What’s On for Researchers
Whatever stage you're at in your career planning, the Careers Service is here to help. We offer bespoke support for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers — whether you're just starting to think about your next steps, have a few ideas, or already know where you're headed.
Learn about the full range of events we offer on our What’s On overview or view the full event programme on Handshake where you can register to attend.
Our programme consists of our Career Essentials for Researchers workshops, delivered by the Careers Consultant team covering key topics from getting started with navigating your career, recognising your skills and networking through to sessions to support you in developing your academic career, making effective applications for postdoctoral or faculty roles and translating your skills and expertise for roles beyond academic research.
Alongside Career Essentials for Researchers, we host tailored panel sessions, networking events and employer skills sessions on a range of topics throughout the year.
In addition to our bespoke programme, all researchers can also tap into all Careers Service events to connect with employers, network with alumni, attend employer skills sessions and discover experiential learning opportunities to help you explore possibilities both within and beyond academia.
30 September 2026, 13.00-14.15: Considering Your Career – Academia and Beyond for Postdocs, Career Essentials for Researchers, MS Teams
As a postdoc, you may simultaneously be pursuing a rigorous academic research career while also wondering what options lie beyond academia. In this interactive live workshop, we will help you explore your identity as a researcher, invite you to play with the idea of other ‘possible selves’, generate new ideas and discover strategies for moving your career forward.
5 October 2026, 13.00-14.15: Navigating Your Career for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences PhDs, Career Essentials for Researchers, MS Teams
8 October 2026, 12.30-13.45: Navigating Your Career for Bioscience and Clinical Medicine PhDs, Career Essentials for Researchers, MS Teams
12 October 2026, 13.00-14.30: Navigating Your Career for Physical Sciences PhDs, Career Essentials for Researchers, MS Teams
New to thinking about what your career could look like after your PhD? These sessions are designed to help you take your first steps in navigating your career options. Explore different approaches to navigating your career and making career decisions, discover the range of post-PhD pathways within and beyond academia relevant to your discipline, and learn about practical steps you can take to move your career thinking forward.
12 October 2026, 12.00-13.00: Networking Your Way to Career Clarity, Career Essentials for Researchers, MS Teams
Do you feel unsure about where to go next in your career? Do you often wonder what it would be like to leave academia? Or how Lecturers really balance all their responsibilities? Do you find yourself writing applications for jobs, but feel like the target institution or sector is just mysterious? In this session, we’ll build your networking confidence so you can take proactive steps to connect with people who can answer these, and any other questions you may have to support your career thinking.
Coming up next term:
Navigating Your Career for PhDs
Considering Your Career, Academia and Beyond for Postdocs
Recognising Your Skills as a Researcher
3 November 2026, 12.00-13.30: Developing Your Academic Career, Career Essentials for Researchers, MS Teams
Developing Your Academic Career is designed for PhD students and postdocs looking to better understand the academic career path, and steps to support your academic career development.
Whether you're just starting out or preparing for a lectureship, this session will help you think strategically about your development and take confident steps forward.
Coming up next term:
Developing Your Academic Career
Finding and Applying for Postdoctoral Opportunities
Many of our events to help you explore sectors, roles and the job market are open to all students, this represents a selection of events including those that are specifically for PhDs and postdocs.
10 October – 26 November: Careers Fairs – In Person, venues across Cambridge
Careers Fairs are an opportunity to meet recruiting employers across a range of sectors including Finance & Consultancy, Engineering & Tech, Life Sciences, Law, Economics and more. We host multiple, in person careers fairs throughout Michaelmas term, along with a Green careers fair in Lent term.
6 October, 12.30-13.30: Intro to Careers in Charities and Development, MS Teams
This session will introduce you to good ways to research the charity and development sector, how to assess skills and entry routes, and resources to help you in your exploration.
8 October, 12.30-13.30: Intro to Careers in Policy, Government and the Public Sector, MS Teams
This session will introduce you to good ways to research careers in government and policy, how to assess skills and entry routes, and resources to help you in your exploration.
19 October, 13.00-14.30: From Laboratory to Patient with AstraZeneca, MS Teams
Discover how Regulatory Affairs and Regulatory Project Management play a critical role in bringing innovative medicines to patients.
22 October, 17.30-19.00: Green Careers Networking Event, Student Services Centre
Gain insights into a range of green careers in different industries.
28 October, 12.30-13.30: The Life Sciences Sector, Context and Outlook with The ABPI, MS Teams
Interested in a career within the Life Sciences Sector? Join The Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) for this insightful talk about the Life Sciences Industry. This will include an overview of the sector as a whole and a discussion about the policy landscape and economic drivers impacting the current and future labour market.
2 November, 13.00-14.30: Careers in the Life Sciences – a Recruitment Company’s perspective, MS Teams
James Inwood is a recruitment consultant with over 15 years’ experience specialising in the life sciences industry. In this session James provides a practical and honest overview of how to start and build a career in the industry.
2 November, 16.45-18.00: Careers in the Creative Industries, MS Teams
Learn more about where to start with exploring careers in the creative industries.
9 November, 16.45-18.00: Freelancing in the Creative & Cultural Industries, MS Teams
Whether you are planning to move into freelancing from the start of your career or are just keen to know more about how it features in industries like TV & Film, Arts & Heritage or Publishing, this workshop will provide a short introduction, starting points and resources to help you make an informed choice.
16 November, 16.45-18.00: Intro to Careers in Arts, Culture & Heritage, MS Teams
This session is designed to help you explore the many possibilities for working in this broad and dynamic sector. We will cover areas such as performing arts, heritage, arts admin, contemporary art and auction houses, museums, archives, libraries, funding bodies and more.
23 November, 12.30-13.45: Green Sector Briefing, Student Services Centre
Hear from Jack Brewin , Recruitment Consultant at Hays Recruiters and Darren Johnson Careers Consultant on in demand and emerging job roles and skills in demand in the UK and further afield.
Coming up next term:
Policy, Charity and International Development Festival
6 October, 17.00-18.00: Consulting CV Clinic, MS Teams
In this session we work through 1-2 consulting CVs live, to actively illustrate the quality and structure of a CV suitable for submission.
14 October, 13.00-15.00, Consulting Case Skills, Student Services Centre
In this session we will explore the Case Coach platform to help you prepare for your consultancy case interviews. The session will walk you through the Case Coach platform and allow you to work individually and as a team to complete case drills.
10 November 2026, 13.00-14.30: Applications for Faculty Positions, Career Essentials for Researchers, MS Teams
Are you preparing to make the transition from Postdoc to a faculty or independent research role? Securing an academic position requires crafting a compelling, cohesive application package that effectively communicates your achievements and future potential.
17 November 2026, 13.00-14.00: Narrative CVs, Career Essentials for Researchers, MS Teams
In this session, you'll unpack why narrative CVs were introduced and what assessors are really looking for, then get hands-on: identifying your own evidence across each module, exploring suggested structures and reviewing real example statements to see what works. You'll leave with a draft piece of your own NCV evidence and a clear next step for developing it further.
1 December 2026, 13.00-14.30: Interviews for Faculty Positions, Career Essentials for Researchers, MS Teams
This workshop is for postdocs who are preparing to interview for academic faculty positions, providing you with guidance on how to anticipate questions and how to approach structuring your answers.
Coming up next term:
Applications for Non-Research Roles
Junior Research Fellowship Applications
Finding and Applying for Postdoctoral Opportunities