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What can I do with a STEM degree??

So you like problem solving and analytical thinking? Or just being curious about the world and how it works? And you’re thinking a STEM degree will let you be all those things in your career? You’re right! But what jobs can scientists, engineers, mathematicians and technologists actually do? The role of STEM-trained professionals has changed rapidly over the last decade and will continue to do so as technologies, and their purposes, continue to evolve. Many science graduates may not end up working in a lab, just as many trained engineers may not end up building planes and bridges.  Indeed, often roles highly suitable for STEM graduates bear titles seemingly unrelated to a classic STEM discipline. These ‘non-traditional’ STEM roles could be your dream job but you may not have realised a STEM degree could get you there. To help you out, we’ve compiled a snapshot of some of the exciting jobs STEM professionals can enter, yet are often not associated with STEM training.

Quantitative Trader

Quantitative traders, or ‘quants’, build mathematical models to determine trading opportunities and buy and sell a type of market investment called a ‘security’. The environment of a quant is fast-paced and professionals must continuously innovate their analysis and approach to keep up with rapidly changing methods. This area has recently seen an influx of engineers, mathematicians and software developers who have applied their mathematical and programming knowledge to understanding financial markets.

Energy Analyst

As businesses and governments are increasingly held accountable for their environmental impacts, energy analysts are becoming essential in assuring energy efficiency and sustainability. Energy analysts measure energy efficiency, develop mathematical models for energy usage and provide recommendations for improvements. This job requires a range of skills classically acquired in STEM disciplines, including statistical and mathematical modelling and a knowledge of mechanics, energy generation and general engineering.

Consultant

Consultancy companies are some of the largest, highest-earning STEM employers in Australia, including the ‘big four’: PwC, KPMG, Deloitte and EY. Client companies approach consultancies to solve specific business challenges by drawing on the knowledge of the range of specialists they employ. Consultants research the problem, analyse and aggregate any associated data and provide reports and presentations on their proposed solutions. Consultancies frequently employ STEM graduates for their research, data analysis and problem solving skills.

Epidemiologists

Epidemiologists are becoming crucial as their relevance to controlling disease and maintaining public health is increasingly recognised, particularly in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Epidemiologists may have training in biological sciences, medical science, statistics or mathematics. They develop mathematical models of disease spread at various scales and assist in recommendations for public health policy. Epidemiologists are employed by a variety of private and government health agencies.

Information Security Analyst

Due to concerns over hacking, data breaches and cyber security risks, Information Security Analysts are becoming increasingly in demand. Information Security Analysts use skills in software, programming and IT systems to identify risks and fortify security measures in commercial and governmental computer systems and databases.

Biochemist

Biochemist jobs are some of the fastest growing lab-based STEM jobs currently. Biochemists are often employed by medical and pharmaceutical companies to research and develop treatments, such as vaccines, for common health challenges. This area is becoming increasingly important as the median age of populations increases, lifestyle-related diseases become more frequent and pandemics such as COVID-19 increasingly threaten public health.


Rose Crocker

Rose is a final year Masters student at the University of Adelaide in Applied Mathematics. She is researching the mathematics of making better predictions about large-scale Earth systems, such as the climate, oceans and atmosphere. In her free time she loves cycling, hiking and getting outdoors.

If you liked this article and want to learn more about Rose, you can read her article Interview with a postgrad: Rose Crocker.