Careers Beyond Academia: Options and Pathways for Researchers

The 2024 conference for researchers will take place from Monday 18 March - Thursday 21 March, online and at the Careers Service.

 

Run by the Careers Service's expert careers advisers, Careers Beyond Academia: Options and Pathways for Researchers is a FREE conference that offers Oxford University researchers the chance to join online panel talks with PhD holders and former academic researchers speaking frankly about their daily working lives in a variety of sectors, attend in-person networking events with peers and employers, and take part in interactive workshops to help you identify skills and strategies for optimising your career preparedness. Whether you are curious about or actively pursuing a career beyond academia, you will benefit from joining the conference.

Click on the session titles below to register for all the events that you want to attend and add the conference to your  LinkedIn calendar to connect with fellow attendees.

Conference schedule overview

Events are run online or in person at the Careers Service, 56 Banbury Rd, OX2 6PA

Time Monday 18 March  Tuesday 19 March  Wednesday 20 March  Thursday 21 March 
09:00     Things to Know about AI for Your Career  Online  The Path from PhD to Publishing  Online 
09:15 KEYNOTE: Weaving Your Career with the Three Most Important Threads: A Guide to Happily Leaving Academia  Online 
09:30 Mental Health and Resilience: Finding Supportive Employers and Maintaining Wellbeing  Online     
10:00    
10:15 From Academic Research to a Career in Arts, Culture and Heritage  Online  CVs and Cover Letters for Roles Beyond Academia  Online  Networking: How to Unlock Career Insights and Opportunities Beyond Academia  In Person 
10:30  
11:00  
11:15 Translating Research Skills for Non-academic Employers  Online  From Research to Careers in Sustainability and Environmental Policy  Online   
11:30 Research and Development in STEM  Online   
12:15

"How Do I Get Hired Outside of Academia?!" Ask the Panel of Recruiters 

 In Person 

12:30 Careers in International Organisations, Diplomacy & Think Tanks  Online  Securing Internships and Work Experience as a DPhil Student  Online  Consulting Alongside Your Research Contract - for Research Staff  Online 
12:45  
13:00 Working While Having a Family  Online   
13:15
13:30      
13:45      
14:00   Medical and Health Communications  Online  Converting to a Legal Career after a PhD  Online 

Careers Fair for Researchers  In Person 

14:30 Careers in Consulting for Researchers  Online 
14:45
15:00 Professional Services and Research Support Roles in HEIs  Online  Patents and Intellectual Property Law  Online 
15:30
15:45    
16:00 Careers in Science Communication for Researchers  Online  Impact Through Tech: Coding, Programming, and Consulting  Online  From Academic Research to Finance: Quantitative Researchers, Analysts, Traders, and Consultants  Online 
16:30
17:00   Choosing the (Not So) Obvious: Careers Outside the Box  Online   

18:00

     

Conference booklet

Get an overview of the events at the 2024 Careers Beyond Academia: Options and Pathways for Researchers conference, read about our inspiring guest speakers, and find out about the recruiting organisations attending the Careers Fair for Researchers.

Download the conference booklet


Who can attend

The events are open to all current Oxford University DPhil students and research staff and are free to attend.

  • Oxford University research staff and students who have a CareerConnect account should sign up to all the sessions that they want to attend on the event pages in CareerConnect
  • Oxford University research staff who DO NOT have a CareerConnect account can gain access on the CareerConnect registration pageNOTE: Once you have requested a CareerConnect account, it can take a few hours for it to be approved. Once the account is approved, you will receive a confirmation email that you can login to CareerConnect and register for events.  
  • NIHR researchers, and other University research staff who are NOT ELIGIBLE for a CareerConnect account should email hello@careers.ox.ac.uk to register their interest in attending.

For any problems with registration, please contact hello@careers.ox.ac.uk 


Event details

Events on Monday 18 March 2024

Event details

KEYNOTE: Weaving Your Career with the Three Most Important Threads: A Guide to Happily Leaving Academia - with Dr Emma Williams

Monday 18 March 2024, 09:15 - 10:15, Online

Considering leaving academia, but feeling anxious and unsure how to start? This presentation outlines how investing time in understanding yourself - your values, motivators, strengths - is the key first step in ensuring your next career works for you. Hear actionable advice from Dr Emma Williams - author of "What Every Postdoc Needs to Know" and the upcoming "Leaving Academia: ditch the blanket, take the skills" - who has 30+ years' experience in Higher Education and has supported thousands of researchers in their career development.

