Careers in science: 6 tips for future science writers

A woman stands at a whiteboard in front of colleagues. They are reviewing ideas written on coloured post-it notes stuck to the board.

Working in a team is a skill you can easily transfer from science to another kind of career. Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash.

Some people’s careers go from A to B to C in a straight line. That’s not me. I’ve gone up and back, sideways and around. And spent some time treading water.

Right now, I’m a freelance science writer and editor.

But that’s not where I started. After a science-rich high school education, my university studies began in medical school in 1991. After quitting medicine, I gained a bachelor’s degree in medical science, a PhD in reproductive immunology and started a research career.

So how did I transition from researcher to writer? It didn’t happen overnight — I made a gradual transition after building skills and contacts over many years.

Here are six tips to start the ball rolling if you’re thinking about making the switch from lab work to a career in writing.

1. Get to know where and why science writers are employed

I work as a freelance science writer and editor (if you’re wondering what that entails, I’ve got you covered in a separate post).

But science writers end up in lots of different roles – and they won’t always be explicitly described as science writers or communicators in job descriptions.

Next time you’re poking about in a job search platform, start playing with the following terms in conjunction with science/technology/research:

  • Communication/communications

  • Policy/policy officer

  • Grants/grants officer/grants manager

  • Outreach/outreach officer

  • Publicity/publicity manager/public relations

  • Journalist/journalism

  • Engagement/stakeholder engagement/industry engagement/engagement officer

  • Digital/digital marketing/digital communications

  • Marketing/marketing officer/marketing coordinator/marketing and communications

  • Media/media liaison/media and communications/media and communications advisor/media manager

  • Social media/social media manager/social media coordinator

Science writers and communicators are employed in universities, government departments (think BOM, CSIRO, space agency, agriculture, environment and water, science, innovation and resources sectors), schools, pharmaceutical companies, medical devices companies, mining and exploration companies, engineering companies, professional societies and organisations, non-profit organisations, agricultural and botanic services, museums and galleries and much more.

Among other types of work, science writers are commonly used to perform technical writing and editing, journalism, communication, marketing and PR.

2. Take a good hard look at your skills

Most people who successfully complete science honours, masters or PhD degrees reach the end with a kit bag full of new skills. But often you emerge from a hole so deep it’s easy to forget what you have learned along the way. If you take a few steps back, you’ll see some of the skills you’ve acquired include:

  • familiarity with libraries and content management

  • refined searching of databases and literature

  • critical reading and analysis

  • grant writing

  • award and prize application writing

  • reviewing literature and condensing into your own words

  • preparation and delivery of oral presentations for different audiences

  • writing and editing papers (alone or with co-authors)

  • planning, writing and putting together a lengthy publication (book, thesis)

All of these activities are useful for a career in writing and communication. Described appropriately, all of these activities can be included in a resume and/or a cover letter to show what you are capable of and experienced in for job applications both inside and outside of science.

Australian academics Lillia Mantai and Mauricio Marrone recently conducted research to identify the most highly sought-after transferrable skills in PhD programs. The top three required skills are:

  • communication – academic writing, presentation skills, speaking to policy and non-expert audiences

  • research – disciplinary expertise, data analysis, project management

  • interpersonal – leadership, networking, teamwork, conflict resolution.

3. Pause for self-reflection

Self-reflection is hard, but so important for well-being. Once you acknowledge the conditions that help you thrive as a person, you can aim to embed that into your professional life.

For example, I quit studying medicine after 3rd year, as I realised spending time in hospitals was not a good fit for my personality. Hospitals are busy, chaotic and full of people. I prefer to work on my own. I like to run my own agenda. Switching out of medicine and into an Honours year felt right. I loved having my own project, investing my time in reading and advancing ideas, and having support around me I could access whenever I felt a little lost. Continuing to a PhD and a career in the lab made so much sense. I felt at home in the world of research.

