Career Opportunities

Professional Opportunities for Graduates

The B.S. in Biochemistry serves as a springboard from which one can directly enter the labor market, or continue on to post-graduate studies. Because the application of biochemical and molecular biological techniques is so wide-spread today, many areas of endeavor are open to the Biochemistry graduate. These include such "applied" fields as pharmacology, medical diagnostics (human and veterinary), biomaterials engineering, bioremediation of pollution, food and drug regulation, improvement of agricultural plants and livestock through genetic engineering, etc., as well as basic research.

Many entry level jobs are available to Biochemistry graduates in industrial, hospital, governmental, and academic laboratories. However, many more opportunities (as well as higher salaries) are available if you continue your education to the masters or doctoral level. In addition, the B.S. in Biochemistry provides a base for law school (e.g. if you want to practice patent law for a biotechnology company), for medical school, or for business management (who better to run a biotechnology company than an M.B.A. with a B.S. in biochemistry?).

• Careers in Biological Sciences and Chemistry
  
  

  • Carolina Biological's Biology Careers
• Careers in Agricultural and Food Sciences
  • US Department of Labor--Agriculture and Food Scientists
• Careers in Biotechnology/Biomedicine
  • Access Excellence
  • Biotechnology Industry Organization
• Careers in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
  • Bioplanet
  • University of California at Santa Cruz
  • University of Texas
• Careers in Laboratory Technology
  • Clinical lab technicians
  • Science lab technicians
• Careers in Microbiology
  • American Society of Microbiology Careers

Summer Research and Internships

Many students don't realize how important it is to get experience during their undergrad years. Employers, med schools and grad schools alike will look favorably upon real-world experience related to science. It is important for you to start thinking about internships early in your undergraduate career.

Letters of Recommendation

In a large university, it is important to make an extra effort to get to know your professors so that you can ask them for a letter of recommendation. Regardless of your specific career goals, you will probably need a letter of recommendation or a reference. Get to know your professors by attending office hours, prepared with some specific questions to ask. Many summer programs require two letters of recommendation.

You should ask for a letter of recommendation well before deadlines for summer programs. Most deadlines are in January or February. Some professors do need multiple reminders, while others are very organized and would not ever forget you. Usually the professor knows which of the two he or she is, and you can ask them if they will need a reminder before the deadline.

Prior Experience

Although most summer programs do not require it, prior lab experience will help you land an internship. Take required lab courses sooner rather than later, and take lab courses that could help you fulfill elective requirements (i.e. Chem 221 for a chem elective). The best form of prior experience that Binghamton has to offer is research in a lab.

Types of Summer Programs

There are different kinds of institutions that look for summer interns, so which should you choose?

• Academic Research

  You will be assigned a lab to work in at a university, usually with preference for your own interests. You will work alongside Ph.D. students, and possibly other undergrads, on a scientific problem. This will be similar to doing research at Binghamton, but it will be a paid position.

  This type of summer program is recommended for students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. or a medical degree. This kind of experience will enhance your problem-solving skills, as well as giving you technical expertise.

• Industry Internships

  The companies that are looking to hire biochemistry interns are mostly pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Pharmaceutical companies develop traditional, small-molecule drugs to treat diseases. "Biotech" companies develop macromolecule therapeutics (proteins, DNA, RNA). Scientists are mostly involved in the drug discovery process or pre-clinical studies of potential drugs, but there are positions for science majors in other areas (clinical trials, sales, and diagnostic equipment development).

  This type of summer program is recommended for students who want to enter the workforce with their bachelor's or master's degree, or anyone who is interested in working in the pharmaceutical sector. This experience will give you insight into the business side of science, and most projects will be much closer to helping people than academic research usually is. Working at a company will also help you make contacts that can help you find a job later.

  Almost every pharmaceutical or biotech company accepts undergraduate interns. Here are a few of the larger companies, but also look for smaller companies. Internships at larger companies are usually more competitive, but also more impressive on your resume.

  • Genentech
  • Merck
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • Glaxo Smith Kline
  • Novartis
  • Pfizer
  • Abbott
  • Genomic Health
• Health Care/Pre-Med
   

  Visit the pre-health advising site for a long list of pre-health programs.

  RIT's extensive list of programs includes many that are medically-oriented. Look for programs offered by a College of Medicine.

  UCSC's list is more focused on medical-related programs.

  If you don't get accepted into a program, volunteer at a hospital or shadow a doctor. Contact local health care providers about these possibilities.

  See the Binghamton Area Physician Mentor Program.

• Federal Government Internships

  The federal government has a variety of agencies that offer internships related to science. An internship at a government agency can help your prospects for a job there later. Jobs with the government typically pay less but are more secure than their counterparts in industry.

  These internships vary greatly from one agency to another. The application deadlines are often much earlier than typical summer internships, and some of them go beyond summer.

  • Food and Drug Administration- This is the agency that oversees the pharmaceutical and biotech drugs as they are being tested in humans. Many of the internship programs are for graduate students or above, and some of them last a few years! These are the programs available to undergrads:
    • National Center for Toxicological Research Science Internship Program
    • Office of Device Evaluation Medical Devices Internship (unpaid)
    • Office of Policy Policy Internship - Help brief congress and FDA administrators on current issues
  • National Institutes of Health: These programs are similar to that of academic research, but you will be doing research at an NIH laboratory instead of a university lab.
    • Biomedical Research Internship- This is an umbrella program for internships at all the divisions of the NIH.
    • Undergraduate Scholarship Program- This program provides financial aid in addition to a summer research program, but is only available to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It also requires research after you graduate.
    • National Cancer Institute Internship - The NCI participates in the above, but also has a separate program. 
• Internships at Non-Profit Organizations  
   

  • AAAS Internships - The AAAS is the society that publishes the prestigious journal Science. They offer internships in scientific writing as well as in science policy.
  • Families USA- a non-profit offering a health policy research internship.
  • American Red Cross- gain exposure to non-profit management and the non-profit sector
  • Health Career Connection - healthcare management and policy, health education, community health, etc.