From Academic Research to a Career in Arts, Culture and Heritage

Monday 18 March 2024, 10:15 - 11:15, Online

Join us for a dynamic 1-hour discussion featuring esteemed experts who have successfully transitioned from doctoral and post-doctoral academic journeys to thriving careers in the Arts, Culture, and Heritage industry. Their experiences will serve as valuable beacons, shedding light on how one's academic background and research skills can be harnessed to make meaningful contributions in this diverse and dynamic sector.

Research and Development in STEM

Monday 18 March 2024, 11:30 - 12:30, Online

A career in research is not just within academia. Scientific research and development (R&D) takes place in many contexts, from large companies to charities, government departments to hospitals. This session will feature speakers who have PhDs from disciplines across the physical and life sciences and from different industry contexts who have continued their research beyond academia.

Working While Having a Family (no matter what gender)

Monday 18 March 2024, 13:00 - 14:00, Online

Life is colourful, and a good work/life balance isn’t only defined by your work day. In this session, we will discuss challenges of working while having a family and what practical steps working parents can take to manage these. This session is NOT only tailored to mothers or even those who already have a child, but is also aimed at anyone who thinks they may at one point have a family while also pursuing a career.

Careers in Consulting for Researchers

Monday 18 March 2024, 14:30 - 15:30, Online

Whether it's social enterprises or finance, technology or research, having impact in an area that interests you is possible through a career in consulting. This panel session will feature PhD holders who are now working in consultancy across a range of sectors.

Careers in Science Communication for Researchers

Monday 18 March 2024, 16:00 - 17:00, Online

Whether reporting on the impact of climate change, enthusing the next generation of scientists in science centres, demystifying complex scientific concepts to inform policy makers, or bringing cutting edge research to the wider public, effective communication of scientific ideas is vital and offers a diverse range of career opportunities. In this session, we will hear an overview of career opportunities in the sector, and hear insights from PhD-qualified scientists bringing scientific expertise to the wider public in communication-focused roles.

Events on Tuesday 19 March 2024

Event details

Mental Health and Resilience: Finding Supportive Employers and Maintaining Wellbeing

Tuesday 19 March 2024, 9:30 - 10:30, Online

Tailored for DPhil candidates and fixed-term academic research staff, this one-hour session is a crucial guide for those transitioning from academia to diverse career landscapes. Uncover strategies to identify supportive employers, cultivate resilience, and strike a balance between professional and personal life.

Translating Research Skills for Non-academic Employers

Tuesday 19 March 2024, 11:15 - 12:15, Online

Research skills and experience are valuable beyond academia - but to secure that new career role, it's hugely important to package our experience into a format and language that employers will understand and want to see.

Careers in International Organisations, Diplomacy & Think Tanks for Researchers

Tuesday 19 March 2024, 12:30 - 13:30, Online

This panel discussion is a great opportunity to hear from experienced professionals about careers in International Affairs. Our panellists come from a range of backgrounds and the discussion will cover topics such as, how and why they chose to work in the sector, their career journey to date, how they use their PhD/DPhil research skills in their career, current and future trends in the sector and more.

Medical and Health Communications

Tuesday 19 March 2024, 14:00 - 15:00, Online

Communication skills are fundamental to a researcher's day-to-day work. This panel session features speakers who have built on these skills to go into healthcare and medical communications, careers that aim to raise awareness of therapies and medical devices that could transform and even save people’s lives.

Professional Services and Research Support Roles in HEIs

Tuesday 19 March 2024, 15:00 - 16:00, Online

Professional services staff within Higher Education Institutions support the good conduct of research and are key drivers of research excellence within the university. This session will offer researchers the opportunity to hear from individuals that have utilised their experience as researchers to successfully pursue diverse career paths within the Higher Education sector.

Impact Through Tech: Coding, Programming, and Consulting

Tuesday 19 March 2024, 16:00 - 17:00, Online

From data engineering to quantitative research to data science, the field of data offers a wealth of opportunities for those with strong analytical and quantitative skills. Our panellists will share insights based on their professional experience and answer your questions on the day-to-day realities of careers in data.

