Company Director

David Dall

Salary range

AUD$100,000

My Advice for Students

"Choose to work on something that really interests you - regardless of what it is, or how much you think it might pay. From there it’s easy to keep following paths that are productive and exciting, because science is connected to everything else at a deeper level."

What I Studied

• Bachelor of Science (Hons) 1978
• Doctorate of Philosophy 1985
• Master of Environmental Law 2000

Career path

• Researcher – University of Adelaide, Adelaide
• Researcher – Hoffman-LaRoche, NJ USA
• Researcher – CSIRO Entomology, Canberra
• Managing Director – Pestat Ltd, Canberra

My Life

Bench Research to Corporate Delivery

"I worked with microbes associated with insects for more than 15 years. These microbes are a marvelous and mostly invisible assemblage of viruses, protistans ("protozoa"), bacteria and fungi. Some of them cause diseases in plants when they're transmitted by sap-sucking insects, and others can be used to control pest insects such as caterpillars and beetles.

While working with the latter type, I realised that doing the science was only part of the story as far as having it be useful in the field - and that being able to manage the regulatory aspects was just as important as doing the research. So I studied environmental law to understand this aspect better - and while doing so, found another field that was just as fascinating to me.

When the chance came to work on regulatory issues associated with release of viruses to help control mice, rabbits and foxes, I moved to Pestat Ltd - a biotech company started by the Pest Animal Control Cooperative Research Centre (now the Invasive Animals CRC). Being familiar with both the scientific and legal aspects lets me act as a 'middle-man' to help bridge the gap between the lab bench and the field.

While this viral delivery work still makes up part of my job, I’m now also involved in development and delivery of other products to help control invasive animal pests in the Australian ecosystem. These include new chemical agents and new methods for delivering them. No two days are ever the same, and they all go by much too quickly - that's about as good as life can get!"

Business Development

Veronik Verkest

Salary Range

AUD$70,000-160,000 p.a. (+bonus: can be 100% of the base salary)

My Advice for Students

"Be true to who you are. There is no point trying to go for a job that is not you. Go for an industry you like and a company that looks after its employees ... then in time you will find your niche in that company/industry. It may take some time and you may get some jobs you really dislike, but you will learn from that what you like and don’t, and move on to something that really suits you. Hang in there ... life is about learning."

What I Studied

• Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biochemistry 1987
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) 1990

Career Path

"I enjoyed learning science at school and I read about biochemistry in a career profile book and liked the idea. After completing a BSc I wanted to put my theoretical interest to work and did an Honours project. I then wanted to experience a real job and went to the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney where I studied the osteocalcin gene"s involvement in osteoporosis.

I had an interest in the commercial side of science and biotechnology which led me to do an MBA. When I look at my life in retrospect, I guess I developed an interest from when I was very young. My parents always taught me the power of saving. I loved seeing my money grow in my bank passbook.

When I was a scientist, I bought some shares - including Cochlear. That personal portfolio has now grown ... and I guess I still love looking up what is happening to my assets and reading up on the companies I am invested in.

However, I never really thought I'd end up working in investments. I did the MBA and was drawn to the more rational subjects (finance, investments and statistics rather than marketing, human resources). Then the Managing Director of Frank Russell recruited where I did my MBA and I thought it sounded like a good company to work for.

Frank Russell Company provides a range of services to institutional (large company/super funds) investors rather than retail mum and dad investors. These services include advice and/or implementation of that advice."

"We help a lot of people get better returns ... which ultimately translates into a better retirement life. I love presenting to Trustee Boards - working out the superannuation fund trustee's needs and convincing them that Russell can help them better than the competition. And the best part is winning a new client."

• Biochemist - Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney 1990
• Consultant - Frank Russell Company 1991 - 1996
• Head of Business Development - Frank Russell Company 1997 - 2003

"I enjoyed learning science at school and I read about biochemistry in a career profile book and liked the idea. After completing a BSc I wanted to put my theoretical interest to work and did an Honours project. I then wanted to experience a real job and went to the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney where I studied the osteocalcin gene's involvement in osteoporosis.

I had an interest in the commercial side of science and biotechnology which led me to do an MBA. When I look at my life in retrospect, I guess I developed an interest from when I was very young. My parents always taught me the power of saving. I loved seeing my money grow in my bank passbook.

When I was a scientist, I bought some shares - including Cochlear. That personal portfolio has now grown ... and I guess I still love looking up what is happening to my assets and reading up on the companies I am invested in.

However, I never really thought I'd end up working in investments. I did the MBA and was drawn to the more rational subjects (finance, investments and statistics rather than marketing, human resources). Then the Managing Director of Frank Russell recruited where I did my MBA and I thought it sounded like a good company to work for.

Frank Russell Company provides a range of services to institutional (large company/super funds) investors rather than retail mum and dad investors. These services include advice and/or implementation of that advice.

We help a lot of people get better returns ... which ultimately translates into a better retirement life. I love presenting to Trustee Boards - working out the superannuation fund trustee's needs and convincing them that Russell can help them better than the competition. And the best part is winning a new client."

Commercial Manager

Cheryl McCaffery

Salary Range

AUD$100,000 p.a. plus

My Advice for Students

"Get advice from as many people in as many different areas as possible. Talk to patent attorneys, business managers, scientists working in start-up companies, and people working in science communication. Try to work out what gives you a buzz. There are quite a number of things that you can do now that weren't available before. To get a feel for what the work involves, you need to go and talk to the people who do it.

Once you've worked it out, get a double degree in the areas that are relevant, such as science and intellectual property. These days, to do well, you have to be prepared to study more than one degree."

