What Work Cambridgeshire and Rutland 2016 | Page 15
Information and guidance for young people aged 13-19
BIOTECH/LIFE SCIENCES
This sector is driven by a growing and aging population, an increase in chronic (long
term) diseases and the fact that people are living longer. It’s all about scientific
discovery and advanced technology which makes for some very exciting and
rewarding roles: imagine developing a drug to cure a disease or helping someone to
live a more fulfilling life following an accident... you could make a real difference!
What is happening?
Skills & qualities
• Sector is a key driver in the UK economy with
thousands of new jobs to be created over the next few
years.
• Priority sector for Cambridgeshire with Cambridge
Science Park, Cambridge Biomedical Campus and
Granta Park home to some of the world’s leading
companies in the field.
Useful subjects
• Three main areas: pharmacology (drugs and
chemistry), med tech (hi-tech equipment) and bio tech
(microbiology). Pharma is the largest sub sector.
• Food and energy security, healthy ageing and living
with environmental change are important issues
globally and researchers are needed to tackle these
issues. Highly skilled jobs working in these areas can be
found at the NRP.
• Bioinformatics – connecting computing, biology
and medicine – is one of the fastest growing areas of
research and development.
• Roles in demand include technician, intellectual
property, microbiologist, antimicrobial resistance
researcher.
• Many companies are small businesses
with clusters in cities across the UK.
• Astra Zeneca is building the largest
centre for cancer research in the world
at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus;
Babraham Campus is one of seven
Research Councils developing the skills
of scientists and doctors.
On the web
www.futuremorph.org
www.rsb.org.uk
www.microbiologysociety.org
Retail jobs include...
Local employers
• Cancer
Research UK
• Takeda
Cambridge
• Medicom
• Kymab
• Pfizer
• Horizon
Discovery
Group
• Astra Zeneca
• Abcam
What could you earn?*
Lab technician
£21,900
Biological scientist
£38,100
Research professional
£39,400
Design and development
engineer
£38,500
Pharmacist
£41,500
* Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2014.
Average full-time (median) salary rounded to the nearest £100. Doesn’t include self employed
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