Choosing the (Not So) Obvious: Careers Outside the Box

Tuesday 19 March 2024, 17:00 - 18:00, Online

Career opportunities for researchers are vast and diverse, yet often elusive. In this session speakers from a variety of research backgrounds will share their journeys into unique and slightly unconventional careers outside of academia. Spanning Humanities, Social Sciences and STEM, speakers will share their experience and advice of how to make career transitions from one background into careers beyond their immediate area of focus.

Events on Wednesday 20 March 2024

 

Event details

Things to Know about AI for Your Career

Wednesday 20 March 2024, 09:00 - 10:00, Online

How heavily do companies rely on AI for evaluating job applications? And what AI tools might come in handy for researchers looking to take the next career step? This session will provide an overview of where we are with AI and what researchers need to know to make the most of their career-planning.

CVs and Cover Letters for Roles Beyond Academia

Wednesday 20 March 2024, 10:15 - 11:15, Online

This online session will outline the key building blocks of a CV structured for careers outside of academia research, share examples to help with formatting and language, and briefly guide on how best translate your research skills and experience.

From Research to Careers in Sustainability and Environmental Policy

Wednesday 20 March 2024, 11:15 - 12:15, Online

For many researchers with an interest in or experience of environmental science and sustainability, the ability to have impact through policy work is an attractive career prospect. In this panel talk, we will speak to professionals from a range of sectors that support policy delivery and development, influence sustainability and environmental science.

Securing Internships and Work Experience as a DPhil Student

Wednesday 20 March 2024, 12:30 - 13:30, Online

When pursuing a career transition beyond research, gaining practical experience in sectors and roles of interest can be hugely beneficial. This talk is designed to help DPhil students identify and apply for internships and work experience opportunities to pursue careers in different fields beyond academia.

Consulting Alongside Your Research Contract - for Research Staff

Wednesday 20 March 2024, 12:30 - 13:30, Online

Many organisations are looking for independent quality driven solutions to challenges they face. Consulting is a direct way to engage with clients in an area of your expertise alongside your research. These clients often have a well understood and defined issues that academic researchers are well placed to address. In this session, the Careers Service welcomes Jaci Barnett and Kerry Antcliffe from Oxford University Innovation; together we will provide you an overview of this process and how to set yourself up for a successful foray into the world of academic consultancy.

Converting to a Legal Career after a PhD

Wednesday 20 March 2024, 14:00 - 14:45, Online

The legal sector is large and varied and spans numerous roles in both domestic and international jurisdictions. In this session we will focus on 2 of the main pathways for a legal career within the UK market which is to become qualified and work as either a barrister or a solicitor.

Patents and Intellectual Property Law

Wednesday 20 March 2024, 15:00 - 15:45, Online

Patent work and intellectual property offer interesting work for scientists who enjoy using their science away from the bench. But what is the differences between the two professions? This is a great opportunity to hear from a patent attorney and an intellectual property solicitor about what the work is like, how they use their science on a day to day basis and learn tips for getting into these professions.

From Academic Research to Finance: Quantitative Researchers, Analysts, Traders, and Consultants

Wednesday 20 March 2024, 16:00 - 17:00, Online

Researchers with strong analytical and quantitative skills are sought after in the Finance sector, with roles in quantitative research, software development, and strategic analysis all directly utilising experience built in academia. Our panellists will share insights into the day-to-day realities of careers in finance, and share how they have built and utilised their research skills to ensure a successful career transition beyond academia.

Events on Thursday 21 March 2024

Event title Time Location
The Path from PhD to Publishing 09:00 - 10:00 Online
Networking: How to Unlock Career Insights and Opportunities Beyond Academia 10:15 - 11:15 In person at the Careers Service
"How Do I Get Hired Outside of Academia?!" Ask the Panel of Recruiters 12:15 - 13:15 In person at the Careers Service
Careers Fair for Researchers 14:00 - 17:00 In person at the Careers Service

Event details

The Path from PhD to Publishing

Thursday 21 March 2024, 09:00 - 10:00, Online

In this session, with the help of our panel of publishing professionals, we will explore the options for researchers in publishing – the roles, the skills, the areas of publishing where a doctorate is essential and the areas where it is a ‘nice to have’; how a doctorate degree is viewed and how best you can promote the skills you have developed on your DPhil.

