Your Degree Does Not Dictate Your Career
Where Do UCR Graduates Go?
UCR alumni use their advanced degrees in every field below. Open a card to see the same format each time: what kinds of roles, employers, where to look, and who to talk to at UCR. Pick two fields to explore, then schedule an informational interview in each.
Higher Education & Academic Research ▾ Typical roles Faculty Research scientists Postdocs Administration Librarianship
What kinds of roles
Tenure-track & teaching faculty, research scientists, postdocs, lecturers, university administration, librarianship, institutional research.
Employers
Universities, four-year colleges, community colleges, national labs, research institutes.
Who to talk to at UCR
Career Specialist · NCFDD (free via UCR) ·
Grad Slam.
Industry R&D: Science, Engineering & Tech ▾ Typical roles Research scientist R&D engineer Data scientist Applied research
What kinds of roles
Research scientist, R&D engineer, data scientist, computational biologist, applied research, technical product roles.
Employers
Pharma & biotech, semiconductor & hardware, software & AI, energy & environmental tech, aerospace & defense, manufacturing.
Government, Policy & National Labs ▾ Typical roles Civil-service science Policy analyst AAAS Fellow National labs
What kinds of roles
Civil-service scientific roles, policy analyst, AAAS Science & Tech Policy Fellow, intelligence-community analyst, national-lab research, public-health roles.
Employers
Federal agencies (NIH, NSF, DOE, DOD, EPA, FDA, BLS), national labs (LLNL, LBNL, SLAC, NASA-JPL), state & city government, NGOs.
Where to look
USAJobs · PSE-NET · Pathways Programs · AAAS Policy Fellowships · agency career sites.
Who to talk to at UCR
Career Specialist · UCR School of Public Policy events · GSRC Science-to-Policy certificate.
Nonprofit, Social Impact & Education ▾ Typical roles Program management Foundations Community research K–12 leadership
What kinds of roles
Program management, foundation/grants management, community-based research, K–12 teaching, education leadership, social entrepreneurship.
Employers
Foundations, advocacy & community organizations, school districts, ed-tech, museums & cultural orgs.
Where to look
Idealist · Work for Good · field-specific (e.g., Council on Foundations).
Who to talk to at UCR
Career Specialist · GSRC certificate programs · campus volunteer/service programs.
Business, Consulting & Finance ▾ Typical roles Consulting (PhD tracks) Strategy Product Quant finance Analytics
What kinds of roles
Management consulting (PhD-track at major firms), strategy & operations, product management, quantitative finance, business analytics, market research.
Employers
Consulting firms (McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, ZS, Putnam, L.E.K.), banks & asset managers, Fortune 500, tech companies, startups.
Where to look
LinkedIn · firm-specific PhD recruiting pages (look for “Advanced Degrees”) · networking events.
Who to talk to at UCR
Career Specialist (case-interview prep) · Career Pathways: Beyond Academia · alumni LinkedIn search.
Communications, Media & Science Comm ▾ Typical roles Science writer Editor Journalist Comms director Museum educator
What kinds of roles
Science writer, science editor, journalist, communications director, science-museum educator, podcast producer, science illustrator.
Employers
Publishers (Nature, Science, Scientific American), news outlets, museums, communications agencies, in-house science communications.
Where to look
Idealist · LinkedIn · National Association of Science Writers job board · field-specific newsletters.
A quick way to start
Pick two fields you're genuinely curious about. Schedule one informational interview in each within the next month, then bring what you learn to your next Career Specialist appointment and update your IDP.
