Natural Science Career Outlook
The Natural Science Program prepares students for a combined or undifferentiated focus on one or more of the physical and biological sciences.
To find out more about your major including potential areas and employers, required skills, job outlook, and median pay, please access the Occupational Outlook Handbook or the O*Net website.
Career Outlook
Explore the subsections below to learn more about the potential skills a student with a Natural Science major can develop as well as the potential positions, areas and employers that hire students with this degree. Please note that these are not exhaustive lists and should be used as a starting point.
Skills
As a Natural Science major, students may develop or advance skills including analytical, laboratory, math, computer, statistics, scientific and data analysis, oral and written communication, critical thinking, problem solving, logic and creativity.
Positions
Graduates with a degree in Natural Science can work as biological technicians, environment ecologists, environmental restoration planners, materials scientists, park naturalists, forest and conservation technicians, pollution control technicians, forensic scientists, occupational health and safety specialists, chemical technicians, environmental scientists, teachers and pharmacists.
Areas
Graduates with a degree in Natural Science can work within the following areas: agricultural sciences, biomedical engineering, botany, dentistry, ecology, education and teaching, epidemiology and community health, environmental research, food service and technology, forensic science, forestry, industrial processes, manufacturing, marketing, materials science, medical research, medicine, natural resource management, nutrition and dietetics, patent law, pharmaceuticals, pharmacy, public health, public or private research, quality control, safety assessment and design, sustainability design, toxicology and veterinary medicine.
Employers
Graduates with a degree in Natural Science can work for government agencies, agricultural and chemical companies, food and feed industries, private research labs, consulting firms, chemical instrumentation companies, hospital laboratories, health departments, pharmaceutical organizations, cosmetic companies, automotive companies, mining companies, electronics organizations, universities, and schools, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and correctional facilities.
Helpful Resources
Use the employment opportunity resources below to kickstart your pre-professional or professional experience search. You may also identify a professional or student organization to join and network with individuals in your major and field. Please note that these are not exhaustive lists and should be used as a starting point.
- Abbott Laboratories
- Argonne National Laboratory Internships
- American Medical Association in Chicago
- Biospace
- Brookfield Zoo
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Chemistry Jobs website
- Chicago Botanic Gardens
- Domino Sugar
- I Hire Chemist Website
- IL Environmental Protection Agency
- IL Department of Natural Resources Internships
- IL State Police Forensic Science Unit
- Johnson & Johnson
- Museum of Science and Industry
- New Scientist Jobs
- Science Careers
- Shedd Aquarium
- Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
- University of Chicago Medical Center
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- American Chemical Society
- American Chemistry Council
- American Institute of Chemical Engineers
- American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- American Society for Materials International
- Biotechnology Industry Organization
- Chemistry Education Association
- Crop Life America
- Council for the Advancement of Science Writing
- Environmental Careers Organization
- International Council of Chemical Associations
- National Association of Science Writers
- National Science Foundation
- Society for Technical Communication