guide.

Calum Leckie

UCL Careers Service