What I Studied

• Bachelor of Science 1976
• Bachelor of Science Honours (1st class) in Biochemistry 1977
• Master of Business Administration 1991
• Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law 1994
• Qualified Patent and Trade Mark Attorney 2003

Career Path

• Biomedical researcher - 1978-1987
• Academic exchange scholar in Germany - Biomedical Research 1985-1987
• Freelance concert singer - 1987-1989
• Intellectual property manager for a private biotechnology company - 1992-1997
• Business development manager - Technology Commercialisation 1997-2000
• Consultant in intellectual property management and commercialisation - (own business) 2000-2003
• Commercial manager - Molecular Plant Breeding Cooperative Research Centre 2003 to present

Cheryl McCaffery completed a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and biochemistry, and worked for several years as a research scientist before taking time out to follow another passion - opera. After several years as a freelance singer she went on to study for her Masters in Business Administration.

Cheryl has since worked for a number of scientific research organisations in the area of intellectual property management and commercialisation.

Today, she is the Commercial Manager for the Molecular Plant Breeding Cooperative Research Centre.

"My job involves identifying potentially commercialisable inventions, protecting them appropriately and seeking to do commercial deals with other parties to transfer the right to use them.

A lot of Cheryl's work involves negotiating agreements with agricultural businesses and other research groups.

In general, I enjoy the work I do because it's a mixture of three different aspects being brought together: scientific, legal and commercial. The value that I bring to this job is experience and qualifications in all three areas. I like the variety of having those three areas come together."

Cheryl also enjoys working with scientists. "I work with a really good team of people. We have really first class researchers who are all committed to achieving the goals that we've set out to achieve. I particularly enjoy working with cutting edge technology and being at the forefront of what's going on.

Sometimes it can be stressful. Often there is a general misunderstanding of the amount of time and money that needs to go into protecting and commercialising intellectual property. To really commercialise something properly, you need to commit a lot of time and money, and that can mean long hours."

Communications Consultant

Megan Cusack

Salary Range

AUD$60,000 p.a. plus

My Advice for Students

"High School: make sure you have as much fun as possible! Socialise, experience and enjoy your time at high school. Maximise your opportunities to experience as many extra-curricular activities as you can. I did as much as was humanly possible and still rely upon many of the skills I learnt before I was 18 in my work today.

"Undergrads: make sure you have as much fun as possible! Same advice as above plus; now is the time to do everything – all the wild, fanciful dreams of working with elephants, researching political behaviours, performing on stage or writing an article for the local paper. University affords you the opportunity to make a great professional and social contact base, so make one! University also affords you the time to volunteer and work part-time. So join a club, volunteer as a radio presenter or start writing the book you've always wanted to publish before you were 25. Every part-time job I worked while I was an undergraduate gave me skills I can use now and skills I can list on my resume in some way.

• A resume is just a sales document and it is NOT all that you are.
• Your current job, or jobs that you may apply for, do NOT define all that you are and neither does the salary.”

What I Studied

Bachelor of Science 1997
Diploma in Freelance Photography 1998
Diploma in Black and White Photography 1998
Graduate Diploma Scientific Communication (Scholarship) 1999

Career Path

Freelance photographer 1998
Tutor - The University of Queensland (UQ)
Member - Shell Questacon Science Circus
Manager - Corporate Development, Centre for the Mind, Australian National University (ANU)
Executive manager - Centre for the Mind, Joint venture ANU and University of Sydney
Communications consultant - present

"Although equally interested in both the arts and sciences, my decision to take a scientific path started with my selection of subjects for Year 11 and 12.”

Coming from the country, Megan moved to Brisbane to start her undergraduate degree in science. From her first holiday trip back home she was questioned by the local community about the value of a science degree. From this came an understanding early on about the need to communicate science and the benefits of its applications to people in the bush and elsewhere.

Accepting a scholarship to do the Graduate Diploma in Scientific Communication involved being a member of the Shell Questacon Science Circus in 1999. This gave Megan the opportunity to present science in a great variety of places to varied audiences, which added to the experience gained with the SunShark Solar Racing Team at the University of Queensland.

Megan's key career decisions centre on "being open to learning new skills and not defining myself professionally, always keeping busy doing volunteer work to develop my skills, and believing in my ability”.

The following list outlines the range of volunteer work Megan undertook between 1998 and 2001:

• Public Presenter - Centre for Microscopy & MicroAnalysis, University of Sydney 2001
• Workshop Presenter - MiniBeasts Australian Science Festival 2000
• Educational Support and Design Assistant - Biodiversity Exhibition, Sydney Museum 1999
• Assistant Staff - office of Senator Stott-Despoja, Parliament House, Canberra 1999
• Administration Assistant - Bayer Solar and Advanced Technology Boat Race, Canberra 1999
• Touring Exhibitions Design Assistant - Questacon - the National Science and Technology Centre 1999
• Presenter/Member - Shell Questacon Science Circus 1999
• Presenter - Spiders Alive! Exhibition, Questacon - the National Science & Technology Centre 1999
• Presenter - MiniBeasts! Australian Science Festival 1999
• Guest Presenter - Kimberly School of the Air 1999
• Guest Lecturer - Australian National University 1999
• Guest Presenter - Fox Kidz channel Questacon special 1999
• Actor in filming for NRMA - Questacon Safe Roads Exhibit 1999
• Publicity Materials Bayer Solar and Advanced Technology Boat Race, Australian Science Festival 1999
• Guest Lecturer - UQ Biological Society 1998 - 1999
• Publicity Materials - SunShark Solar Racing Team, UQ 1998
• Researcher - Solar Technology CSIROSEC Educational Program 1998
• Presenter - Queensland Guide Dogs for the Blind Association 1998

"My science degree has provided me with a solid platform of research, analysis and communication skills (in addition to the specifics of my field). Time management, work ethics and networking are also part of the equation.”

