Concentrating in engineering or scientific disciplines at Harvard can lead to a diversity of career opportunities. You may choose to pursue graduate study to become more specialized in your chosen field, or to focus on teaching or research. Opportunities can be found in government laboratories and research centers, as well as agencies and political institutions. From an industry perspective, both scientific and non-scientific organizations value the quantitative, analytical, and logical reasoning skills developed as an undergraduate in the College.

Finding Internships

Plan on completing both a research and internship experience during your undergraduate education. Along with your coursework, the best way to explore a career in science or engineering is by finding laboratory work in your field with a potential mentor during the school terms or over the summer. In addition, internships (ideally in your junior summer) provide real-world industry experience, which is directly applicable to future career paths. Consider organizations as varied as engineering firms, government agencies, biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, the energy industry, technology companies, or scientific consulting firms.

Finding Jobs

The junior internship is an ideal stepping stone to a full-time job in engineering or physical science. Employers also like to see hands-on or competition experiences (e.g. completing a design project, or participating in a robotics club). Plan to attend events in the fall, and look for a majority of job postings and interview opportunities in late fall and the spring of senior year.

Graduate and Professional Programs

Deciding whether to pursue a research-based Ph.D. program versus a professional master’s degree hinges on your ultimate goals. In addition to speaking with an adviser at our office, discuss this decision with trusted members of the faculty who have advised or taught you in a related discipline. Faculty are often in the best position to describe the academic and research components of graduate education and may even connect you to their colleagues in departments and schools across the country for further information.

Jumpstart Your Summer Journey: Tips, Timelines, and More!  

Planning ahead for your summer can be exciting and filled with endless possibilities! From research, internships, studying abroad, or getting involved in public service, there’s something for everyone — and MCS is here to help you every step of the way! 

By Summer Funding
Summer Funding
Read more

Mentorship and Diversity Fellowships For Students Interested in MedTech and Biotech

If you are a student interested in biotech and medical technology, take note!  The International Center for Professional Development SMDP fellowship applications are open! The SMDP is a one year career mentoring program that pairs ethnically diverse students (Bachelors, Masters …

By Meaghan Shea
Meaghan Shea Assistant Director, Technology, Data Analytics, Life & Physical Sciences & Entrepreneurship
Read more

How to Land an Internship at NVIDIA: Inside Tips From a Top Recruiter

“Linh Nguyen and her colleagues in the university recruiting team at NVIDIA sort through a plethora of applications each year from top students around the world — all hoping to land an internship and potentially earn a full-time role with the …

By Guest or External Blog
Guest or External Blog
Read more

Sidebar

Featured Resources

Below is a sample of the organizations that have structured leadership development programs. These entry-level programs often allow employees to …

Firsthand Vault Guides

Job Market InsightsIn partnership withLightcast logo

Find a career that aligns with your career interests, see current salary projects, and identify skills you need to apply for that next job or internship.

There are two ways to use this tool below:

  1. By Keyword: Search for the name of the occupation you’re interested in.
  2. By Occupation: Not sure what job you’d like? See available occupations within this career pathway/industry.

First, choose an industry of interest, then filter for occupation. (If you'd like to see data for a specific location only, filter by state.)

Type in a keyword to select a relevant occupation. (If you'd like to see data for a specific location only, filter by state.)

GRADUATE SPOTLIGHTS

Hamza Boutaleb Joutei ALM, Management ’24

  • Technical Director CEFIS Groupe
Meet Ido >
  • Herchel Smith Fellowship, Environmental Engineering Cambridge University
Meet Bella >
Meet Emily >
  • Fulbright Research Fellowship in Neurscience/Biomedical Engineering, India; then Medical School
Meet Harini >
Meet Bryan >
Meet Evan >
  • Cincinnati, OH
  • Physical Sciences Trainee Environmental Protection Agency
Meet Ben >
Meet Clayton >
Meet Lawrence >
Meet German >
Meet Janis >
Meet Kyle >
Meet Andrew >
Meet David >
Meet Marisa Borreggine >
Meet Katharina Theresa Kroll >
Meet Kelly Wang Zhang >
Meet Malia Wenny >
Meet Nicholas Deporzio >

Contact & Location

Phone
617-495-2595
Address

Harvard University
54 Dunster Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

MCS Hours

Monday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

The Mignone Center for Career Success (MCS) is committed to ensuring access to a broad range of information and opportunities across all sectors. Our website contains external content that may be useful to our learners. The inclusion of external content does not necessarily constitute endorsement, recommendation, or agreement with the information.