WHAT CAN I DO
WITH A MAJOR IN
SCIENCE?
Trends in the Labor Market
The market has taken a hit, yet
stays resilient. 10% of respondents
will not hire this year.
 Bachelor’s grads can expect the
labor market to remain unchanged
from last year. Hope is that hiring
will pick up

Trends . . . Continued
Computer scientists will see
opportunities shrink around 6%
while business will increase 5% and
liberal arts 16%
 Ethics and Integrity are the critical
skills/competencies being catered to
this year

So . . . . . What does
this mean to
ME?????
Work Towards becoming the
“TOTAL PACKAGE”
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Communication Skills – verbal, written
and listening skills
Computer/Technical Aptitudes – a given
core skill
Leadership – take charge or be a follower
Teamwork – working cooperatively &
collaboratively with different people
“Total Package”
Continued

Interpersonal Abilities – How do you
relate to others? Inspire others to
participate? Mitigate conflict
between co-workers?
TOP PERSONAL QUALITIES

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Communication
Skills
Honesty/Integrity
Teamwork
Interpersonal
Motivation/Initiativ
e
Plan/Organize
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Strong Work Ethic
Analytical Skills
Flexibility/Adaptabi
lity
Computer Skills
Customer Service
Leadership
The Glue That Holds it
ALL Together . . .
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving –
identify problems and their solutions
 Intelligence and Common Sense
 Willingness to learn quickly and
continuously
 Work Related Experiences

How Do I Gain These
Skills?
INTERNSHIPS
An internship experience provides
students the opportunity to apply
classroom instruction to work settings.
The student intern receives academic
credit and in some cases is also paid.
Can be from 1 semester to more than
one. A student can have more than one
internship experience.

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
Benefits of an Internship
Opportunity to apply classroom
learning to actual work experience.
 Opportunity for new “learning” from
the work experience.
 Develop Self-Confidence and
Professional Skills.
 Begin “Networking” Process

ELIGIBILITY

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Available at
sophomore level
Meet minimum
credit
requirements
Required GPA 2.5
Approval by
appropriate
academic division
PROCESS




Fill out internship
application, return
to Career Services
Meet with Marcia
Foss
Begin work on
resume
Find a placement
PREVIOUS INTERNSHIP
SITES
Dakota Heartland Hospital, Fargo
 Microsoft Great Plains, Fargo
 Youth Correctional Center, Bismarck
 Open Door Center, Valley City
 Melroe, Gwinner
 Nash Finch, Edward Jones, Security
State Bank, Nodak Mutual Ins., Walt
Disney World, Sea World +++++

JOB SHADOW
Coordinated through Career Services
Office
 Job Shadow someone in a career
path that you are interested in
 One hour to multiple hour
experience
 Example: Ride along with Barnes
County Sheriff’s Dept.

Take Part in Student
Campus Activities
Student Government – Senate, VCab, Finance Comm., IR Hall Council
 Honor Societies & Special Interests
– Viking Ambassadors, FCA, Alpha
Chi, PBL
 Athletics & Intramurals

Campus Activities . .
Continued
Cultural Activities – Art, Community
School of Arts, Drama, Foreign
Languages, International
Opportunities, Medicine Wheel,
Music, Planetarium
 Others – Special Event Committees,
Yearbook, Newspaper
 Jobs – Lab. Assistants

Career Services
Activities
Attend Career Fairs – UND & TriCollege in the Fall
 Minneapolis Field Trip
 On Campus Company Presentations
& Recruiting Events
 Senior Seminar Class
 Career Decision Making Class

SO . . . WHAT TYPES OF
JOBS ARE THERE?
Education – Teacher
 Research (Technical/Scientific)
 Sales

FURTHER EDUCATION
NEEDED:
Physician
Podiatrist
Chiropractor
Nurse
Dentist
Dental Hygienist
Radiological
Technologist
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Veterinarian
Food Technologist
Dietitian
EEG Technologist
EKG Technician
EMT
PA
Pharmacist
Further Education cont.
Physical Therapist
 Exercise Science/Physiology
 Respiratory Therapist
 Occupational Therapist
 Mortician

CONSERVATION &
ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS
Environmental Engineer
Environmentalist
Environmental Technician
Hazardous Waste Management
Water Quality
Air Quality
Solid Waste Management
NATURAL RESOURCE MGT.
Land & Water Conservation
 Parks & Outdoor Recreation
 Forestry
 Fish & Wildlife Management

ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES
Biostatistician
 Blood Bank Specialist
 Science Writer
 Medical Illustrator
 Tissue Technologist

ASTRONOMY:
Astronomer
 Biology
 Chemist
 Laboratory Technician
 Meteorologist
 Mineralogist
 Research Technician

BOTANY CAREERS:
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Agronomist
Bacteriologist
Cytologist
Food & Drug
Inspector
Food Technologist
Geneticist
Soil
Conservationist
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Naturalist
Nursery Manager
Park Ranger
Plant Breeder
Pathologist
Seed Analyst
Taxonomist
CHEMISTRY CAREERS:
Consumer Protection Specialist
 Food & Drug Analyst
 Patent Examiner
 Pharmacologist/Sales Rep.

