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Machine learning engineers take models out of notebooks and into production systems. The role sits between data science and software engineering: building training and serving pipelines, watching for drift once a model is live, and handling the failure modes that only appear at scale.
Bachelor's degreeInformation technology, data and cybersecurity
Machine operators set up, load, run, and monitor production machinery that cuts, forms, fills, or finishes material. Much of the skill is in noticing when a machine drifts off settings and correcting it before a batch goes wrong. Operators usually run a defined set of machines and hand anything beyond routine adjustment to maintenance.
Short course or on-the-job trainingManufacturing, production and quality
CNC machinists produce precision metal and plastic parts on computer-controlled lathes, mills, and grinders. They read engineering drawings, set the machine and tooling, prove out the program, and inspect the result against tight tolerances. Much of the craft is in workholding, tool selection, and knowing how a material behaves as it is cut.
ApprenticeshipManufacturing, production and quality
CNC programmers turn a part drawing or CAD model into the toolpaths and machine code that will cut it. They choose cutting strategies, tooling, and speeds and feeds, then simulate the program to catch collisions before it reaches the shop floor. The role sits between design and production and usually involves close work with machinists.
Certificate or college diplomaManufacturing, production and quality
Tool and die makers build and repair the cutting tools, dies, moulds, jigs, and fixtures that other machines use to make parts. The tolerances are finer than most production work and the parts are usually one-offs, so a great deal of the job is fitting, hand-finishing, and problem-solving. They also diagnose why a tool is producing bad parts and put it right.
ApprenticeshipManufacturing, production and quality
Manufacturing technicians keep production equipment and processes running to specification, sitting between operators and engineering. They set up equipment, run trials, chase down faults, and implement small changes that improve yield or reliability. The work is diagnostic: much of it is figuring out why a process that worked yesterday is drifting today.
Certificate or college diplomaManufacturing, production and quality
Quality control inspectors check materials, in-process work, and finished product against a written specification and decide whether it passes. They use measuring instruments, gauges, and visual standards, and record what they found so a defect can be traced back to a batch or machine. The job depends on consistency: applying the same standard on hour eight as on hour one.
Short course or on-the-job trainingManufacturing, production and quality
Calibration technicians check and adjust measuring instruments and test equipment so that the numbers a plant relies on can be trusted. They work to documented procedures traceable to national measurement standards and record the as-found and as-left condition of every instrument. When equipment is found out of tolerance they help assess what work may have been affected.
Certificate or college diplomaManufacturing, production and quality
Process technicians run and monitor continuous or batch production processes, often from a control panel or system as well as at the equipment itself. They watch temperatures, pressures, flows, and yields, make controlled adjustments, and respond when a process alarms. The role carries real safety weight because process upsets can escalate quickly.
Certificate or college diplomaManufacturing, production and quality
Materials handlers move raw materials, components, and finished goods between stores, production lines, and despatch. They pick to work orders, feed lines so they do not run dry, and keep stock records matching what is physically there. Powered equipment such as forklifts and pallet trucks is usually part of the job, with its own training requirements.
Short course or on-the-job trainingManufacturing, production and quality
Production planners decide what gets made, on which line, in what order, and with which materials. They balance customer demand against capacity, material availability, and changeover cost, then re-plan whenever a machine goes down or a delivery slips. The work is analytical but highly interruptible, since the plan rarely survives contact with the shop floor unchanged.
Certificate or college diplomaManufacturing, production and quality
Woodworking machine operators run saws, planers, moulders, sanders, and CNC routers to cut and shape timber and board into components. They set the machine, check sizes against the cutting list, and keep an eye on material defects and grain. Guarding, dust extraction, and safe feeding technique are central because the machinery is unforgiving.
Short course or on-the-job trainingManufacturing, production and quality
Biochemists study the chemical processes inside living things: how proteins fold, how enzymes behave, how a drug candidate interacts with a target. The work is heavily instrument-based and iterative: most experiments fail or return ambiguous results before a clean one lands. Roles sit in universities, hospitals, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical research.
Postgraduate or professional degreeNatural sciences and research
Chemists investigate what substances are made of and how they behave, whether that means developing a new formulation or confirming that a batch matches specification. Analytical roles lean towards testing and method validation; research roles lean towards synthesis and problem-solving. Both involve strict handling procedures for hazardous materials.
Physicists investigate matter, energy, and the rules that govern them, either through experiment or through mathematical and computational modelling. Applied roles put that reasoning to work in areas such as medical imaging, instrumentation, optics, or energy systems. Much of the day is spent on mathematics, code, and instrument work rather than at a whiteboard.
Postgraduate or professional degreeNatural sciences and research
Astronomers study objects and processes beyond Earth using telescope observations, archival survey data, and simulations. In practice the work is dominated by writing code, handling very large datasets, and applying for observing time or funding. Instrument and software development is a substantial part of many posts.
Postgraduate or professional degreeNatural sciences and research
Geophysicists use physical measurements (seismic, magnetic, gravity, electrical) to work out what lies beneath the surface without digging it up. The work is strongly quantitative: acquiring survey data, processing it through signal-processing chains, and interpreting the result alongside geological evidence. Applications range from resource exploration and engineering site investigation to earthquake and hazard monitoring.
Hydrologists study how water moves through and is stored in the environment: rivers, aquifers, catchments, and the systems built around them. The work supports flood risk assessment, water supply planning, contamination investigation, and environmental permitting. It combines field measurement with modelling and a good deal of regulatory reporting.
Oceanographers study the physics, chemistry, geology, and biology of the sea and how those systems interact. Fieldwork can mean extended time at sea deploying and recovering instruments in demanding conditions, followed by long stretches of data processing ashore. Specialisms differ sharply, so a physical oceanographer and a biological one share methods more than subject matter.
Postgraduate or professional degreeNatural sciences and research
Toxicologists study how chemicals, drugs, and other substances affect living systems, and at what exposure levels effects appear. The work supports safety assessment for medicines, chemicals, and consumer products, as well as forensic and clinical investigation. Regulatory toxicology in particular involves close work with defined testing frameworks and dossier requirements.
Postgraduate or professional degreeNatural sciences and research
Epidemiologists study patterns of disease and health in populations and what explains them. The work is largely quantitative (study design, surveillance data, and statistical analysis), and it feeds directly into public health decisions. Outbreak roles can be intense and time-pressured; surveillance and research roles are steadier.
Postgraduate or professional degreeNatural sciences and research
Statisticians design studies and analyses so that the conclusions drawn from data are actually supported by it. Applied roles sit across medicine, government, agriculture, and industry, and much of the value is in the planning stage rather than the final analysis. A recurring part of the job is explaining uncertainty to people who would prefer a single number.
Pharmacologists study how drugs act on the body and how the body handles them, from receptor-level mechanisms through to dosing in patients. The work supports drug discovery, safety assessment, and clinical use, and it is closely bound to regulatory and ethical frameworks. Roles sit in universities, pharmaceutical research, and health services.
Postgraduate or professional degreeNatural sciences and research
Builds, repairs, and removes battlefield infrastructure (bridges, roads, defensive positions, and obstacles), and handles demolitions and explosive hazards. Combat engineers also support domestic tasks such as flood barriers, route clearance, and disaster recovery. The trade combines construction skills with soldiering.
Varies by employer or jurisdictionPublic safety, defence and emergency response