Megan's role as a communications consultant involves project management, preparing report submissions (research, budgets) and communication of the work to clients and audiences. "The aspects of my work I enjoy the most is creative freedom in management and contract selection. The job also involves travel which is dictated by each contract and the needs for each event or initiative.”

Communications Manager

Gabrielle Sheehan

Salary Range

AUD$65,000-75,000

My Advice for Students

“Find something you really enjoy doing - you spend a lot of time at work! The most inspirational people I have worked with have had a passion for what they do. Science is something that generates commitment and dedication. If it interests you, there are many ways to become involved in the science sector - you don't necessarily need a PhD.

“There are significant roles for non-scientists, particularly in the new science of biotechnology where public interest is high. Concepts, research and new discoveries need to be explained in common language - something that is not always easy for scientists.”

What I Studied

Bachelor of Arts (Hons)
Bachelor of Commerce

Career Path

Editor
Journalist
Communications Coordinator: Department of Natural Resources and Environment (now Department of Primary Industries)
Communications Manager: Melbourne Water
Communications Manager: Dairy Cooperative Research Centre

Gabrielle Sheehan studied humanities and business at university, with the intention of being an editor. Her first professional position was as an editor in a small publishing company that specialised in science and environmental publications. She then took a position within the same company as a journalist focusing on science and technology research and environmental management.

“When working as a journalist, I dealt with lots of people working in communications. They seemed to have very varied roles and several career opportunities so I decided to change direction. I got a job in a public relations consultancy with clients in agribusiness, science and technology and have pursued this career path ever since.

“Communications enables me to use my writing skills - particularly in translating complex material into more digestible language, which I very much enjoy. I have also developed a whole range of other skills such as project and budget management, strategic planning and media relations.”

Her current position is with the Dairy Cooperative Research Centre, which undertakes biotechnology research for the Australian dairy industry. Gabrielle holds the only communications role, which gives her a lot of responsibility, but also a lot of autonomy in the planning and execution of communications for the CRC.

“Our research has the potential to have a real impact on the long term competitiveness of the Australian dairy industry, giving them access to new genetic technologies. It is part of my role to inform the dairy industry about our work so that they understand its value and benefits.

“The best things about my job are interacting with a wide range of people and the variety of tasks involved. Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to meet some remarkable people and do some very interesting and unusual things (including dressing up as a bacteria!). Life is never dull.”

Community Relations Manager

Jennifer Philps

Salary range

AUD$75,000 - 85,000

My Advice for Students

"Choose to study subjects and material that you enjoy, not just what is popular or financially rewarding. Science has the ability to satisfy our immense curiosity about the world around us. Science took me halfway around the world; it can open many doors. By following a path that you find fascinating and enjoyable, you will undeniably get career satisfaction."

What I Studied

Bachelor of Science (Honours) 1964
Diploma of Education 1975

Career Path

Science teacher and mother - 1964-1991
Sales and marketing consultant - 1992
Community relations manager - Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI) - 1993 - present

My life - from Teaching Science Across Half the World to Community Relations at CMRI

Jennifer started a teaching career in Scotland in 1965 after majoring in genetics at Glasgow University. After her marriage to a veterinarian, Jennifer and her husband set off to Uganda on the Overseas Development Program where she taught in a remote village on the Sudan border. These were turbulent times in Uganda, so they ventured to the safer climate of South Africa where they stayed for the next 20 years raising three daughters. Jennifer taught in many parts of South Africa and immigrated to Australia in 1987.

In 1992, Jennifer left teaching to pursue a new career in scientific sales and marketing, and in 1993 joined the Children's Medical Research Institute (CMRI).

"They say that a person has five distinct careers in their lifetime. If I hadn't walked through the door at CMRI one day I definitely wouldn't have ended up where I am. Opportunities are there for grasping."

Huge strides have been made in the understanding of genetics and the future holds great promise in preventing the diseases we see today.

"I'm constantly telling people that I have the best job in the Institute. I am able to be in touch with the scientists who are working at the front line of medical research, in areas like cancer research and gene therapy.

"And then, the best part is being able to spread those messages to the rest of the community. I talk to people all over the country about our research: service clubs, school students, fundraisers and families who know the effects of genetic disease too well – although that is difficult at times, what is wonderful is that I can tell them that we are learning more all the time and the future holds great promise for the 1 in 20 children with some kind of genetic disorder or congenital abnormality.

"My creative side is also satisfied through my involvement in our successful Jeans for Genes campaign since its inception in 1993 and also in the selection and marketing of our CMRI merchandise."

Freelance Medical Writer

Nicola Westwood

Salary Range

GBP£25,000-40,000 p.a.
AUD$63,000-100,000 p.a.

My Advice for Students

"Science degrees are great, as they are very flexible and they do not railroad you into a set career path. Don't be daunted if you can't see exactly what your first job might be at the end of your degree; be thrilled that there are so many possibilities."

What I Studied

Bachelor of Science (Honours) Pharmacology 1989
Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) Pharmacology 1994

Career Path

Associate Lecturer - Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, The University of Queensland
Researcher - Independent market research specialising in pharmaceuticals and health care, UK and Hong Kong
Medical writer - Medical publishing company, Hong Kong
Medical writer - Freelance, London UK

After completing a research degree and gaining a PhD in pharmacology (the link between medicine and pharmacy), and then lecturing at university, Nicola travelled to the UK and took up work in the business side of science.

This change in career path, firstly to market research and then medical writing, was prompted by a desire to live and work in different countries. Nicola has worked in both London and Hong Kong and has now found her 'niche' in medical writing.

"I had been thinking of medical writing for a while as it seemed to me to be a job that would have me dealing with new information all the time, always looking into different therapy areas and it also seemed that it was a completely transportable skill. As a freelance writer I could be anywhere in the world (even a beach in the Caribbean!) and, as long as I had a computer and an internet link, I could work.

