Events on Monday 24 March 2025
9:30 - 10:30, In person at the Careers Service, 56 Banbury Road
Our keynote speaker, Isabel Berwick of the Financial Times, will share her expertise on all things labour market. From 'the state of the job market' we may be considering transitioning into, to the increased role of AI in screening applications. You will have opportunities to ask questions and network after this in-person event, or watch along via the online stream.
10:45 - 11:45, Online
Clinical research careers offer a diverse opportunity to pivot academic research experience in familiar or new settings. This session will provide an overview of clinical research, where it fits in with medicine discovery, and outline the types of roles available focusing particularly on those science roles for which a PhD is advantageous. It will also provide tips for getting into the sector.
12:00 - 13:00, Online
In this session, we'll explore a multitude of career paths relating to a love of education. We'll answer the question: Is it possible to carve out an academic career that focusses primarily on teaching? And we'll look at the potential to transition to a myriad of other teaching roles.
13:30 - 14:30, Online
Richard Jackson will outline career options to enter the public sector. He will offer some dos and don’ts and tips for the recruitment process – from written applications to assessment centres, interviews and so on.
15:00 - 16:00, Online
This Careers Adviser-led session will provide an overview of how industrial research and development works, from research careers to management and strategy.
16:15 - 17:15, Online
Have you decided that an academic career is not for you? In this workshop we will present a range of approaches and tools to get started in defining what an exciting, fulfilling career looks like for you and how to develop a strategy that will get you there.
Events on Tuesday 25 March 2025
9:30-10:30, 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 lives.
10:45-11:45, 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.
12:00-13:00, Online
Are you wanting to apply for job roles beyond academic research? This presentation will share the building blocks of creating effective CVs and Cover Letters, including how to best translate our research and wider experience into language employers want to see.
13:30-14:30, Online
A career in research is not just within academia. Speakers who have PhDs from disciplines across the physical and life sciences and from different industry contexts share how they continued their research beyond academia.
15:00-16:00, Online
The ability to utilise research skills - critical thinking, project management, communication - mean that consulting careers are rewarding and engaging for many researchers moving beyond academia. This panel session will feature PhD holders who are now working in consultancy across a range of sectors
16:15-17:15, Online
This careers advisor-led session will explore the function and diversity of policy-focused roles and organisations, including Think Tanks, charities, and government, discuss how to research routes into careers within these sectors, and highlight key skills and experience required for pursuing employment.
Events on Wednesday 26 March 2025
9:30-10:30, Online
Are you interested in investigating other roles within the university that are available to researchers? This session features individuals who have utilised their experience as researchers to successfully pursue diverse career paths within the Higher Education sector.
10:45-11:45, Online
Many researchers seeking to have a real-world impact through their quantitative mathematical and computational skills find fulfilling careers in sectors beyond academic research. This panel session will share the experience of researchers transitioning into both technical and non-technical roles.
12:00-13:00, Online
Panel discussion featuring panellists who have successfully transitioned from academic research to thriving careers in the Arts, Museums, and Heritage industry.
13:30-14:30, Online
Whilst networking might make us feel uncomfortable, it is a powerful tool for building understanding of different options, confidence in our next steps, and can even uncover opportunities. This interactive online session will outline the tools needed to feel confident finding and approaching new connections to research career options beyond academia in detail.
15:00-16:00, Online
Uncover strategies to identify supportive employers, cultivate resilience, and strike a balance between professional and personal life. Through interactive discussions and resource-sharing, the aim of the session is to foster a culture of mental health awareness and resilience as researchers step into the next chapter of your professional life.
16:15-17:15, 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 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 27 March 2025
9:30-10:30, Online
In this two-part careers-adviser led session, we will first provide an overview of careers in International Development, discussing how the sector is structured, different types of roles and how to find jobs and work experience opportunities. In the second part, we will provide an overview of the varied and rewarding careers in diplomacy, and share methods you can use for identifying the relevant routes into diplomatic roles and how to find out more about your chosen career path.
10:45-11:45, Online
In this session we will introduce the Charity/ Non-Profit Sector to you and provide information on the types of roles available, the skills needed and ideas on how you can build experience. We will also hear from researchers who are working in this sector.
12:00-13:00, Online
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.
13:00-14:00 In person at the Mathematical Institute
Senior managers and recruiters discuss what they look for when hiring researchers applying for roles beyond academia, from networking approaches to CVs and interviews.
14:00-17:00, In person at the Mathematical Institute
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.