Networking: How to Unlock Career Insights and Opportunities Beyond Academia 

Thursday 21 March 2024, 10:15 - 11:15, In person at the Careers Service, 56 Banbury Road

When exploring your careers options, connecting with people in sectors that interest you can be hugely insightful. The idea of networking can sometimes make us feel uncomfortable, but in this two-part session with careers advisers and the editorial team of the Research-Careers.org website, we’ll explore how it can be a powerful research tool, and help you to begin uncovering opportunities.

"How Do I Get Hired Outside of Academia?!" Ask the Panel of Recruiters

Thursday 21 March 2024, 12:15 - 13:15, In person at the Careers Service, 56 Banbury Road

What do recruiters and employers look for in an outstanding applicant? Whether a PhD is required for a role to bring technical expertise and knowledge, or whether research experience provides a unique benefit on your application, in both circumstances we need to make sure our applications communicate our value clearly to employers. This panel session will answer your questions to senior managers and recruiters about what they look for when hiring researchers applying for roles beyond academia, from networking approaches to CVs and interviews.

Careers Fair for Researchers

Thursday 21 March 2024, 14:00 - 17:00, In person at the Careers Service, 56 Banbury Road

This is a unique opportunity to meet representatives from a variety of organisations that are looking to hire researchers. Join the fair for details about the jobs and programmes they have available and discuss the careers paths you could follow in their sector. 

About our 2024 sponsors 

 d-fine

 

... imagine the power of more than 1,500 physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists working as part of a European company with over 20 years of service excellence focused on data science, technology and mathematical modelling. That’s d-fine. 

 G-Research

We are a leading quantitative research and technology firm We hire the brightest minds in the world to tackle some of the biggest questions in finance. We pair this expertise with machine learning, big data, and some of the most advanced technology available to predict movements in financial markets. 

 SIG Susquehanna

SIG is a global quantitative trading firm founded with an entrepreneurial mind-set and a rigorous analytical approach to decision making. We commit our own capital to trade financial products around the world. Building virtually all of our own trading technology from scratch, we are leaders and innovators in high performance, low latency trading. Our traders, quants, developers, and systems engineers work side-by-side to develop and implement our trading strategies. Each individual brings their unique expertise every day to help us make optimal decisions in the global financial markets.

 

 Smith Institute

 Smith Institute uses our expertise in mathematics and data science to help our clients solve their most complex challenges, elevate decision-making and accelerate innovation. Our work creates a positive impact on the economy, society and the environment. Where others see data, we see the underlying mathematical patterns and structures, allowing us to approach problems with a unique clarity and precision for clients in energy, transport, consumer goods, security and government.

 TNG Technology Consulting

 TNG Technology Consulting is an originally German value-based consulting partnership focused on solving hard IT problems with high end technology – from setting IT strategy to implementing practical solutions. Last year, we expanded into the United Kingdom by founding an subsidiary based at the Oxford Centre for Innovation. We offer the right place for everybody who has an analytical mindset, already possesses some coding experience and wants to develop their skills. Find out about our employment opportunities and different locations.

Expand All

The main purpose of Careers Beyond Academia: Options and Pathways for Researchers is to give the Oxford researcher community (research staff including postdocs, research assistants and research technicians and DPhil students) an opportunity to discover and explore as broad a range of career alternatives beyond research within academia as possible.

We are always looking for employers who recruit staff with the technical and transferrable skills that our researchers offer to take part in these events, and for former researchers to share their knowledge and experience of moving beyond the academic sphere.

Employers

There are three ways to get involved in the conference as an employer:

  1. Sponsorship: Sponsors benefit from a range of promotional opportunities, and directly meeting talented researchers through headline attendance at our Careers Fair for Researchers and options to participate in the event programme of panel sessions.
  2. Careers Fair: exhibit your organisation at our Careers Fair for Researchers, your opportunity to meet highly skilled researchers from all disciplines.
  3. Panel sessions: If you already have members of staff who left academic research (PhD or a postdoc/research assistant/technician role) within the last seven years, we may be able to include them as speakers for one of the conference panel sessions. Panel speakers typically give a short, informal talk (no slides needed) about their current role, experience of leaving academia/entering their current sector, tips on how to prepare for career transition etc., and take part in a Q&A session at the end of the panel. Do you have a staff member who could take part in this way? Our researchers really appreciate being able to hear from others who have taken the steps that they are contemplating.