"As a medical writer, I research, write, edit and proof materials written about the latest developments in healthcare. My writing is used in printed form and on the web. The materials are generally used as educational resources for healthcare professionals or lay persons.

Working as a freelancer allows for great flexibility, however Nicola emphasises that it is not for everyone. "Working from home requires a lot of willpower and does not provide the companionship and support that office colleagues offer. But, for me, it means that I have completely flexible working hours, I set my own timelines and I am solely responsible for the quality of my 'product'."

Genetic Counsellor

Katrina Harrison

Salary range

AUD $45,000- $70,000

My Advice for Students

"Be persistent, set goals and go for it. The most important advice I received as an undergraduate was to volunteer your time while you are a student. Be prepared to do anything to help out, offer to do filing, make reagents or even clean up the lab.

You will be amazed at how much you will learn just by being there. Let people see you are keen and enthusiastic. It also gives your prospective employer an idea of who you are and how well you fit into the department. You cease to become an unknown person on a job application. Sometimes it really is who you know, not what you know!"

What I Studied

Bachelor of Science Human Biology (Curtin University)

Career Path

Research Assistant
Associate Genetic Counsellor
Accredited Genetic Counsellor

One lecture that discussed genetic counselling in her second year of university changed Katrina's life.

"I thought, 'that's me'. I knew I did not want to be stuck in a lab, and this seemed like a great way to combine people and the knowledge I gained through my degree."

Katrina was studying human biology, which covers a wide range of subjects, including physiology, anatomy, embryology, biochemistry, population genetics and molecular biology.

"Unfortunately, my careers counsellor was not aware of what you can do with a human biology degree, and told me I could only become a teacher. But really, it is a great springboard degree into other areas. From my year alone, people have become chiropractors, physiotherapists and pharmacy representatives."

Katrina, however, had her heart set on becoming a genetic counsellor.

"But it is trickier in WA than anywhere else in Australia, as there is no postgraduate course in genetic counselling."

Katrina needed to spend time gaining skills in counselling, spending two years at the Wasley Institute, which qualified her as an associate genetic counsellor. This indicates a theoretical grounding in counselling, but now she is working on the second part of her qualification, looking at a series of individual case studies at the King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women.

Genetic counselling is a challenging profession that requires strong skills in understanding patients' genetic conditions, in addition to being able to respond to their individual emotional needs and issues.

"There are lots of people who need our help. Each patient is different, and reacts differently to their situation. You need very much to be a people person."

An average week for Katrina involves face-to-face appointments with patients, dealing with emergency cases, and acting as duty officer one day a week (performing triage for all calls and enquiries). Katrina also attends numerous meetings, works up referrals to geneticists and sits in on their appointments. She is also expected to undertake a research project - hers is on congenital hearing loss.

Western Australia has only ten genetic counsellors for the whole state and in addition to people coming into the clinic in Perth, her team often undertakes outreach trips to centres such as Geraldton, Bunbury, Albany, Port Hedland and Kalgoorlie.

"Because there are so few genetic counsellors in WA, some days can be exhausting, but it is still a brilliant job. There is a great mix of urgency and a steady flow of work through seeing patients in the clinic and in the wards. It is also very multidisciplinary, and as I work in a teaching hospital, it is a huge learning environment."

As well as her busy work, Katrina is also a masters student at Edith Cowan University, looking at cousin marriages in Western Australia.

"This work has never been done before in Western Australia and I am trying to establish a profile of consanguineous (related by blood) couples who present for genetic counselling in WA with some emphasis on outcomes. This concentrates less on genetics and more on population-based data."

Examiner of Patents

Jason Mackenzie

Salary Range

AUD$61,360 - 85,904 (dependent upon completion of competency based training and assessment, and attainment of acceptance delegation)

My Advice for Students

"Study whatever interests you the most. Career plans can be good ideas but you need to be flexible. There are so many different areas in science, and they are changing so fast. That's what makes it exciting. But it also means that you don't know what will be a hot topic in ten years' time. If you choose what interests you now, the chances are you will still find it rewarding in the future."

What I Studied

• Bachelor of Science (Hons) 1995
• Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) Immunology 2004

Career Path

Part-time work while still a student

• Patent Examiner – IP Australia 2001 – 2007
• Senior Examiner of Patents 2007 – present

My Life

From Student in New Zealand to Intellectual Property in Australia

Jason was interested in biology at school and so studied science at Lincoln University in New Zealand, taking mainly biological courses. He finished the honours year of his Bachelor of Science degree in 1995. He decided to continue learning by doing a PhD in immunology, and came across to Australia in 1996 to start his thesis at the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the Australian National University in Canberra.

While still doing research for his PhD thesis, Jason went to a seminar given by a patent attorney.

"I got quite interested in the whole idea of intellectual property and patents. At about the same time, I heard that IP Australia was advertising in the paper for new patent examiners, and I was encouraged to apply by friends who already worked there. The job sounded intriguing and was also handy because it would allow me to stay in Canberra, which was attractive to me for personal reasons."

IP stands for intellectual property, and IP Australia is the Australian Government agency that administers Australia's IP system, which includes patents, trademarks and designs. The patent system in Australia allows scientists and inventors to protect their inventions. Jason started working for IP Australia in 2001 as an examiner of patents in the pharmaceutical sciences section. This involved an initial period of training where he learnt how to examine scientific innovations, and determine if they were patentable.

"I enjoy my work as a patent examiner because of the enormous variety. I deal with issues such as new vaccines, possible cancer treatments, or using extracts of plants as medicines. You end up being a bit of a 'Jack-of-all-trades'. It means that I am always learning and that's something I enjoy. Many of the patent applications have been put in by international pharmaceutical companies. I keep up to date with their cutting edge research and use my scientific training and knowledge every day. I read patent applications in detail, search enormous worldwide data-bases and consult with colleagues. There's a lot of teamwork. We help each other!"

