Biological sciences

Labour market information for biological sciences doctoral graduates (August 2011)

The biological sciences have not fared as well as other areas of the economy since the recession, as cuts in R&D budgets appear to have hit biological research, particularly in the NHS. 2010 saw a deterioration in the labour market for biological scientists at all levels, and although doctoral graduates were partly insulated from the worst effects due to their enhanced employability, they were no exception.  Unemployment went up, although it may well have peaked and already be recovering, but the overall proportion of biological scientists entering different sectors has changed little since the recession. This suggests that some doctoral graduates in this discipline may have had difficulty adapting to different employment circumstances and that the market for flexible and imaginative graduates in these fields may still be very healthy.

'What do researchers do? Doctoral graduate destinations and impact three years on' reported that within the UK, 37% were employed in the UK higher education sector with 12-15% employed in each of the research and development, health and social work and manufacturing sectors. The percentage working as teaching professionals was 15%, with 7% in HE teaching and lecturing roles.  Half of biological respondents were working in research occupations, 23% outside the higher education sector. 

The biological sciences disciplinary group includes the following subjects:

• Agriculture
• Animal science
• Biochemistry
• Biology
• Botany
• Dentistry and science
• Food and beverage studies
• Forestry
• Genetics
• Microbiology
• Molecular biology and biophysics
• Sports science
• Veterinary medicine
• Zoology

Subject specific information is provided for biology, biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics, microbiology and agriculture.