Image
This career guide is designed to help University of Portsmouth students and recent graduates explore job options, key employers, and entry routes into the biomedical science field, as well as the wide range of career options open to you.
In this guide:
Potential Job Roles
Prospects has a useful list of job profiles, each containing relevant information about key responsibilities, skill requirements, starting salaries, entry requirements, and career prospects with links to major employers and current graduate vacancies. Some roles in this sector include:
As well as the above, there are numerous other roles that a Biomedical Science student could consider. You could think about:
- Other clinical roles in the NHS
- Opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry
- Roles in educational establishments
- Jobs in non NHS laboratories
- Other scientific related jobs
Professional Qualifications
As a Biomedical Science student, you may be aiming to work as a Biomedical Scientist in the NHS. This requires you to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). There are few different routes to achieving this:
Route 1 - with a placement accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)
To qualify directly after graduation, you will need to:
- Complete a placement year during your degree in an IBMS approved NHS training laboratory
- Successfully finish the IBMS Registration Training Portfolio
- Apply to register with the HCPC
Route 2 - without a placement
If you do not complete an IBMS accredited placement during your degree, you can still work towards qualification after graduating:
- Apply for entry level roles in NHS laboratories, such as Associate Practitioner or Medical Laboratory Assistant
- Complete the IBMS Registration Portfolio alongside gaining experience in your role
- Apply for HCPC registration once your portfolio is complete
Route 3 - NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP)
Another pathway into a clinical NHS role is the Scientist Training Programme which:
- Is a three year programme which combines work-based training in the NHS with academic study
- Includes a part-time Master's degree in your chosen specialism
- Leads to a career as a clinical scientist
Find out more at the IBMS website
Gaining Experience
It goes without saying that any experience that you can gain that is relevant to your career goals is going to be of benefit to you. If you know you want to get into a laboratory based role, securing some work experience in this environment will be invaluable, to gain first hand knowledge and to show employers your commitment and interest in the field. Experience can be gained in a number of different settings, read below for various ways you could consider gaining some work experience in this sector.
Lab based work experience
Hospitals sometimes offer lab-based placements. Try approaching the principal clinical scientist in your local NHS trust hospital. You may have to go through the HR department.
You could also try to contact hospitals directly. Most hospitals will have an approved training laboratory, although this doesn't automatically mean that they will take on a trainee.
You could also seek experience with NHS Blood and Transplant or Public Health England, or in pathology and research laboratories in private sector hospitals.
You could try to find lab-based work experience through contacting your University department. Check with your tutor and/or contact your Faculty as they may be looking for laboratory work/support for Masters or PhD students during vacations or term time.
Opportunities in academia can be found at jobs.ac.uk.
Lab based opportunities often exist within schools and colleges; school opportunities are advertised on county council websites, such as Hampshire County Council or city council websites (for example Portsmouth City Council) Further education colleges also advertise lab opportunities online.
Lots of pharma companies take on placement students and interns every year. If you are interested in gaining experience with a major company in one of the world's largest and most profitable industries, then you should consider undertaking some laboratory work experience in a pharmaceutical organisation.
Below are some organisations that often offer summer placement or internship opportunities.. However, please check their websites regularly as the deadline for some of these roles can be very early (you may even have to apply as early as the Autumn term):
Some research institutes offer work experience opportunities to work in a laboratory such as this summer student programme and a 12-month sandwich (placement) year programme offered by the Francis Crick Institute
Some more examples of other research institutes to explore are listed below:
There are also a number of private medical laboratories in the UK – you can find many of the larger companies providing medical laboratory services listed on privatehealth.co.uk.
Veterinary diagnostic labs may also offer work experience, use a search engine to see where your nearest one is.
Directories
The following links feature 'lab directories', which could be useful when trying to find labs that might offer work experience opportunities:
Other ways to gain experience
If you are keen to get experience but not necessarily in a laboratory setting, you might consider volunteering or placements as other ways to build your skills and gain some industry knowledge.
Enhance your prospects with hands-on experience through volunteering. Whether you're uncertain about your career path or aiming for professional success, volunteering offers a chance to explore diverse roles. Discover opportunities through the Volunteering Bank on MyCareer, listing roles like:
- STEM Ambassador Volunteer
- Brain Injury Sessional Worker Volunteer with Headway
Placements usually last between 6-12 months and can be taken as part of your degree programme. To learn more about completing a placement, you can contact the Placements team in the Careers & Employability Service.
You can also find placements opportunities through:
Finding a Graduate Job
We recommend starting your search using our online jobs board, MyCareer. You can find general graduate jobsites through our Graduate Jobs page.
Sector specific jobsites
Are you looking for a role in Hampshire? Our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy can help!
If you're in the final year of your degree, you can register for support from our Graduate Recruitment Consultancy. They work with over 3,000 employers in the local area to place our students into fantastic graduate careers.
Speculative applications
Speculative applications involve sending a CV and cover letter to an employer to ask if they have any vacancies, even if the company is not currently advertising for a role. They're a great way to access "hidden jobs" that go unadvertised.
Submitting a speculative application shows your interest in a specific company and your willingness to go above and beyond to develop your skills and understanding of the industry.
Keeping up to date
Please see below for some key resources to help you explore the industry further:
- Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) - leading professional body for those studying and working in biomedical science
- The Biomedical Scientist - publication from the IBMS, providing biomedical news, views and analysis
- NHS Science Training Programme - more information on the NHS STP route to becoming a clinical scientist
- NHS Careers - explore the different roles available within the NHS
- Laboratory News - keep up to date with industry news
Explore more from Careers & Employability
CV writing toolkit
Check out our CV Writing Toolkit, with 6 key steps to ensure you have a standout CV!
Building work experience
Get hands-on industry experience and showcase your knowledge before you graduate!
Graduate job search guide
Learn about the types of roles you will encounter, and how to search for roles.
Enable University alerts
Turn on notifications for critical updates like closures, safety alerts, and urgent service disruptions.