Jason finds that, having done some hands-on lab work in his PhD and honours year, he can readily visualise what the application is describing. He uses his scientific training to check the patentability of the claims that are being made.

Jason has also had some legal training on the job, and regularly interacts with patent attorneys. "That's something I never thought I'd be doing when I started in science." He is presently part of a team that trains and supervises new recruits to the organisation, in addition to his role as an examiner of patents.

Graduate Public Policy Officer

Nathan Rudder

Salary Range

AUD$53,826 - 75,000 p.a.

My Advice for Students

"Study what you enjoy and are interested in as it is much easier to do the work and your results will be better. Do not be in too much of a rush to get a real job, but make the most of the opportunities that being a student brings."

What I Studied

• Combined Science (Biological Sciences)/Law, University of Western Sydney 2003

Career Path

• Graduate Program: Department of Industry Tourism and Resources 2004
• Assistant Manager, Strategic Policy Officer: Biotechnology Australia 2005 - 2007

My Life

After finishing high school, Nathan Rudder took on combined degrees in Law and Science, as he was interested in both.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my course, which included the opportunity to undertake a research project with the Cooperative Research Centre for Eye Research Technology at the University of NSW. I took a year off in the middle of my studies to travel overseas and do a variety of jobs, including working at a summer camp in the USA and at a ski resort in Canada. I graduated in 2003 with double majors in biology and chemistry as well as my law degree."

Upon finishing university, Nathan decided he did not want to be a lawyer or a research scientist but wanted a job where he could use his knowledge of both. So public policy seemed a good fit. He gained a position on the graduate program with the Australian Government Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources, where he was able to work on issues and advise government across a range of areas including tourism, innovation and the automotive industry.

"The graduate program ran for almost a year and after that I gained a position with Biotechnology Australia. I really enjoy my job as I get to travel around Australia and meet a lot of interesting people involved in biotechnology. I also get to work with five different commonwealth agencies and the State and Territory governments. This provides me with work that is both interesting and challenging where I can apply my university training."

There are other benefits to his job, too.

"I enjoy living in Canberra as I am close to work, Sydney, the coast and the snow. Canberra allows me to be involved in a range of interests including Australian Rules football, snowboarding and guitar."

Cancer Research

Melissa Little

Salary range

AUD$75,000-85,000 p.a.

My Advice for Students

“Science is more of a career option now than it has been in the past. Make sure you get some laboratory experience when possible. Shop around different labs and look for the best project you can. Try and work out what motivates you about science - is it the thrill of finding out how and why, do you want to have an outcome that it useable or do you want to convey interesting information to others? This may help you determine the career path you opt for within science.”

What I Studied

Bachelor of Science 1983
Bachelor of Science (Honours) Physiology 1984
Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) Biochemistry 1988 - 1990

Career Path

Research assistant - Genetics and childhood cancer, Queensland Institute for Medical Research (QIMR) 1985 - 1987
Royal Society Endeavour Fellow - Human Genetics Unit, Edinburgh, Scotland and Wilms’ tumour, Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology (CMCB), The University of Queensland (UQ) 1990 - 1994
R.D. Wright Postdoctoral Fellow - WT1 and kidney development, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology (CMCB), UQ 1995 - 1997
Sylvia and Charles Viertel Senior Research Fellow - Kidney development and disease, CMCB and the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, UQ 1988 - 2002
NHMRC Senior Research Fellow - Kidney development and disease, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, UQ, present

Melissa Little is a leading researcher in the field of molecular genetics, attracting highly sought-after research funding for her work. Her research primarily looks at which genes control the process of development in humans, and in particular, she looks at paediatric kidney cancer.

During school and her undergraduate degree, Melissa made informed decisions based on her interests, which have led her into an area of cutting edge medical research. Melissa is now also a mother and is able to combine her career with a young family.

“I took a science degree because my father was a scientist and I was interested in biology during school. However, I was also interested in architecture. In Grade 12 I was incorrectly counselled that I would not get into architecture or medicine, [so] I enrolled in occupational therapy and science. During Grade 12, I visited the occupational health unit at Wolston Park [psychiatric hospital] and realised that I did not have the personality to be an occupational therapist, so I accepted a position in science.

“I did a Heart Foundation vacation scholarship between second and third year university. That was very helpful in my decision to continue on to do research. There were two key decisions that I made during my career. The first was to not continue on to do a PhD after Honours but to work as a research assistant. This developed my laboratory skills but also made it clear to me that I wished to be driving my own research agenda rather than following instructions. That realisation convinced me to enrol in a PhD. The second key decision was after I had returned to Australia as a postdoctoral fellow. I was pregnant and facing the situation of trying to gain another fellowship to stay in research or take an academic position. I chose to continue in a higher risk position but have more time to do research.”

“My research involves working on understanding what genes control the process of development and we’re particularly interested in how you get a normal kidney and what goes wrong in kidney disease, both in children and in adults. We’re suggesting that the genes that are important in making the kidney in the first place are probably going to be some of the things that go wrong later on in kidney problems and kidney disease.

“So we’re also interested in understanding whether there are ways we can get the kidney to repair itself or use stem cells to repair it, if it’s damaged in some way. These could be embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells from other part of the body, or kidney stem cells still present in the kidney after birth, that if we activated the right way would repair damage within that kidney.

“My job also entails:

• laboratory management
• writing of grants, manuscripts, seminars, reviews and progress reports
• supervision, training and mentoring of students and staff
• design of experiments
• troubleshooting, project management, communication with peers and the community
• professional activities surrounding science in Australia.

“I enjoy planning and troubleshooting experiments, working out how things work, writing scientific manuscripts and helping people within my lab develop their own careers.

