Research scientist (medical)

As a medical research scientist, one of your aims will be to increase the body of scientific knowledge on topics related to medicine. You will do this by planning and conducting experiments and sharing your results.

You may also use your research to develop new, or improve existing, drugs, treatments or other medically-related products.

You can find work in higher education institutions, research institutes, hospitals, industry and medical research charities. The type of research you can carry out is wide ranging from from investigating the underlying basis of health or disease, to conducting clinical research and investigating methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human disorders.

It's also possible for you to carry out molecular level research. This may involve using appropriate cell and animal models, or human volunteers may be used to study the clinical effects of various factors.

Responsibilities

Roles vary depending on the setting, but much of the work is laboratory-based. In general, you'll need to:

• plan and conduct experiments and analyse or interpret the results
• keep accurate records of work undertaken
• use specialist software to analyse data and to produce charts, figures and other visualisations
• follow protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and quality standards (for example, Good Clinical Practice (GCP) for clinical research, where relevant)
• carry out risk assessments and follow health and safety procedures
• maintain, calibrate and troubleshoot laboratory equipment
• write and submit funding applications and progress reports (particularly in higher education and charities)
• work with cross-functional teams (for example, clinical, manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory or commercial colleagues, depending on the setting)
• consider commercial viability and how research could be developed into new products or treatments (particularly in industry)
• collaborate with industry, research institutes, hospitals and academia
• coordinate work across multiple projects, prioritising tasks to meet deadlines and budget requirements
• teach, mentor and supervise students and junior colleagues (in some roles).

You'll often need to share your findings, which means you'll:

• present findings and lead discussions at team meetings
• deliver presentations at national and international medical or scientific conferences
• write papers for publication in peer-reviewed medical or scientific journals (less common in industry)
• contribute to internal reports or public-facing summaries (particularly in the NHS, charities or collaborative projects).

It's also important to stay in touch with developments in your field, so you'll need to:

• read relevant scientific literature and journals
• attend scientific meetings and conferences to hear from other researchers and network with scientists from around the world.

Salary

• If you're doing a PhD, Doctoral funding may be provided through a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) studentship. From 1 October 2025, the UKRI minimum stipend is £20,780 per year (or £22,780 in London) to cover living costs. You may also be eligible for additional support towards tuition fees. You may receive more if you're industry funded.
• Postdoctoral researchers and research scientists often earn £35,000 to £50,000+, depending on their experience, location and funding organisation.
• Senior researchers usually earn from £40,000 into the £50,000s+ in academia, while salaries for professors can be higher. In some cases, particularly in industry, salaries at senior levels can exceed £100,000.

Most UK universities use a nationally agreed single pay spine. See the University and College Union (UCU) or individual university pay webpages for up-to-date salary scales. Pay varies according to whether you're the leader of your own research group, part of a team of researchers or whether you've secured a lectureship while continuing your research.

Pay is usually higher in industry and the private sector.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Your working hours will vary depending on your setting. In academia, there may be some flexibility around start and finish times, although this can depend on teaching commitments and lab schedules. Due to the nature of experimental work, hours can be irregular and may require some evening or weekend work.

You may work longer hours when grant application deadlines are approaching or when time-sensitive experiments are underway.

What to expect

• Work is mainly laboratory-based, with time spent in the office planning studies, analysing data and writing up results. Some roles also involve clinical settings, working with patient samples or data.
• As your career progresses, work may become more office-based, with greater responsibility for securing funding, managing projects, supervising staff/students, collaborating, peer review and publication.
• You'll need to be careful as work may involve hazardous biological, chemical and, occasionally, radioactive materials.
• Depending on the role, you may work with animals, animal models (animals used to study disease processes or test potential treatments) or animal-derived materials, which can raise ethical concerns for some people. Find out more from Understanding Animal Research.
• You may need to travel for collaboration on projects and research, as well as to attend conferences to present results and network with colleagues.

Qualifications

You'll need a good honours degree (typically a 2:1 or above) in a medical or life science subject to become a medical researcher. Relevant subjects include:

• biochemistry
• biomedical sciences
• genetics
• health sciences
• immunology
• medical microbiology
• molecular biology
• pharmacology
• physiology.

Many areas of medical research also recruit graduates from chemistry, physics or subjects with strong data skills, such as statistics or bioinformatics. Some employers will consider candidates with other relevant degrees if they have strong laboratory and/or data analysis skills.

