1. Living things

Six career contexts are listed under this heading to show a breadth of job type in this area. Each gives example work areas, the knowledge and skills required and importantly, why they are needed.

 

	Example work areas	Knowledge/skills required	Why?
Medical researcher	cancer, stem cells, fertility treatment	human biology, cell behaviour, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, microscopy, medical ethics data analysis	To understand how cells develop and replicate
Medical physicist	imaging (e.g. radiography, ultrasound, CAT, MRI), physiological measurements, prosthetics, replacement parts	human biology, electromagnetic radiation, materials science, computing, data analysis	To operate equipment safely and effectively, and design durable prosthetics for use inside and outside the body
Food scientist	nutrition, food, additives, chocolate, wine	biochemistry, chemical processing, chemical analysis, properties of materials, sensory analysis	To produce safe, nutritious, attractive food and drink
Arable farmer	crop management, agricultural equipment	plant biology, pest and weed control, conservation, machine maintenance	To maximise crop quality and quantity, while maintaining the environment
Veterinary assistant	pets, farm animals, working animals	animal biology, hygiene, equipment and its care, computer data systems	To ensure smooth running of the vet’s surgery and call-outs
Wildlife photographer	book/magazine illustrations, TV/films, birthday/postcards	animal behaviour and habitats, camera technology, lighting technology, digital image manipulation	To locate and approach animals and produce quality images

 

Is there a career here for you?

To see the full list of career examples download the document below.