TR060 Careers

Biochemistry - Graduate skills and career opportunities

This degree will equip you to work in all major aspects of biochemistry, and cell and molecular biology. Currently, biochemistry graduates work in hospitals, and commercial laboratories dealing with analysis, biotechnology, food science, pharmaceuticals or diagnostics. Biochemistry graduates also benefit from their training in critical thinking, analytical reasoning and presentation and communication skills. Consequently, our recent graduates are in high demand in careers not related directly to biochemistry such as communication, information systems, teaching, management, patent law and journalism. Examples of companies where biochemistry graduates from TCD are employed include Abbot, Andor Technology, Kerry Group, MSD, Novartis, and Pfizer. In addition, recent graduates also work in organizations such as the HSE, Forensic Science Ireland, and Teagasc and also in science journalism at RTE, BBC, and Nature Group. Biochemistry graduates are also employed in scientific administration in organizations such as the HRB, the Wellcome Trust and the European Commission. Many graduates are also employed in teaching at the second and third levels.

Botany - Graduate skills and career opportunities

When you graduate you can move directly into a career related to plant biology, such as nature conservation, environmental consultancy, environmental protection, plant evolutionary biology or agricultural research as well as teaching at second-level. Our recent graduates are employed in many organisations, including Teagasc, the OPW, Botanic Gardens at Glasnevin, Kew, Edinburgh, Oman and Missouri, Barclay Crop Protection and the UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre. Alternatively, you might decide to go on to take a higher degree in Trinity or elsewhere. The skills you acquire in the third and fourth years are also widely applicable in business and industry.

Environmental Sciences - Graduate skills and career opportunities

As a graduate in this area, you will be able to take advantage of the worldwide demand generated by increasing environmental awareness. Our graduates pursue careers in conservation, resource management, waste management, environmental research, environmental protection and environmental education.

Many graduates move straight into environmental consultancy, while others find employment in NGOs, national and local government departments, monitoring agencies, conservation bodies and analytical laboratories. It is also common for a number of our graduates to choose to further their education by pursuing postgraduate degrees in Environmental Science.

Genetics - Graduate skills and career opportunities

Many Genetics graduates go on to higher degrees (M.Sc. and/or PhD) and take up careers in research in either academia or industry. Opportunities exist in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, agricultural organisations, medical or clinical diagnostic laboratories, forensics, public health and epidemiology programmes, and in teaching. Genetic counselling is a rapidly expanding field that might also interest you. Other graduates have gone into careers such as medicine, patent law or science journalism. Even if you choose a career not directly related to the scientific subject, the skills of critical thinking and problem solving provided by the Genetics degree will put you in high demand.

Human Genetics - Graduate skills and career opportunities

Many Human Genetics graduates go on to higher degrees (M.Sc. and/or PhD) and take up careers in research in either academia or industry. Opportunities exist in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, agricultural organisations, medical or clinical diagnostic laboratories, forensics, public health and epidemiology programmes, and in teaching. Genetic counselling is a rapidly expanding field that might also interest you. Other graduates have gone into careers such as medicine, patent law or science journalism. Even if you choose a career not directly related to the scientific subject, the skills of critical thinking and problem solving provided by the Human Genetics degree will put you in high demand.

Immunology - Graduate skills and career opportunities

Graduates follow a range of different career pathways. Many of our students are recruited into PhD positions either here or abroad in order to pursue a research-based career in the university, medical (hospital-based research), or industrial sectors. Some of these are specifically within the area of immunology but other students diversify and use their immunology to branch into other areas. Some graduates go straight into lab-based positions as immunologists and these can be in academic, hospital or industrial laboratories, e.g. Pfizer. Other students decide to use their scientific background for non-lab-based careers, e.g. science communication and journalism, or science outreach. Some graduates have gone into research support positions, while others have gone on to get a business qualification or law qualification to enable them to be competitive in a business/commercial setting.

Microbiology - Graduate skills and career opportunities

Graduates in microbiology have a wide range of expertise and are considered versatile scientists for industry or pure research. This makes them sought after by pharmaceutical and medical research laboratories as research and quality assurance staff in drug and medical device manufacture, as analytical or Research and Development (RnD) staff by the food and beverage industries, by public utilities, the health service, by teaching and training establishments and publishing houses, in life science sales and product development, medical relief organisations and many other areas. Such employment may find you working with multinational or small companies in Ireland or abroad, working with leading-edge biotechnologies in the production of drugs, enzymes, antibiotics, vaccines or agricultural products.

Many graduates go on to do a higher degree in Ireland or abroad and enter a rewarding career in many of the areas mentioned or continue a research career in a university.

Molecular Medicine - Graduate skills and career opportunities

Many of our graduates take up a career in industrial, medical or academic research. Some work in hospitals and commercial laboratories dealing with biotechnology, food science, pharmaceuticals or diagnostics. In addition, because they benefit from their training in terms of critical thinking, analytical reasoning presentation and communication skills, our graduates are in high demand in careers not directly related to biochemistry such as communications, information systems, teaching and management, and accountancy.

Neuroscience - Graduate skills and career opportunities

Graduates in Neuroscience can expect to find employment in a wide range of areas, utilising their general scientific training as well as their specialist skills. In the past Neuroscience graduates have pursued careers in academic, government, pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical research organizations. Some graduates study for higher degrees in neuroscience, biological or psychological research, medicine or allied health-related disciplines. For those not seeking a research or medical career, the course provides transferable experience and expertise that is suitable for a wide variety of careers, e.g. in education, business, management and industry.

Physiology - Graduate skills and career opportunities

When you graduate you will be able to use your general scientific training and specialised knowledge of physiology to find employment in a wide variety of jobs. You may pursue further training in physiology and become a research scientist in a hospital, the pharmaceutical industry, a government agency or a university. Some graduates undertake further study in health-related fields such as medicine or physiotherapy.

Zoology - Graduate skills and career opportunities

Many graduates of Zoology are currently pursuing academic and research careers in Ireland and overseas – our network of research alumni can be found on every continent! Many others have been employed within the agriculture and fisheries sector (Teagasc, BIM and Inland Fisheries Ireland), the environment and wildlife services (EPA, National Parks and Wildlife Service, National Biodiversity Data Centre and various Local Authorities) and with international agencies (FAO, IUCN, WBCSD, etc.). Trinity Zoology graduates have furthermore taken up wildlife and environmental publishing, film-making and other careers in the media, software development, second and third-level teaching, museum and tourism work, environmental lobbying with national and international NGOs, environmental and wildlife consultancy, fish farming and – yes – we even have graduates who work in zoos!