“I travel a lot. This comes from my involvement in science administration nationally (for the NHMRC, Department of Education Science and Training or the Department of Health and Ageing), presentation of scientific seminars and meetings or reviews of different aspects of science. I am also involved in seeking commercial funding for aspects of my research that are likely to have realistic outcomes.”

Bioengineer

Eva Joachimsthal

Salary Range

AUD$62,000-67,000 p.a.

My Advice for Students

“Do a course because you are really interested in doing it, not just because you have the marks. And consider the fields in which good job opportunities exist. From my recent experience, graduates with a combined science and engineering degree are in demand; and it can open the door to a lot of interesting job opportunities.”

What I Studied

Bachelor of Engineering (Bioprocess), University of New South Wales 1992-1995
Doctor of Philosophy (Biotechnology), University of New South Wales 1997-2001

Career Path

Postdoctoral research fellow 2003-present CRC for Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology (CRC SIIB), University of Queensland
Postdoctoral research fellow 2001-2003 Environmental Engineering Research Centre, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Research assistant 1999-2000 Department of Biotechnology, University of New South Wales
Research assistant 1996 Department of Biotechnology, University of New South Wales
Project researcher/quality assurance technician 1994-995 Bioclone Australia Pty Ltd

Eva Joachimsthal is a postdoctoral research fellow working for the CRC SIIB, based at the University of Queensland, St Lucia. Eva is part of a team of scientists at UQ who are helping the Australian sugar industry develop a suite of new product options for its future.

Eva first completed her Bachelor of Engineering at the University of New South Wales in 1995. She then went on to complete a PhD in biotechnology in January 2001. Eva’s PhD was part of a scholarship funded by USA’s Department of Engineering looking at bio-ethanol production. The three and a half year project optimised and characterised an organism for use with bagasse (the dry, fibrous residue that remains after sugar cane stalks have been crushed and all the juice extracted) in the production of ethanol.

The next challenge for Eva came in the form of a postdoctoral fellowship with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Working as an environmental biotechnologist/engineer, Eva was part of a team employed to determine a quick method of identifying and counting bacteria carried and dumped from the ballast in ship’s hulls. The group developed a microbiological test for use by port authorities throughout the world.

After her spell in Singapore, she returned to work as a postdoctoral fellow for the CRC SIIB with the aim of discovering the bacterium that best utilises sugarcane by-products to produce lactic acid. Lactic acid is the basic building block of poly-lactic acid; the key ingredient in producing biodegradable plastics.

Bioengineering is Eva’s passion and she finds her work very rewarding. As a natural problem solver, she is able to put her passion into practice on a daily basis. After her project with the CRC, Eva would like to become an independent researcher based at UQ.

Mathematical Ecologist

Hugh Possingham

Salary Range

AUD$130,000 p.a. plus superannuation (17%)

My Advice for Students

“Do what you most enjoy doing – you will do well. Don’t worry about double-guessing career opportunities. Maintain your quantitative skills.”

What I Studied

Bachelor of Science majoring in Biochemistry & Applied Mathematics 1983
Bachelor of Science Applied Mathematics(Honours) 1984
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Oxford University 1987

Career Path

Postdoctoral Research Associate - Stanford University, USA 1987 - 1988
Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Ecosystem Dynamics Group, Research School of Biological Sciences (RSBS), Australian National University (ANU) 1989
Visiting Fellow - Biological Sciences, University of New South Wales 1989
QEII Fellow in Ecosystem Dynamics Group, RSBS, ANU 1990
Lecturer in Applied Mathematics, The University of Adelaide 1991 - 1993
Senior Lecturer in Applied Mathematics, The University of Adelaide 1994 - 1995
Professor/Foundation Chair/Head - Environmental Science, The University of Adelaide 1995 - 1998
Professor & Deputy Head - Applied and Molecular Ecology, The University of Adelaide 1999 - 2000
Professor of Mathematics and Zoology - The University of Queensland 2000 - present
Director of the Ecology Centre (and Centre for Conservation Biology) - The University of Queensland 2000 - present

Hugh Possingham has a brilliant mind for mathematics and has combined this with his childhood love of nature to become a mathematical ecologist. From a Rhodes Scholarship in 1984, he became a full professor at the age of 32. His research involves seeking new ways of applying mathematical principles to ecology and solving conservation problems.

As Director of the Ecology Centre at the University of Queensland, Hugh and his group of 20 researchers work with people all over the world to solve ecological management problems, from weed management to kangaroo harvesting.

“Natural systems are inherently complex and difficult to predict. This complexity means that efficient management strategies are often uncertain and resource managers have few theories or rules on which to base their decisions. We integrate the existing theories used in statistics, economics, control theory, engineering and mathematics. We use novel methods to investigate the reliability of different management decisions that are made in the face of uncertainty. Our aim is to discover a general theory for a new branch of conservation biology: applied theoretical conservation ecology.”

“As a university professor, I have a broad range of roles including teaching, administration and community service. I am a member of several government boards and committees, give many public talks, consult with industry and government and conduct research with PhD and postdoctoral students. My role also includes scientific service, for example assessing PhDs from other universities, referring scientific grants and organising workshops.

“The best aspect of my work is the variety. I also enjoy supervising PhD students and collaborating with researchers here and overseas. The job also involves 60 to 70 days per year travelling, including two to three overseas trips, usually to the USA, where they recognise the value of cutting-edge Australian research in this field.”

PhD Student

Ben Rollo

Salary Range

AUD$27,000 p.a. tax free

My Advice for Students

“Follow through on your interests. Biology always interested me, although I never studied it at school. I did physics and maths instead, but I could never really get a 'feel' for those subjects. The life sciences seem more real, something to get your hands on. And don’t worry if you’re interested in more than one thing. I studied arts subjects as well as science at uni.