Most people entering this field have, or will be working towards, a research-based MSc or a PhD. This is particularly important for higher level positions, as career progression without a PhD (particularly in academia) is likely to be limited.

You may be able to enter with just your degree and no postgraduate qualification if you also have significant laboratory experience, but you'll typically still need a PhD to then progress to more senior or independent research roles.

Direct entry to a research scientist role with an HND or foundation degree only is not usually possible. You may be able to enter at technician level but will need to take further qualifications to become a medical researcher. Some employers may allow you to study while working part time.

Funding is made available to research institutions via the Medical Research Council (MRC) and other funding bodies. This is then passed on to students in the form of scholarships, bursaries and studentships. Contact the individual institution or its doctoral training partnership to find out more about the funding options and eligibility.

Skills

You'll need to have:

• technical, scientific and numerical skills
• strong data analysis and digital skills and confidence using specialist software
• excellent written and oral communication skills for writing reports, papers and presenting findings
• curiosity and motivation for research and scientific enquiry
• a methodical approach to work, with excellent project planning and management skills
• tenacity and patience when conducting experiments
• a creative approach to problem solving
• the ability to work well in teams and work collaboratively on research projects
• attention to detail
• an understanding of research ethics, governance and good practice (following protocols and safety requirements).

Work experience

Getting laboratory experience and an understanding of common research techniques will improve your chances of finding a research post. Look for opportunities such as a placement year, vacation work or summer research internship.

Many UK universities and research institutes offer funded summer research internships for undergraduates, giving you the chance to work alongside PhD students and experienced researchers.

Industry-based research and development (R&D) placements can help you understand applied research and how projects move towards real-world use. If possible, try opportunities in both industry and academia to see how they differ and which suits you best.

You could also apply for research assistant or technician posts on projects led by experienced researchers. These roles provide paid, hands-on work and help you develop data analysis skills, as well as familiarity with research governance and good practice.

Funding for placements and projects may be available through:

• Nuffield Foundation
• Wellcome

Keep up to date with developments in the field through research organisations and funding bodies, relevant professional bodies, and scientific journals and conferences.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Typical employers include:

• pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical technology companies
• contract research organisations (CROs)
• the NHS, particularly hospital and NHS trust-based research teams
• medical research charities and other not-for-profit research organisations
• universities and research institutes
• publicly funded research units and institutes, including those supported by bodies such as the Medical Research Council (MRC)
• government and public sector research organisations (for example, public health or regulatory bodies).

Work outside industry is often funded through public research funding awarded to universities, research institutes and hospitals, as well as through grants from medical research charities and other funders.

Opportunities are also available through Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP). These projects link a graduate with an organisation and a 'knowledge base', such as a university or a research organisation, and focus on applying research in a commercial setting.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Jobs.ac.uk
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)
• Nature Careers
• NHS Jobs and NHSScotland Jobs
• THE Unijobs

Universities and research institutes also advertise vacancies on their websites. The Innovate UK website advertises KTP jobs.

Specialist recruitment agencies include:

• Cranleigh Scientific
• SRG

Professional development

If you're studying for a PhD while working in a medical research post, you'll usually be supported by an academic supervisor, and your employer or institution may provide additional training. You can also use Vitae resources to support your development.

You'll need to keep up to date with advances in your field through continuing professional development (CPD). This may include technical training to learn new laboratory methods, as well as visits to other labs to learn specialist techniques that are already established there.

CPD may also cover research governance and integrity (including ethics, data protection and GCP for clinical research), as well as grant writing, publishing and leadership skills.

You'll attend conferences to hear about new findings and approaches, and you may present your own work.

Membership of a professional body, such as the Royal Society of Biology, can also provide support and CPD opportunities.

Career prospects

Career structures vary between sectors. In academia, once you've completed a PhD, it's common to move into a postdoctoral position. Many researchers undertake a series of fixed-term contracts before securing a permanent post, and competition can be high. There may be opportunities or expectations to supervise students and contribute to teaching.

Career progression depends on your track record, including the quality and impact of your research, publications and success in attracting funding. With experience, you may progress into roles such as research fellow, senior research fellow, principal investigator or professor.

Career development is often more structured in industry, hospitals or research institutes, with progression linked to increased responsibility for supervising staff and managing projects. With experience, you can move into senior research, leadership or management roles, or into related areas such as clinical trials, regulatory affairs, quality assurance, product development or medical affairs.