Careers and professional development

Careers and professional support

Workshops and professional development courses

As well as developing important research skills, we recognise the importance of transferable skills such as communication, leadership and interpersonal skills which are valued by employers and will enhance your future employability.

As a postgraduate researcher, you’ll have the opportunity to attend a number of workshops offered by the University and our dedicated researcher training and development hub as well as through the University's Organisational Development and Professional Learning department (OD&PL). The training and development opportunities will be tailored to reflect the demands of your current project and future employment, in line with the researcher development framework, and will include workshops covering broad skills such as:

  • research methodologies and data management
  • writing research papers
  • research methodologies
  • strategy, project planning and management
  • ethics and intellectual property.

Building your research profile

You’ll have opportunities to attend and present at conferences and research events. This allows you to meet and network with colleagues and peers from across the academic community at national and international events.

Links with industry

You’ll benefit from our close working relationships with a large number of key companies and academic institutions in the UK and overseas. You’ll have the opportunity to attend industry talks, seminars and conferences where you’ll meet and network with colleagues from industry and academia.

Careers advice and support

You’re entitled to use the wide range of services offered by the University’s Careers Centre which provides a range of help and advice to assist you in planning your career and making well-informed decisions along the way.

Graduate destinations

The range of careers open to you upon completion of your PhD is broad and not limited to academia, some of which are listed here:

  • NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Radar Scientist
  • The Met Office  - Climate Scientist
  • British Geological Survey - Petroleum Basin Analyst
  • University of Leeds - Lecturer in Environmental and Ecological Economics
  • Getech Group - Geologist
  • Leeds City College - Environmental Manager
  • Centre for Ecology and Hydrology - Hydrogeochemist
  • British Geological Survey - Chemist
  • GNS Science - InSAR Scientist
  • Canadian Discovery Ltd. - Sr. Geophysicist
  • Public Health England - Senior Environmental Officer
  • Geoscience Australia - Scientist
  • Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge - Research Assistant in Innovative Responses to Floo
  • Mammal Research Institute Polish Academy of Sciences - Researcher
  • Environment Agency - Radioactive Substances Regulation Officer
  • Elsevier - Senior Algorithm Developer/Data Scientist
  • UC Berkeley - Post Doctoral Research