“It’s important to understand that Honours and PhD work is quite different from the ‘straight’ study that you do during your degree. In research, you have more freedom and fun. Within reasonable limits, you can follow your own interests, devise your own experiments and find out something that’s never been known before. I think it can be a fantastic career!”

What I Studied

Bachelor of Science (Honours) 2000
Also completing Bachelor of Arts
Currently doing research for a PhD

Ben Rollo is just starting on his scientific career. After studying Science and Arts at Monash University, he took up the offer of a PhD at the Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development. The Institute is part of the Dairy Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).

The research for Ben's PhD centres on the science of cloning animals – in particular, cows. It is at the forefront of one of the most exciting areas in biology. In normal development, a sperm and an egg fuse to start the growth of an embryo. In the technique of embryo cloning, however, sperm are not required. Instead, scientists use a tiny needle to remove the egg cell’s nucleus, which contains its DNA. Then, they carefully take a cell from an adult animal and transfer this donor cell into the egg cell. The result is an egg cell ready to go, although it usually needs some encouragement to get it to divide. Many species of animal have now been cloned using this technique.

The process isn’t easy. Ben explains it like this:

“Although cloning is cutting-edge technology, it remains inefficient. The majority of egg cells do not respond properly when a donor nucleus is put inside them, and so no embryo will develop. I’m looking for factors that could convert the donor cell into a state where it is better suited for artificial development – to reprogram it, if you like. This way, we can increase the number of calves that can be produced using cloning.”

Ben sees the work as extending beyond just cloning cows.

“It teaches us all about how cells specialise as they develop, and whether it is possible to get them to rewind the development clock back to a stage before they specialised.

“I get really caught up in my experiments. It’s great when they work out, but often they don’t. That’s just the way science is. But even an experiment that doesn’t do what you want can still tell you something. The work is very rewarding. It’s so exhilarating when it goes right.”

Plant Research

Deepa Jha

Salary Range

AUD $51,810 - $60,705 (HEO 5/6)

My Advice for Students

"To get a suitable occupation along the lines of plant science research in Australia is a great honour, and of course it demands hard work, determination and the desire for high achievement.

"Scientific research laboratories across Australia are very well equipped and have enormous potential for advanced technological learning. Getting work experience, attending workshops and training courses could help students reach their destination.

"Stay positive and enthusiastic, keep up your determination and you will find your destination in Australia with pride."

What I Studied

Bachelor of Science, Botany (University of Delhi, India)
Master of Science, Botany with specialisation in Microbiology and Biochemistry (University of Delhi, India)
Doctorate in Microbiology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (New Delhi, India)

Career Path

Senior Lecturer: Department of Microbiology, University of Delhi South Campus
Casual and part time research: CSIRO Land and Water, Adelaide Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, Food & Wine, University Of Adelaide
Technical officer: South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), Cell Culture and Doubled Haploid Group, Field Crops Pathology
Research officer: Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFG)

"My career path has involved working in scientific research organisations of repute and excellence in two great nations: India, where I had all of my academic training and started my professional career as Lecturer in Microbiology, and Australia, where I have been able to further strengthen my scientific skills in numerous areas of plant and soil science, molecular biology and biotechnology. 

"I was fortunate to continue working in my own area of professional expertise, following my migration to Australia in 2000. One of my career highlights has been the opportunity to work in the Plant Stress Physiology laboratory of The Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, Adelaide, which is also my current work place. The largest cereal crop genomics team in the southern hemisphere, ACPFG has been a great place to work and learn and I feel privileged to work in a multicultural laboratory under the excellent leadership of our team leader Prof Mark Tester."

Scientific Animator

Drew Berry

Salary Range

AUD$50,000 p.a. plus

My Advice for Students

“Play around and find out exactly what you love to do, and do a lot of it.”

What I Studied

Bachelor of Science (Honours) University of Melbourne
Masters of Science (Cell biology), University of Melbourne

My Life

Drew Berry is unique.

He works as the animator at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne and as far as he is aware, no-one else in the world is making scientifically accurate animations of complex biological molecules and reactions like he is.

“There are other companies in the field that take a similar approach, and make representations of scientific processes, but they usually work from text books and are not experts. My approach is different because I am using real science in my animations - I am visualising actual things that are happening in real cells.”

Upon leaving school, Drew had to make a choice between graphic design or science. He chose science, and gained a Masters in cell biology before deciding that bench research was not for him:

“I really like the thinking involved in science, but it was doing the science that I found hard work.”

Drew briefly flirted with graphic design in an advertising agency but missed science - and then he found a way to combine the two.

“I started working in the photography section of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute and was making people's posters for conferences. I found that I was getting the work done by lunchtime and so started making animations of how the malaria parasite infects human cells and really enjoyed it.”

Drew had to create his own opportunities and pitched these animations to the Institute as a way for it to fulfil its desire to help educate the public about medical research. Since then, Drew's work has been used in many different contexts, not least in the opening ceremony of the 19th International Congress of Genetics in 2003, attended by eight Nobel laureates, and which coincided with the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of DNA.

Using the same software that creates Hollywood animated feature films, incredibly each animation takes him just three weeks to create.

“The first week is spent researching and reading through journals; the second week is spent working out how to get the software to do what I want, and the third is for actually building the animation.”

Drew has never studied computing. “I was always a nerd, playing around with computers. I started easy, teaching myself everything I needed to know.” But, he knows that his strong science background is essential for his ability to take complex ideas and visualise them. He also feels that his work is important.

“I find the mental concepts of science mind-blowing. Scientists are constantly making new discoveries, but a lot of the ways they are presented have a lot of jargon. An image, on the other hand, is something people can get right away - even a six year-old can understand.”

