Explore STEM careers
Not sure what a job actually involves day to day, or how people get into it? Each profile below covers what the work is like, the typical starting salary and the real routes in — apprenticeships, degrees or graduate schemes.
Engineering
Mechanical Engineer
Design, test and improve physical products and machinery — from vehicles and manufacturing lines to medical devices.
Typical start: £26,000–£34,000
Electrical & Electronics Engineer
Work on circuits, power systems and control hardware that keep everything from grids to robots running.
Typical start: £26,000–£35,000
Civil Engineer
Plan and deliver the built environment — bridges, railways, water networks and housing — with plenty of site work.
Typical start: £26,000–£32,000
Software
Software Engineer
Design, build and maintain the applications and systems people use every day, working in small teams with regular code reviews.
Typical start: £26,000–£38,000
Cyber Security Analyst
Monitor systems for threats, investigate incidents and help organisations stay resilient against attacks.
Typical start: £25,000–£35,000
Data
Data Analyst
Turn messy data into clear answers with SQL, spreadsheets and dashboards so teams can make better decisions.
Typical start: £24,000–£33,000
Machine Learning Engineer
Build and deploy models that make predictions or generate content, and keep them accurate in production.
Typical start: £32,000–£45,000
Life Sciences
Laboratory Scientist
Run experiments and analyses in research, pharma or food science, recording results to strict standards.
Typical start: £22,000–£30,000
Clinical Trials Associate
Coordinate the studies that prove new medicines work, managing data, documents and study sites.
Typical start: £24,000–£30,000
Medical & Healthcare
Nursing Associate
Deliver hands-on patient care alongside registered nurses, with a clear route into full nursing registration.
Typical start: £25,000–£28,000
Biomedical Scientist
Analyse patient samples in NHS and private labs so clinicians can diagnose and monitor disease.
Typical start: £25,000–£31,000
Diagnostic Radiographer
Use X-ray, CT and MRI imaging to help diagnose patients — a mix of technology and direct patient contact.
Typical start: £29,000–£31,000
Environment
Environmental Consultant
Assess how projects affect land, air and water, and advise clients on staying within environmental rules.
Typical start: £23,000–£29,000
Renewable Energy Technician
Install, maintain and monitor wind, solar and heat pump systems — hands-on work with a climate purpose.
Typical start: £24,000–£32,000
Maths & Physics
Actuarial Analyst
Use statistics to price risk for insurers and pension funds, studying towards actuarial exams alongside work.
Typical start: £28,000–£35,000
Research Physicist / R&D Scientist
Solve open problems in labs and industry, from materials and optics to quantum and space technology.
Typical start: £28,000–£36,000
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