Once I had children, full blown chaos returned, and I found it difficult to balance what I was used to achieving in research with the way I wanted to parent. To ease the tension, I stepped sideways and focussed fully on writing, which was easier to manage on a part-time basis and allowed me to work primarily from home.

If you work best in a busy environment and surrounded by people, a career as an at-home freelancer might not suit you. Instead, you might choose to find a writing role in a business or embedded in a university or institute to provide you with those interactions.

It must be acknowledged here that slowing down and analysing your life can be difficult, particularly when cost of living pressures demand you sustain your current working arrangement. I’m not saying you should quit your job if you’re unhappy today – financial stability is vital. I recommend a “slow burn” analysis of your current working conditions, work out what you like and don’t like, and then start to slowly steer the ship in another direction if you decide that’s what is required, and if you can make it work.

4. Get a side hustle; build new skills for free

One way to test if writing and comms might work for you is to get a side hustle. I don’t mean launch an App or sell T shirts on Etsy (although go for it if you want, like Dr Hannah Brown’s fabulous earrings) — just commit a few or more hours a week to take baby steps in your possible new career.

This step is akin to building a new portfolio on the side. If you do decide to apply for writing roles in the future, having a body of work and a new education to show your commitment and skills can work strongly in your favour.

Ease into it. Start writing and reading more. Join a book club and dedicate time to critical reading of fiction and non-fiction. Launch a blog and post once a week. Sign up for NanoWriMo and pen a draft of a book.

Play with social media. Open a twitter account and discuss your favourite research papers and research news with others who work in your field. If you’re already on TikTok as an individual, think about opening a science account and sharing evidence and research in funny and engaging ways on that platform (just like Hank Green, Doctor Karl, Space Australia and Zoe Kean). In the past week, I have seen employment ads seeking people to work on science outreach via TikTok.

Volunteering is a great way to build new skills. Join the committee of your local scientific association and offer to write blog posts and newsletters and social media content. One of my first experiences of science communication writing took place as a volunteer for the SA branch of the Australian Society for Medical Research.

5. Explore mentoring and training opportunities

Mentors and trainers to build communications skills can be difficult to come by. You may be lucky enough to already know or work with someone who can offer you mentoring – perhaps a PhD supervisor or colleague at you current place of study or work. If so, reach out to them and ask for advice. Even a chat over coffee every now and again with the right person can help you find inspiration and direction, or even a job.

In Australia, young scientists have access to professional programs that develop fresh skills suited to transition to alternative careers. Most are fee-paying, others are awarded by application, and a few have free resources. These include:

I completed a CQU graduate diploma in science communication part-time over many years — sadly, the course no longer exists.

For additional writing and comms development opportunities, seek out state and national writers’ centres that run face to face and online programs. I’m a member at Writers SA, and still sign up for their programs periodically. I’ve done several courses through the Australian Writers’ Centre, who also have a podcast.

6. Value your networks

A lot of science writing work comes about through word of mouth. Each week I receive emails that go along the lines of “I am looking for someone to help me write/edit/format my grant/prize application/paper.” These messages come from people in my network, or just 2-3 degrees of separation away.

There aren’t that many science writers around, and so networks and recommendations can be an important source of work. Once you become trusted and known for your good work, the word will get around.

Think about how many people have you met over your career to date. Picture everyone in your lab and your department, your faculty and your school. Those you have morning tea and Friday drinks with. Those you have presented to at conferences, and others who have read and quoted your work in their own papers. Some of those people will know you face to face; others may know just your name, others are just contacts via LinkedIn or twitter. But they’re all part of your professional network. If you one day manage to transition to becoming a science writer or communicator, these people could be important for your career.

Good luck! And enjoy your personal development. Even if you stay in a research career, building strong communication skills is highly valuable, so it’s never a waste of time.  

 This article was triggered by conversations with my IMNIS mentee Monique VanAcquoy, and an associated panel session I participated in recently. Run by Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), the IMNIS program connects motivated PhD students and postdoctoral fellows in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with industry leaders in a one-year mentoring and professional development program.

Sarah Keenihan