Scientists Performed

There are more roles in science than you think. It’s not all laboratories and documentation. The world of science operates outside the boundaries of research and development.

The world is more diverse than you could ever imagine and the life sciences stand open testament to that. We researched a few roles you didn’t know were STEM based positions. We bet there’s more than one that makes you raise an eyebrow. Scientists perform all sorts of tasks, so there’s plenty of opportunities in the life science field for those that want to do something meaningful and a little different with their lives.

Here are four jobs we bet you didn’t know were performed by scientists. We’ll start with the easy ones and move on from there.

4 Positions that You Didn’t Know Scientists Performed

These are our top picks for surprising roles in science that you thought any candidate could pursue.

1 – Data Management

When we see the word ‘data’ we assume it is computer related and, in most cases, we are not wrong. An area of science we often overlook is data processing. There is a specific title for this job, known as clinical data management. These people record all the clinical data that scientific studies over time collect. They then process the data, make sense of the data, and use it to support or disprove theories. If you are interested in a position like this, you can learn more at https://www.hays.co.uk/job/life-sciences-jobs/clinical-data-management.

2 – Perfumer

Did you ever stop to think about who it is that devises new perfume scents? It’s not the celebrities we see in the nonsensical adverts that promote the perfumes. No. We get perfumes from chemists. Not the type of chemist in the pharmacy, the type of chemist who has studied the interactions of different scent compounds and their effect on the human skin, brain, and body. Perfumers are experts in scent based chemistry. Without them, we wouldn’t even have scented body lotions.

3 – Snake Milker

Seriously and yes, you did read that right. Snake milker is an actual position held by an actual scientist. You wouldn’t trust just anyone with the handling of toxins. It needs to be a trained scientist. A snake milker isn’t as bad as it sounds, either. The scientist doesn’t milk the snake so much as they trigger the venom sacks in the backs of their mouths. This allows the snake to harmlessly inject poison into a glass or other receptacle. This role is vital because studying the toxins allows us to produce anti-venoms. In places like Australia, this service is essential.

4 – Firework Designer

Another startling task that we give to scientists, firework designers do exactly what it says on the tin. Fireworks are made using gunpowder, which is tricky to handle and difficult to stabilize. If you don’t want your firework factory to go up in smoke, you hire someone trained to handle explosives before you hire someone who designs pretty colours. We’re not sure who hires firework designers, but if it’s your dream career we wish you every success.