Career prospects

Doing a PhD at Radboud University

If you would like to have a career in science, it is possible to apply for a PhD position at Radboud University. Of course, you can also apply at any other university worldwide. Many of our students have already successfully secured a PhD position.

Put your studies to work!

To prepare you for finding a job, Radboud University offers various forms of job market orientation, so that you can prepare for your future during your studies. Career Service Science assists students and young alumni with their journey into the job market. You can contact them for help with job orientation, application tips, and information about internships and vacancies. Furthermore, students organise the BBB Career Event each year, the ideal place for students and employers to meet.

Keep learning after your Master’s

Do you want to keep pace with the rapid progress in our current society after your studies? Then a post-master might be something for you. The Radboud Academy offers many opportunities for lifelong development. 

Traineeship "Eerst de Klas"

I am doing a traineeship called Eerst de Klas. I started out with the SMI specialisation, when I figured that I didn't want to continue in research and that perhaps the SMI specialisation could give me a peak at a field that interested me. I'll tell you now, it still interests me.

So then came the big step in to the real world. I knew I didn't want to stand on a lab all day, and neither sit behind my laptop. So I decided that a combination of the entrepreneurial part and education would probably suit me. And that's how I found Eerst De Klas! It's a combination of teaching at high schools and working for several different companies. 

In February 2015, I started at Hewlett Packard. The project was about Personalized Healthcare and the role that IT can play in translating genomic information. I had started with SMI with the idea that I wouldn't have to do research anymore, but boy, could I be more wrong! Ha! Most of my research consisted of reading, structuring the information I read, conducting interviews and analysing the information to see what could be new and of value to HP. I discovered that I found the interviews enjoyable, but sitting behind a computer all day is not my thing.

Energy Transition projects at ERAC

For me, the subjects of climate and energy are deeply rooted in my ideals. However, I never had the intention of becoming a researcher on the subjects, I want to change something and see the fruits of my labour in a concrete way.

After my internship, I very quickly found a job a ERAC, a consultancy firm in Den Bosch. At ERAC I mostly do energy transition projects. At ERAC I can put my science background to work on societal and business themes and challenges resulting in concrete projects contributing positively towards my ideals.

The climate and energy track of the SMI specialisation gave me the opportunity to put my science knowledge to use on societal and business themes. I did my final internship at FME, the entrepreneurial organisation for the technological industry where I investigated the opportunities for Dutch clean tech SMEs to capitalize on emerging opportunities in climate finance.

Project Manager & Environmental Consultant

Hi, my name is Maarten Pauwels and I am an MSc. Biology, Management & Technology graduate since 2011. I chose the M&T specialisation because of my interest in the field of (project) management and organisational theory. For me, the specialisation was also a welcome change from the regular research-oriented Bachelor curriculum.

After graduating on the subject of implementing sustainability goals and targets in the business processes of an organisation, I started as an environmental consultant for BMD Advies Rijndelta in January of 2012. At BMD I assist companies with environmental permits, complying with rules and regulations, and in certification processes for ISO 14001 management systems, amongst other things.

Thanks to knowledge and skills obtained especially in the M&T-specialisation, I quickly got promoted to project manager. I now manage large and smaller projects and I am responsible for maintaining relationships with my customers. My job is interesting, challenging and very diverse. Without the M&T-specialisation I would most definitely not have managed to get such an interesting position within the company within a short time. I therefore warmly recommend the specialisation to everyone who is interested in something more than research."

Altran NL

I’m Kelly Menting and a MSc. Medical Biology, Management & Technology specialisation graduate of August 2014. For me, this Master’s specialisation provided me with the opportunity to broaden my horizon beyond the field of research and into the field of Business Administration. It combines the best of two worlds for me: the interesting and often complex biological processes of Life Sciences applied in the more commercial and result-driven environments of organisations.

My final Master’s internship was at the pharmaceutical company MSD in Boxmeer, where I analysed and optimized production processes. I find that the MT specialisation prepared me for my position at Altran, an international company active in 20 countries worldwide. As Junior Consultant in the Life Science sector, I am among 20.000 Altran engineers that accompany clients in the creation and development of their products and services. Currently I started a project at a large pharmaceutical company, with the aim to optimize their supply chain processes."

GDF Suez Energie NL

Hi, my name is Moniek Verschuren and I am a Master’s student in Mathematics at Radboud University. Because, aside from mathematics, I’m also interested in working in business, I chose to do this Master’s specialisation. This specialisation is a preparation for a future position in a company, but it also provided me with the broader focus I was seeking next to mathematics.

I’m enjoying the specialisation thoroughly, and would definitely do it again. It is very interesting to get to know the world outside of the Faculty of Science, and to broaden my knowledge and skills. Even better: through my graduation project at GDF Suez Energie NL, I already found a job at the Innovation & Marketing department!"