Entering Industry: Information for Post Doc Researchers

The move from academia to industry as a post doc, even after many years, is relatively straightforward.

What are the potential advantages of a career move into industry?

Apart from the financial and benefits packages, a career in industry also offers work that is focused and strategic. Pharmaceutical industry science has a practical application and a clear aim: developing the medicines of tomorrow for the benefit of patients.

Industry provides the opportunity to work on a variety of projects, gaining skills and expertise in diverse areas, alongside a wide range of people from other disciplines. Career success depends solely on performance and if you choose to pursue a more management focussed career path, the industry will provide an environment where people management skills can be developed.

Are there opportunities to experience industry before I make a career decision?

If you are interested in gaining some experience within the industry before making the leap, look out for awards and fellowship funding opportunities that allow for a period of placement in industry. For example, the MRC have a Career Development Award in Biostatistics that includes an optional two years in UK industry.

Which of the skills gained during my time as a researcher are employers interested in?

The following information has been taken from the study Employers’ views of researchers’ skills (the full text can be accessed from the external link on the right hand side of this page):

1. There was a general assumption that completion of a PhD indicated possession of initiative, intellectual ability and the capacity to work autonomously.

2. When PhD candidates held industrial experience, they were considered to be highly commercially aware and showed great capacity to learn.

3. Employers who listed skill possessed by PhD candidates were positive and talked about high calibre employees. Maturity and enthusiasm were mentioned frequently, as was technical proficiency, specialist knowledge and problem solving skills.