For more information or to discuss your participation, please email chris.jeffs@careers.ox.ac.uk

Former researchers

If you have moved out of academia within the last seven years or so, enjoy sharing your experience of making that move with others and are willing to do so in a conference session, please get in touch with us. We’re always looking for panel speakers and are grateful to everyone who finds the time to share their knowledge in this way.

Please contact chris.jeffs@careers.ox.ac.uk to find out how you can be part of our next conference.

Conference brochures

The conference brochures contain details of all of the sessions taking place at each event. These include bios for speakers and workshop facilitators and an overview of employers who took part in the employer networking lunches.

We are proud to have worked with speakers with fantastically varied research backgrounds and from a wide range of sectors and companies to take part in the panel sessions at each of our previous conferences. Browsing through their bios is a great way to start thinking about potential routes beyond academia. Be open-minded as you look, and don’t read only the panels most closely aligned to your research area; many of these bios give evidence of inspiring degrees of career flexibility.


2023 Conference Schedule

Time Monday 20 March  Tuesday 21 March  Wednesday 22 March  Thursday 23 March 
10:00 Ivory Tower or Satanic Mill: Is There Really Such a Difference Between Academia and Other Sectors? 
 Online 
Having Impact Alongside Research: Gaining Experience Employers Want  Online  Creative Industries as a Career Transition, Whatever Your PhD Specialism 
 Online 
Research Related Roles in Higher Education 
 Online 
11:00
11:15 Careers in Tech: Technical and Non-technical Roles 
 Online 
Consulting: Using Your Research and Critical Thinking Skills
 Online 
How to Take Action and Enhance Your Employability Skills at Oxford
 Online 
Careers at the Forefront of Innovation – Making Your and Others' Ideas a Reality 
 Online 
12:15
12:30 Data Careers: Big Data, Quantitative Research, and Data Science  Online  STEM Research and Development in Industry and Beyond  Online  Using Research Skills for Policy Development: From Government to Charities and Business  Online   
12:45

 Wait list only 

How to Transition Successfully Beyond Academia: Top Tips from the People Who Hire You 
 In person 

13:15
13:30  Wait list only 
Starting a Career Transition: Understanding Your Motivators, Strengths, and Values 
 In person 
   
13:45      
14:00

 Wait list only 
Identifying and Translating Your Research Skills to Impress Your Future Employer 
 In person 

 

Careers Fair for Researchers
 In person 

14:30 “It’s OK to Leave" - Keynote talk with Dr Emma Williams
 In person 
 Online 
15:00  
15:30

Science and Medical Communications 
 Online 

   Wait list only 
Networking with Successful Career Transitioners and Organisations Who Can Support You 
 In person 
16:00  
16:30    
17:00      

 

2023 Sponsors

Ab Initio’s customers use their enterprise software platform to build applications that tackle the largest and most complex data processing challenges. These applications are some of the most complex operational and analytical systems in the world - mission critical applications with demanding performance requirements. Ab Initio are looking for Computer Science and STEM students who love to solve problems by really getting into detail, as well as having a desire for continual personal learning and development.

 

d-fine is a European consultancy firm with 1000 employees, distributed across ten offices in seven countries. Our London office in the heart of the City was established in 2005 and is focused on analytically challenging and quantitative projects, with the aim of designing and developing future-proof solutions for business problems. These solutions are based on extensive practical experience and highly qualified employees with a quantitative and technological background.

 

Jane Street is a global trading firm with offices in New York, London, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Amsterdam. Their approach is rooted in technology and rigorous quantitative analysis, but their success is driven by their people. 

Jane Street is looking for smart people with curious minds to fill a number of roles across its five offices. Think you might be the right fit? Explore Jane Street's open opportunities.

 

TNG Technology Consulting is a German value-based consulting partnership focused on solving hard IT problems with high end technology – from setting IT strategy to implementing practical solutions. We offer the right place for everybody who has an analytical mindset, already possesses some coding experience and wants to develop their skills. Find out about TNG’s employment opportunities and different locations.  


We are also grateful for support from the Oxford University Researcher Hub.

Researcher Hub

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