5 must-have skills for life science professionals to work remotely in Nigeria

Remote work has become a popular option for employees across many different industries. Working remotely rather than in an on-site office provides employees with a range of benefits.

The Life Science Industry is also part of this transition and this offers life science professionals including students in Nigeria the opportunity to offer their services working from home. Read the Life Science Nigeria blog post on how to land remote life science jobs in Nigeria.

The Life Science Industry has a lot of remote jobs for life science professionals and students in Nigeria which include, Clinical Researcher, Genetic coordinator, Statistical Genetic Analyst, Oncology Pathology Assistant, Quality Engineer, Scientist Consultant, Product Specialist, etc.

You can also check other remote job options in the life science industry in the BioSpace blog.

In this blog post, we will discuss 5 important skills you need as a life science student or professional in Nigeria to work remotely.

1. STRONG SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE.

Strong scientific knowledge is the first skill to have if you want to work remotely in the life science industry. Depending on your discipline whether pharmacy, pharmacology, microbiology, genetics, biochemistry, environment biology, etc, you must have a strong scientific knowledge about your discipline.

As a student, saying Nigeria does not have facilities to support scientific knowledge and research is not an excuse. The truth is you can not learn everything at the university. There are opportunities to leverage if you do your research. As a life science student, your industrial training period is not a time to have fun or make money, apply to life science companies like pharmaceutical companies, medical and research laboratories, brewing companies, water companies, etc even if it entails working for free, you will gain experience that is worth more than money.

Also, leverage life sciences online courses and webinars and lastly do your best during youth service (NYSC) to serve in a life science establishment so you can develop relevant skills.

2. TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS.

Remote work strongly relies on technology and digital tools. As a life science student or professional learn how to use scientific software, laboratory information management systems (LIMS), electronic lab notebooks (ELNs), R or Python for data analysis, and other tools specific to your discipline.

Also, develop proficiency in using collaboration tools like project management platforms, video conferencing software, and document-sharing platforms.

3. RESEARCH AND ANALYTICAL SKILLS.

Remote life science work often involves conducting research, analyzing scientific data, and interpreting research findings.

Life scientists must have strong analytical skills. They need to be able to understand complex data sets and make sound conclusions based on that data. They also need to be excellent communicators, both in writing and in person. This is because they will often be working with other scientists, as well as non-scientists who may not be familiar with the jargon of the life sciences. Research skills also play a critical role in a life scientist’s job. They need to be able to design and carry out experiments, as well as analyze the results of those experiments.

4. ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

Attention to detail is crucial in remote life science work to ensure accuracy in data analysis, record-keeping, and scientific documentation. Maintain meticulousness in following protocols, maintaining data integrity, and verifying the quality of your work.

5. MARKETING.

Who would have thought marketing is an in-demand skill even for life science professionals?

As a life science professional or student, learning marketing skills is an additional advantage because as the world continues to face numerous health challenges, the importance of the Life Science industry has only increased. The industry has been instrumental in developing ground-breaking treatments and cures for various diseases, and it continues to push boundaries in terms of innovation and discovery.

The increase in life science companies only leads to an increase in life science products and services that needs to be marketed. These companies need employees who are familiar with marketing concepts and can help create and implement an effective marketing strategy.

In conclusion, the major issue the Nigerian Life Science industry has apart from the lack of facilities, is a rigid mindset about the life science industry. If you believe that there are no opportunities in the life science industry and accept to work in the bank or somewhere else, it will be your reality but if you diligently look for life science opportunities, you will see tons of life science opportunities, especially remote jobs.

Remote work has become an integral part of the life sciences field in Nigeria. Embrace these important skills, adapt to the changing work landscape, and leverage the benefits of remote work to continue making meaningful contributions to the life sciences industry in Nigeria, even from the comfort of your own home.