Recently the ABC's science program Catalyst profiled Drew and he discussed making the animations for the television series DNA - these are the same detailed animations featured throughout DNA Interactive and Biotechnology Online. You can also see more of Drew's animations at WEHI-TV.

DNA Sequencing Facility Manager

Ilya Henner

Salary Range

AUD$60,000-80,000 p.a.

My Advice for Students

“Failure is when you stop wanting to learn - not when you get a bad grade.”

What I Studied

Bachelor of Technology (Biotechnology), Macquarie University

Career Path

Storeman: Gradipore Ltd
Production scientist: Gradipore Ltd
Having passions in both classical guitar and flying, I dabbled a little in both areas - recorded an album of solo classical guitar for SBS television and went to British Aerospace in Tamworth to undertake flight screening for the RAAF.
Research assistant: Garvan Institute of Medical Research
DNA Sequencing Facility Manager: Westmead Millennium Institute

Ilya Henner likes being the manager of the DNA sequencing facility at the Westmead Millennium Institute (WMI), and not just because he has a nice office with a big window.

It's more because he gets to use a wide range of skills and can see direct results from the work he does. And if ever he needs extra motivation, he just heads over to the Children's Hospital Westmead and suddenly his work becomes very real.

“We do sequencing and genotyping work for the hospital, the institute, several private pathology labs and interstate universities. We have between 250 and 300 customers and they can provide us with everything from genes that have been manipulated in the laboratory to prenatal testing samples. It's really important to make sure the results we provide are accurate, as they can directly affect people's lives.”

Ilya did a Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology (now called the Bachelor of Biotechnology) and had a range of jobs before he started working as a research assistant at the Garvan Institute, looking at different cellular receptors that HIV use in infection. When he decided it was time to move on, it was his technical skills that landed him the job at WMI, but he finds that he also needs his customer service, business and management skills to run the facility efficiently.

In addition to preparing, loading and running samples in the automated DNA sequencing machine, he also spends some of his day maintaining and optimising sequencing processes. Troubleshooting is a great challenge for Ilya.

“I love taking something that is working well and making it work even better. That does it for me, anyway! I program the machines to get them working at full capacity and efficiency as well as customising software to work better with the cutting-edge machines we use.”

This troubleshooting can also be on a more social level. Ilya really enjoys spending time with scientists, doctors and students to work out why their experiments didn't work as planned. There can be wide range of possible reasons, from the samples and reagents to the instruments and it is Ilya's expertise that helps scientists get the best results possible.

Laboratory Design & Construction

Ian Taylor

Salary Range

AUD$70,000-120,000 p.a.

My Advice for Students

“I believe that a career in research management requires a good grounding in the practical aspects of both science and management. Although a PhD is perhaps not essential, the training it provides shows you how to take a significant problem and work through it from start to finish in a logical way and then communicate the outcomes to others.

“Similarly, management training should combine both practical experience and the theoretical aspects provided by courses such as the MBA. The most important thing of all, however, is to find a job that you enjoy.”

What I Studied

Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biochemistry 1971
Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) variational biology 1977
Master of Business Administration (MBA) 1996

Career Path

Research experience

Research Assistant - Department of Academic Radiotherapy, Middlesex Hospital Medical School (now UCL Medical School) London 1972 - 1975
Research Officer - Medical Research Council, Clinical Oncology and Radiotherapeutics Unit, Cambridge, England 1975 - 1978
Research Fellow - Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Sydney 1978 - 1982
Senior Research Fellow - Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Sydney
Lecturer - Department of Cancer Medicine, University of Sydney 1982 - 1984

Management Experience

Scientific Manager - The Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), Brisbane 1984 - 1998
Deputy Director - The Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), The University of Queensland 1998 - present

Laboratory Design and Construction Experience

Numerous small laboratory design/refurbishing projects in the UK and Australia, projects ranging from $200,000 - $1million 1975 - 1989
New Building QIMR $38 million 1989 - 1991
New Building complex - IMB and CSIRO $110 million 1998 - present
Design Consultant - New laboratory facilities, the Biopolis for Singapore Government US$300 million

“I started out as a research assistant in a cancer research laboratory, but quickly transferred onto a PhD program. I worked on my PhD in both London and Cambridge and when complete I moved to the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Sydney, where I spent the next six years. Towards the end of that period I had a mid-life crisis. Instead of being a research scientist and working at the bench, I decided that I wanted to go more into the management of research. I applied for a position at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) and became their first Scientific Manager. The rest, as they say, is history.”

Ian has been in science management now for 18 years. When he started at QIMR in 1984 it was a relatively small institute with about 100 staff. However, by the time he left in 1998, it had grown to become a major internationally recognised medical research laboratory with over 400 research staff. It was here that Ian became involved in laboratory design to cater for the growth of QIMR. He came to the University of Queensland in 1998 specifically to work on the design of the new building and assist in setting up the new Institute for Molecular Bioscience.

“As Deputy Director of the Institute I have a broad-ranging job. Not only have I been involved in the design of the Institute’s new facilities (I drew up the initial design brief) but I’m responsible for the general administration and operations of the Institute. This includes finance, personnel, IT services and laboratory support services and facilities. All of these areas are required to support our research.”

Ian is a specialist in his field in the Southern Hemisphere. “There are not too many people that have worked as a research scientist and managed two of Australia’s largest research facilities.

“One of the aspects of my work that I enjoy most is building design. It’s really nice to work on a project that has a specific beginning and end, which results in something so tangible as a large building. It’s also exciting being involved from the ground up and being part of an organisation that’s growing and expanding.

“I’ve worked as a scientist, which means that I have particular sympathy for how they operate. I’ve always seen myself as a sort of bridge between scientists and the administration in that sense. It’s my job to ensure that the Institute runs smoothly and that the scientists can get on with their research.”