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Science & Research

Scientist

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Primary Secondary Post-16

Imagine you are a detective, but instead of solving mysteries about people, you are solving mysteries about how the world works! That is what a scientist does. Scientists ask big questions, like 'How do plants grow?' or 'What makes us feel poorly?' They then do experiments to find the answers. They might mix chemicals in a lab, look through powerful microscopes, or study animals and plants in nature. Their work helps us understand everything from tiny atoms to giant galaxies. They write down what they find and share it with others, so we can all learn more and make the world a better place. It is a very exciting job where you get to discover new things every day and help invent things that make our lives healthier, safer, and more fun. They might work in universities, hospitals, special research centres, or even in big companies.

Scientist

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📊 Statistics

Average Starting Salary

For someone just starting their journey as a scientist in the UK, they might expect to earn around 25,000 to 30,000 pounds a year. This can grow a lot as they gain more experience.

Experienced Salary

Scientists with lots of experience and special skills can earn much more, sometimes over 50,000 pounds a year, especially if they are leading important projects.

Job Opportunities

There are many thousands of scientist jobs across the UK, in different areas like medicine, environment, and technology. It is a growing field with new discoveries happening all the time.

🚀 Careers in this path

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Astronaut

Imagine flying a rocket ship into space to visit the moon and other planets! Astronauts are scientists who study space and what's out there.

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Vet

If you love animals, a Vet is a scientist who helps make sure pets and farm animals are healthy and happy when they are poorly.

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Chef

A Chef is a bit like a food scientist! They mix ingredients to make yummy new recipes and understand how different foods taste together.

Start Your Journey

Be Curious

Start by asking lots of questions about the world around you, like 'Why is the sky blue?' or 'How do plants grow?'.

Being curious is the most important part of being a scientist! Don't be shy to ask 'why' or 'how'. You can ask your teachers, parents, or even look up answers in books or on safe websites. Every question is a step towards a new discovery.

Explore Science at Home

Do fun and safe science experiments with your family, like making a volcano with baking soda or growing crystals.

You don't need a fancy lab to start! Simple kitchen experiments can be super fun. With an adult's help, you could try making slime, watching how different liquids mix, or seeing what floats and sinks. These activities help you learn about materials and how they react.

Read Science Books

Read books about animals, space, plants, and how things work to learn lots of cool facts.

Your local library is full of amazing books about science! Look for books with colourful pictures that explain dinosaurs, robots, the human body, or even famous scientists. Reading helps you learn new words and ideas that will be very useful later on.

Discover and Learn More

Enjoy Science in School

Pay close attention in your science lessons at school and try your best with all the activities.

When you're at school, your science lessons will teach you about many different things, like living things, forces, and materials. Make sure to listen carefully to your teacher and participate in group work. This is where you'll get to do more exciting experiments and learn important scientific words.

Visit Science Museums

Go to science museums or centres with your family or school to see amazing exhibits and try interactive displays.

Science museums are wonderful places where you can touch, see, and hear science in action! You might get to see giant dinosaur skeletons, walk through a rainforest exhibit, or even learn about how electricity works. These visits can make science come alive and spark new interests.

Join Science Clubs

If your school has one, join a science club to do extra projects and experiments with your friends.

Joining a science club is a fantastic way to meet other children who love science just like you! You'll get to work on special projects, build things, and do experiments that might not be part of your regular lessons. It's a great chance to explore new ideas and have fun while learning.

Become a Young Scientist

Choose Science Subjects

When you get older, pick subjects like biology, chemistry, and physics to learn even more about science.

As you move through school, you'll have more choices about what you study. If you want to be a scientist, it's really important to keep studying science subjects like Biology (which is about living things), Chemistry (which is about materials and how they change), and Physics (which is about forces, energy, and how the universe works). These will give you a strong foundation.

Think About University

After school, you might go to university to study science even more deeply and learn from clever scientists.

Many scientists go to university after they finish school. At university, you can choose a specific type of science to specialise in, like marine biology, astrophysics, or genetic engineering. You'll get to learn from professors who are experts in their field and even work in real science labs, doing exciting research and experiments.

Do Real Science Work

After university, you can get a job as a scientist and help discover new things that make the world a better place!

Once you've finished your studies, you can start working as a scientist! You might work in a laboratory, a hospital, a university, or even outdoors. You could be developing new medicines, inventing cleaner energy, exploring space, or studying animals. Every day will be an adventure, helping to understand and improve our world.

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🎯 View Apprenticeships

Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Scientist. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.

🎓 View Apprenticeships

Career Progressions

This page showcases various career options and the pathways to reach them. Each career listed here shares transferable skills and knowledge, making it easier for individuals to transition between them.

Your current career is highlighted to help you see how it fits into the broader landscape of potential career choices. By clicking on any career, you can learn more about it, including the training and education required to pursue it.

Remember, progressing in your career often involves further learning and training. This page provides insights into future career options as well as those that can lead up to your current one.

These career progression decisions are informed by comparing the skills and knowledge needed for different occupations, along with data on how people move between them. Explore the possibilities and discover the exciting journey ahead in your career!

Sample Qualifications

The term 'Scientist' is broad, and 'Research scientist' is the most general official title on the list that encompasses the core activities of a scientist, which primarily involve conducting research, experiments, and analysis in a specific field of study.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role

University

You usually need a first or 2:1 (upper second class) degree in a science subject to become a research scientist. Most research scientists continue to study for a postgraduate qualification like a PhD.

You could study on an integrated postgraduate master's course. These courses include independent research and are designed to lead directly on to a PhD.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including a science, for a degree
  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do a degree apprenticeship if you want to work in a particular field of scientific research.

Apprenticeships include:

  • Scientist Level 6
  • Biomedical Scientist Level 6
  • Nuclear Scientist Level 6
  • Materials Science Technologist Level 6
  • Clinical Scientist Level 7

You could also do a Research Scientist Level 7 Apprenticeship, which is equivalent to postgraduate study.

These apprenticeships can take between 3 and 5 years to complete.

Entry requirements

To get onto an apprenticeship, you'll find it useful to have:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

More Information

Work

It may be possible to start as a research assistant or graduate industrial scientist. You would usually need to study part time for a PhD while you work.

UK Research and Innovation and industrial companies sometimes offer studentships. This would give you the opportunity to do a PhD while getting practical research experience.

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Career tips

It may improve your chances of finding work if you've got work experience in a research department, or your degree included a placement in a research environment.

As a graduate, you could look for postgraduate training opportunities offered through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP). In a KTP you would get the opportunity to run a research project together with an organisation and a university or research body.

Further information

You can get advice about research careers from the Science Council and professional bodies for particular scientific fields, such as:

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