Case studies
Three Nottingham alumni talk about how they used their degrees in natural sciences and their advice to current students.
Sam Aird, Trainee Patent Attorney. Potter Clarkson LLP
What is your current role and what does it involve?
My role as a trainee patent attorney is to help inventors protect their ideas by drafting and prosecuting patent applications. This involves reading scientific documents, analysing the differences between various inventions, and writing arguments in defence of our clients' intellectual property.
How do you use the skills and knowledge gained during your degree as part of your job?
Having the wide base of scientific knowledge that comes with a natural sciences degree allows me to quickly understand inventions from lots of different areas of innovation. My degree also familiarised me with gleaning information from complicated scientific publications.
How did you become a patent attorney?
I talked to some patent attorneys about what the job was like, sent off lots of applications, attended a few interviews, and then accepted my current role. I had actually never heard of patent attorneys before the year I got the job!
What do you enjoy about your job?
The variety is great - working with lots of different inventions and inventors keeps things interesting and there is always something new to learn. I also particularly enjoy opposing competitor's patents, which involves hunting for prior art documents to poke holes in their arguments.
What advice would you give to someone considering a similar career to you?
Find and talk to lots of patent attorneys to get a feel for what the job is about and be prepared to sit a lot of tricky exams (which are required for qualification).
Izzy Hatten, Scientist, Civil Service
What is your current role and what does it involve?
I'm currently working as an X-ray detection physicist within my role in the Civil Service. I specialise in providing scientific advice and running experiments for the areas of government who work within the aviation industry.
How do you use the skills and knowledge gained during your degree as part of your job?
The broad, interdisciplinary nature of my degree means that I've naturally picked up a broader range of skills than the average student. This means that I usually bring something to the table in every conversation I'm in, and I'm able to grasp new concepts pretty quickly.
How did you become a scientist for the UK Civil Service?
I wasn't 100% sure of what I wanted to do after university, so decided to apply on a whim. The company loved my skill set, and placed me with my current team.
What do you enjoy about your job?
Every day is a little bit different, I get to work on cutting-edge technology with fantastic people, and my work has a real world impact.
What advice would you give to someone considering a similar career to you?
It's very hard to work out what's going to be the perfect job for you. What I've found a lot easier is working out what I really dislike doing or find really challenging, and ruling jobs out based on that. That way, almost anything left might as well be your perfect job.
Joel Bond, SAP Junior Developer, Boots
What is your current role and what does it involve?
Boots is undergoing a major digital transformation program focused on enhancing SAP as the company's digital backbone.
This strategic initiative aims to simplify complex business processes, increase operational speed, and improve transparency, enabling Boots to enhance performance and support continued growth.
As a member of the SAP technical team, I play a key role in delivering and supporting this significant transformation.
How do you use the skills and knowledge gained during your degree as part of your job?
Working as a SAP junior developer draws directly on skills from my natural sciences degree, such as analytical thinking and structured problem-solving, which are essential for tackling technical challenges in SAP.
My scientific background provides the technical aptitude and precision needed to quickly grasp SAP’s architecture and coding practices. Additionally, my experience in data analysis enables me to effectively handle unfamiliar datasets, while adaptability and clear communication strengthen my collaboration within Boots’ digital transformation program.
How did you become an SAP junior developer?
I had the opportunity to work with a start-up company part-time alongside my degree, which helped me make sure that software integration and development was the field that I wanted to pursue as a career.
The UoN's Digital Centre of Excellence help me understand the key role that SAP plays in the majority of large businesses globally.
What do you enjoy about your job?
I have always enjoyed being challenged to solve problems, and my role at Boots allows me to do that every day. I enjoy working in a bigger team and benefit from having colleagues around me in the office rather than everybody working remotely. I like the satisfaction of knowing that what I am doing is making a difference.