Within science communication, there are a wide range of roles that focus on communicating science to different audiences. Science communicators can be employed directly by research institutes, scientific funders/societies, museums, publishing, or in pharma/biotech and other life science companies; or they might work for science communication agencies that offer services or consultancy to academia and industry. Freelance work is also a possibility for some science communication areas (e.g. science writing & illustration).

Roles and responsibilities

• Communications officer, press officer, and science writers within research institutes or scientific funders/societies who:
  • develop / manage communications projects (including working with external providers for graphics, layouts, printing) – e.g., the organisations’ internal or external communications (magazines, flyers, annual reports etc)
  • write or edit individual communications pieces such as press releases, articles for the organization’s magazine,  reports and other promotional materials
  • and/or support the writing and editing of grant applications and publications 
• Outreach and education
  • Communications work focussed in university / institute outreach teams, science museums and exhibits, and other scientific organizations focussed on engaging and educating the public. Tasks may include organizing /hosting visits from the public / schools, designing and running engagement activities, organizing events, writing about science for the general public, developing resources for science engagement, social media activities. 
• Medical communications & medical writers
  • Medical/technical communications roles are a specific type of scientific communication found in pharma, biotech, contract research organisations, and agencies/consultancies. People working in this career area are tasked with writing a range of communications materials – for example, documents to support regulatory applications, promotional literature, briefings for sales teams and manuals for products. Medical writers may also be involved in writing up clinical research from biotechs and pharma for publication or even preparing slide decks to be presented at medical conferences, and some medical writers are specialised in writing documentation for regulatory applications.
• Scientific journalism / science writers
  • On a freelance or employment basis for science magazines & general press  – writing articles aimed at scientists /or interested lay-people on a wide range of topics related to research and/or research related topics; 
• Scientific illustration
  • Scientific illustrators help scientists, publishers and biotechnology companies to communicate effectively with scientific visualisations.
• Corporate communications
  • Producing in-house or external communications for scientific companies

Knowledge and skills

In our careers and skills survey, 16 science communication professionals told us the competencies they use most in their daily work  The most frequently selected competencies were:

• Effective communication (selected by 88%, and rated highest for success in the role)
• Writing (selected by 88%)
• Organization (selected by 56%)
• Broad scientific knowledge (selected by 50%)
• Clarity of thought (selected by 38%)
• Teamwork (selected by 38%)

Language skills

Where the focus is writing manuscripts or grants, or other communications for the international scientific community, the working language is often English. In our careers and skills survey, four respondents from the science writing career area were working in a country where English is not the native language and all indicated that it was possible to work in their current role entirely in English. 

Nevertheless, many roles (particularly those related to public outreach) require at least some communication targeted within the host country – and bilingual skills may be required e.g. a near-native level of both English and the local language in some cases.

For those working in a country where English is the native language, it is possible to work in this field without being a native-English speaker if you can demonstrate excellent communication skills.  

Career entry and progression

Most areas of science communication are accessible directly from a PhD or postdoc. Some science communicators start their career by completing additional training – for example a master’s programme – or build formal experience via an internship. These can be particularly helpful to break into the most competitive fields (e.g. science journalism). However, engagement with outreach, writing, blogging or social media during your time in academia can also launch science communication careers.

Why consider this career area?

In our careers and skills survey, 15 science communication professionals told us what they appreciate most about their work. The most common selections were, that the work:

• is intellectually stimulating
• provides opportunities for personal growth
• allows them to be creative

Want to learn more?

Additional resources on this blog

Interview-based career profiles for this career area

Radhika Patnala, Founder and Director of Sci-Illustrate
Tobias Maier, Deputy Director of the National Institute for Science Communication
Yavé Lozano, Medical Writer, ICON

Sources / further information

Science communication careers (general)

• Resources: professional associations – Association of British Science Writers
  • including *highly recommended overview*  How to become a science writer, An ABSW guide, written by Mun-Keat Looi.
• *Highly recommended overview, particularly for the US job market ***: Science Communication: a career where PhDs can make a difference – Molecular Biology of the Cell 
• Resource:
  • List of sci com internship possibilities – Code like a Girl
  • Science communication career exploration article from UCSF
• Written articles (overview):
  • Toolkit: How to work in science communication – Nature 
  • How to get a job in science communication – Nature Jobs
  • Science communication: A new generation of communicators – Nature Jobs

Corporate communications:

• **highly recommended** Written article (first-person experience): Life beyond the bench: Scientific writing – Developmental biology special issue ‘Careers beyond the bench’ 

Outreach focussed careers:

• Written interview (first-person experience): More to science: working as a Communities Manager – Nature Jobs

Science illustration

• Written articles on science illustration (not career focussed):
  • Science illustration: picture perfect – Nature Jobs
  • Science-graphic art partnerships to increase research impact – Scientific Reports

Medical communications

• **highly recommended** Video with overview & the personal experiences of a medical communications writer
• Resources:
  • MedCommsNetworking initiative organizing webinars & events focussed on medical communications (supported by a number of UK Med Comms companies).**highly recommended**
  • EBook: From academic to medical writer: a guide to getting started in medical communications from FirstMedCommsJob.com
  • European Medical Writers Association 
    • including a **highly recommended** career guide for ‘New Medical Writers’
  • American Medical Writers Association
    • including a guide to becoming a medical writer
  • Intersect Job Sims – including
    • Summarize Data for a Clinical Audience
    • Summarize Data for a Lay Audience
    • Write an Abstract on a Short Deadline
• Written overview articles
  • Working as a Medical Writer – Science Careers
  • How to become a competent medical writer? – Perspectives in Clinical Research Journal
  • PhD student: A medical writer in the making! – Medical Writing Journal
  • An evidence-based career change: My move into medical writing – Nature Jobs
  • Medical Communications: The “Write” Career for You? – Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives

Further internal resources

For EMBL fellows

Within EMBL, further internal resources (e.g. recorded career seminars) can also be found on our career exploration intranet pages.

Informational interviews

For all career areas, we highly recommend first learning more about the careers using the resources above, then conducting informational interviews to gain further insights directly from former PhDs working in career areas that interest you.

Last update: Feburary 2024