The 14th edition of the Life Science Career Day took place on 4 May 2026 at the SwissTech Convention Center, gathering nearly 500 participants, more than 60 company representatives, and 50 alumni/guest speakers. The event focused on the diversity of careers in science, career orientation, and guidance for transitioning to a first job outside academia, with networking at its core, connecting participants with companies and alumni.
Inspiring Keynote and Career Reflections
The event opened with a keynote by Galyna Pidpruzhnykova (“What I Wish I Knew at the Start of My Career”). She shared her transition from PhD to consulting to innovation in mental health, highlighting common early-career challenges. She also addressed important mental health issues encountered throughout a career, such as burnout, imposter syndrome, and “outsourced identity” (linking self-worth to professional performance). She left students with a key takeaway: a career is something you do, not who you are, and taking your own values into account in your choices is essential for building a sustainable long-term career.
Alumni Insights and Networking Opportunities
The keynote was followed by a panel discussion that brought together five alumni working across fields such as sustainability, medical communication, counseling, and environmental conservation, alongside a career counselor and expert in professional values. The session offered concrete insights into how early career experiences help clarify professional directions.
This naturally led into the day’s flagship networking activities, including the highly anticipated session with 50 alumni, titled “Careers in Sciences | Networking and Orientation Session”, which provided participants with direct and informal exchanges on a wide range of career paths.
Strong Engagement from Companies
Companies also played a central role in the event, starting with fast-paced one-minute pitches that gave participants a snapshot of their activities and opportunities and, for some of them, 10-minute presentations followed by Q&A sessions. These were followed by interactive discussions and networking moments, allowing attendees to engage directly with recruiters, ask questions, and explore potential career paths across sectors (see the list of participating companies).
New Activities Supporting Career Exploration
This year’s edition also introduced two new activities:
- Interactive group sessions with Talendo, giving young researchers the opportunity to engage in exchanges in small groups with an experienced recruiter about hiring processes and market expectations.
- The collaborative Career DNA workshop, facilitated by career advisors and vocational psychologists, which helped participants deconstruct common myths surrounding the transition beyond academia.
The core spirit of the event was perfectly captured by one of the alumni in attendance: “Events like this fill a crucial gap by introducing students to unique career paths. It was wonderful to see how presenting non-traditional sectors, like public administration, sparks curiosity and helps students realize the massive scope of unexpected opportunities available to them.”
The key message of this edition echoed the main speaker’s advice: identify three concrete steps you can take this week toward your transition to a first job, ensure you are aware of your professional values and that they align with your career goals, and finally — network, network, network!
The organizing team warmly thanks all participating companies, institutions, speakers, alumni, partners, and attendees whose enthusiasm made this edition such a success.
We look forward to welcoming you again next year for the 15th edition of the Life Science Career Day, which will take place on 13 May 2027!