BACHELOR DEGREE
CAREERS
SCIENCE TEACHING
Science Teachers will be in great
demand in the next five years –
think about a Composite Science
degree
 Enjoy working with children or
young adults
 Enjoy education

SALES & MARKETING:
Sales of pharmaceuticals, DNA
probes & polymerases, as well as
equipment
 Fast growing area for people with a
science background
 Like working with people, like
sciences, interest in business

TECHNICAL SERVICES:
Help customers to use your products
– some technicians recommend
experiments as well as the
biomolecules required
 People person
 Good Science background
 Enjoy variety

MANUFACTURING
Implementation of good
manufacturing processes
 Work with food, biotech, or
pharmaceutical companies
 Technical background
 Problem solving
 Work in a team

QUALITY CONTROL or
ASSURANCE:
Perform environmental, raw
materials & final product testing
 Develop tests for compliance with
FDA and GMP regulations
 Detail oriented
 Scientific background
 Like routine

JOURNALIST & TECHNICAL
WRITING:
Writing science articles for public
health information, book reviews or
technical papers
 Also science writing for companies &
organizations
 Like the sciences, Like writing
 Enjoy new topics

MANAGEMENT CONSULTING:
Restructuring for companies or
processes
 Develop strategic plans or marketing
plans
 Enjoy business & science
 Like to travel

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Oceanography, geologists,
population biologists, government
environmental officers
 Study the effects of people on the
environment & intervention
 Interest in science
 Concerned for the environment

RESEARCH:
Investigate new research topics –
usually hands on research or leading
a team of students or technicians
 Current topics include breast cancer
and superconductors
 Sense of Wonder
 Ambition
 Scientific background

WHERE ARE THESE JOBS?
Schools – middle, high school,
community college, universities
 Industry
 Government
 Newspapers, Journals, Magazines,
Organizations
 Consulting Firms
 Hospitals, Clinics, Private Practice

GRADUATE DEGREE
CAREERS
BIOPROCESS ENGINEERING:
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Produce materials, drugs or enzymes, in
commercial quantities
Requires training in filtration systems,
transgenic animal use or cost assessment
Interest in science & engineering;
problem solving skills; work in a team
MS or PhD
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
Can primarily do research, or in
industry, develop medical
instruments and supplies
 Tissue engineering; Medical robotics
 Extensive science background;
extensive math and engineering
background
 MS, PhD

FORENSIC SCIENCE
Scientific Detective Work – Search
for scientific clues to solve/explain
crimes
 Lab screening for drugs, fire causes;
presentation of findings to courts
 Thoughtful, inquiring mind; good
social interaction
 MS, PhD
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NANOTECHNOLOGY
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Scientific engineering of structures on the
billionth-of-a-meter scale; incorporates
the sciences, computers & electronics to
manipulate single atoms to create better
products
Ability to deal with things not possibly
seen with the naked eye
Desire to create better products of
various types
MS, PhD
REGULATORY AFFAIRS
Advise on the development of
regulatory requirements. Write
clinical investigator brochures or
assess clinical trials for compliance
 Self-confident, Good communication
skills
 MS, PhD

PATENT LAW:
Review worth of patents & compare
to other patents; work with clients
to support any patent challenges
and counsel on patent issues
 Enjoy science & law
 Logic oriented
 J.D.

BIOINFORMATICS
Analyze DNA strands for useful gene
sequences; solve sequences; cross
species genetic analysis; database
development for foundations
 Enjoy the sciences; good with
computers; problem solving skills
 MS, PhD

COMPUTER MODELING
Computer modeling of biomolecules
for structure based drug design;
database development
 Enjoy the sciences; good with
computers, problem solving skills
 MS, PhD

WEBSITES:
earth.agu.org/careerguide/links.html
 recruit.sciencemag.org
 nap.edu/readingroom/books/careers
 nature.com/naturejobs/contactus/

THE INTERNET:
USING ANY OF THE SEARCH
ENGINES – TYPE IN SCIENCE
CAREERS OR HOT CAREERS IN
SCIENCE
 THERE’S MORE INFORMATION THAN
YOU CAN PROBABLY GET THROUGH

THE DECISION IS
NOW UP TO YOU!
Start taking the steps
down your chosen
Career Path Today!