Choosing a science job
Science never stands still – it constantly expands and discovers new fields of study. Universities and technical schools normally open new courses for new branches of studies that have only been recently established. With so many different fields of study to choose from, it might be difficult to choose the one for you. Here are a few suggested fields of study that may need you in the future.
Life science jobs are some of the most biologically-centered of all the sciences. Life scientists deal with biology at the cellular level, and include the specialties of physiology, pharmacology, and microbiology. Of course, there are many other fields of study to consider – the only thing that these sciences have in common is that they deal with life in general. If this sounds like your interest, then choosing a specialty in life science to devote your life to is enough to get you started.
Like most other sciences, the degree of educational attainment defines what sort of work you’ll be doing in your life science career. A bachelor’s degree (and some relevant hands-on experience) is often enough to land you a job conducting experiments and collecting data. A master’s degree will let you teach in the academe, or work as a technician. A doctorate degree will let you propose and prepare experiments yourself, and researchers in any field of study spend most of their time publishing their findings.
Genetics science jobs also enjoy quite a bit of popularity in society these days, thanks in no small part to the good number of forensics shows on TV. Not all genetics scientists are crime scene investigators, though, even if many of them do help their local governments and police force solve crimes. Other genetics scientists work as genetic counselors and other related occupations.
Forensic scientists help solve crimes and put criminals in jail by analyzing evidence gathered at a crime scene. They analyze DNA, blood, and fingerprints, among other pieces of evidence, often using their findings to prove perpetrators of crimes guilty in the court of law. Unlike what you see on TV, where a single forensic scientist does everything (from photo-documenting, to gathering evidence, to analyzing samples, to interrogating suspects, etc.), you’ll most likely be limited to only one of these activities.
On the other hand, genetic counselors use genetics science in different applications. They basically use their knowledge to study people who have different or inferior genetic buildups, who may or may not cause problems for their offspring. Genetic counselors often give treatment and advice to make sure these people and their families grow up as normally as possible. You may need a master’s degree to practice in this field, but your work will profoundly affect the quality of life for many people.
Forensic scientists who hold MD’s and PhD’s often leave the "dirty work" to their peers and devote their lives to the study of criminal minds. Their study into the ways criminals work often lead to findings that make it easier for governments and police forces to solve crimes and put their perpetrators in jail. The study of criminal minds can be a very gruesome and disturbing career choice, so you’ll need lots of nerve and a strong stomach to do well. Nonetheless, the satisfaction of giving closure to crime victims can make this job worth it.
If you don’t have the stomach to deal with criminals and the crime scenes they leave behind, but would like to help people dealing with the ills of society anyway, then you might be interested in taking one of the many behavioral science jobs available in society today. Behavioral science shares some of the mainstream popularity that forensic sciences enjoy, but often works at a much lower, more genial profile.
As the population density in highly-urbanized areas increase, so do the occurrences of mental, emotional, and psychological problems. Living in the big city gets to all of us eventually, and it’s a behavioral scientist’s job to help people deal with it. Professionals in behavioral science normally serve in counseling centers, while others may choose to open their own practice.
Behavioral science treats psychological disorders like schizophrenia, OCD, and other deviances that may lead to criminal behavior when left unchecked. Other, more common problems that behavioral scientists treat include anxiety (such as over a death in the family), guidance counseling (for students), marriage counseling, and anger management.
As cities grow, so does the need for competent professionals in behavioral science. If you’d like to serve in this branch of science, then you can be assured that there will always be work to be done. Of course, not all sciences deal with humans and society. If you’d much rather work with more predictable (and less disturbing) living things, such as plants and animals, then there’s also a good number of jobs to choose from.
Animal science jobs are particularly easy to find, and it’s similarly easy to pursue a meaningful career as an animal researcher, zoo curator, or veterinarian. Animal sciences focus mainly on domesticated animals, or those animals that serve humans in general, such as dogs, cats, horses, and other pets and zoo animals. While animal science also touch the surface of wildlife animals, it is not its specialty.
Domesticated animals can make living in the big city a lot more tolerable, which is why professionals who know the best way to care for these animals are always well-respected members of the community. Zookeeping and veterinary medicine are surprisingly complicated fields of work, and they require its fair share of study.
If you have a great sense of adventure and love the outdoors, then you might like the idea of working as foresters, forest range specialists, and other people who study the ins and outs of wildlife. Wildlife science jobs study the habits of different animals that live in the wild, and it’s not unusual to find many different jobs all over the world. A wildlife scientist, even when only starting out, can expect to spend a lot of time studying the animals in their chosen habitat. Doing so will help them understand these animals better, and help in their care and the restoration of their habitat.
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