Graduate careers
From leading business roles to cutting-edge research, a Melbourne Science qualification establishes talents and skills enabling graduates to add significant value to any organisation. Together with a comprehensive understanding of current scientific issues, graduates emerge with high-functioning management and leadership skills. Melbourne Science graduates enjoy an excellent reputation and are widely recruited in Australia and across the globe, making the University of Melbourne the
first choice for outstanding professionals.
Graduates are in considerable demand in a wide variety of professions in the public and private sectors, ranging from government organisations at local, state and federal level to the public sector, incorporating consultancy, finance, telecommunications, research and marketing.
The graduate programs offered by the School are versatile qualifications and well regarded by a range of employers. It's important to note that employers of our science graduates are not simply laboratory-based, they are also found in finance and property, legal services, mining, computing, education and the health sector. Your graduate science qualification can also be used as a stepping stone into conservation, publishing, construction or hospitality.
IT, banking, research and broadcasting services also recruit science graduates directly into their leadership and management
training programs. We encourage our students to meet and connect with potential employers on a regular basis for networking and
career possibilities.
Our graduates enjoy starting salaries above the national average for science. The median annual salary for Melbourne science
graduates in 2007 was above the national average.
Average Australian scientific salary
The salaries listed below are average salaries as at 30th July 2008 according to
MyCareer.com.au - Scientific Salary Centre .
| Scientific area |
Average min. |
Average max. |
Average |
| Biotechnology |
$45,448 |
$140,000 |
$79,169 |
| Chemist |
$35,000 |
$100,000 |
$58,314 |
| Environmental Science |
$45,000 |
$190,000 |
$93,103 |
| Food Science |
$28,000 |
$110,000 |
$61,117 |
| Laboratory |
$31,774 |
$95,000 |
$57,158 |
| Other Scientific |
$35,000 |
$140,000 |
$69,594 |
| OA/QC |
$40,000 |
$140,000 |
$74,995 |
| Research & Development |
$40,000 |
$130,000 |
$69,272 |
| Scientist |
$39,556 |
$140,000 |
$67,045 |
| Technical |
$35,241 |
$150,000 |
$74,079 |
Examples of graduates' occupations
There are a number of career occupations and they include:
- Astronomer
- Chemical Pathologist
- Crime Scene Examiner
- Forensic Scientist
- Industrial Chemist
- Lecturer
- Marketing Communications Manager
- Product Development Manager
- Radiation Safety Consultant
- Toxicologist
- Zoologist
- Bio-Pharmaceutical Consultant
- Company Director
- Defence Consultant
- Forest Resource Manager
- Information Systems Manager
- Marine Ecologist
- Merchant Banker
- Population Modeller
- Research Grants Manager
- Tissue Culture Scientist
- Strategic Planner
- Business Development Manager
- Chief Information Officer
- Ethics & Research Manager
- Geophysicist
- Managing Editor
- Management Consultant
- Microbiologist
- R & D Project Manager
- Secondary Science Teacher
- Telecommunications Manager
- Weather Forecaster