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Internships are rapidly becoming a “must have” item for scientists who are interested in landing jobs at pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical devices companies. Further, these days, internships are considered by to be a legitimate substitute for the “previous industrial experience” requirements that most entry level scientists must have to be hired.

Most companies offer internships because it allows them to evaluate a person’s ability and possible employability without having to pay a high salary or provide them with benefits. In essence, a company is test driving a potential new hire before it decides to buy. To that end, if an intern doesn’t pass muster or fit in with the prevailing corporate environment, then the company is not obliged to do anything except to thank him/her for a job well done and move on to the next intern! 

Unfortunately, while many life sciences companies think internship experience is a great idea, there is no dedicated repository or database for life sciences internship opportunities. Further, many companies that have formal internship programs don’t highly promote or advertise them (this makes no sense to me but then again I am not running a life sciences company).

To address the growing popularity of internships, a couple of websites, Internships.com and the Internqueen.com have appeared in recent years. These sites list and promote internship opportunities and help to match internship seekers with the right company. Also, both sites offer tips and insights for those seeking internship opportunities. Although neither of website is dedicated to internship possibilities for life scientists, Internships.com is actively trying to build its capability and reach for the life sciences industry.

For more detailed information about internships an article by Phyllis Korkki, author of the NY Times “The Search” column entitled The Internship as Inside Track” is worth a quick read.

Finally, please check out Internships.com and let me know what you think. Also, tell them that BioJobBlog sent you!

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!

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A common lament from that I frequently hear from graduate students and postdoctoral scientists  at career development meetings is the need for "prior industry experience" to qualify and be considered for an industrial science job. Invariably, someone asks: “How in the world am I supposed to get industrial experience if nobody is willing to hire me as an industrial scientist?” Prior to the financial meltdown, I frequently advised PhD-trained scientists seeking industrial jobs to consider positions in smaller, local biotechnology companies.

While the pay, visibility and status is likely to be less than that of employees at major pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies, spending a year or more at a smaller company still qualifies as industrial experience. This, in turn, opens the door for new opportunities at larger, more established life sciences companies; which tend to offer more career options for industrial scientists. However, over the past three years or so, over 200,000 pharmaceutical employees have lost their jobs and many biotechnology companies are on the verge of bankruptcy. Consequently, entry level positions at smaller local biotechnology companies are gradually disappearing as job possibilities for newly-minted graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Interestingly, the financial crisis and high unemployment rates have elevated the once lowly corporate internship to “must have status” for job seekers who are interested in landing entry level positions at many life sciences companies.  While corporate life sciences internships are in high demand, they are typically not well publicized and frequently limited to students enrolled in certificate and degree programs. Put simply, corporate life sciences internships for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, which are in high demand, are extremely difficult to find!

For the past several years, I wanted to create a website devoted to internship opportunities for life sciences graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. To that end, I approached several life sciences search engine companies and a couple of placement firms but was unable to convince them of the value and need for such as site. About a week ago, I came across a website called Internships.com that is exclusively devoted to “all things internship.” While the site is still in beta and the number of life sciences internship opportunities is limited, I think that it has enormous potential for graduate students and postdoctoral scientists who may be seeking industrial internship opportunities.

In the spirit of transparency and full disclosure, I have no relationship, financial or otherwise, with Internships.com. I just think it is a great idea and hope that the folks behind Internships.com are successful!

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Internship Hunting!!!!!!!!

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Often times, people ask me why I decided to get a PhD degree. They mostly ask because they find it difficult to fathom why a person would choose to go to school for such a long time to obtain a degree that doesn't guarantee a job upon completion.  I have long contended that passion, not employment, is the main driver in the decision to get a PhD--but I digress.

Back in ancient times when I started graduate school, the average time it took to attain a PhD degree in my department (Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison) was about 5.5 years (this included a mandatory Masters degree). At the time, many faculty members thought that the average time to a PhD degree was too long. Consequently, they instituted an ambitious plan and mandate to reduce the time to a PhD from 5.5 to 4.0 years.  Interestingly, only one person in our class of 25 was able the complete a PhD degree in 4.0 years (he got very lucky). The time it took for the rest of us (who remained in the PhD degree program) ranged from 5.0 to 10 years. 

With this in mind, the New York Times published an article in its Education Life supplement last weekend that compared the average length of time it takes to attain a PhD in various disciplines; ranging from the life sciences to the humanities.

While it should come as no surprise that it takes longer to obtain a PhD degree in humanities as compared with other disciplines, the average length of time that it takes to get a PhD in the life sciences has ballooned to almost 7 years! 

I am certain that this increase reflects the lack of urgency to finish a PhD in the life sciences because of the growing shortages of jobs in the sector. However, I believe that keeping students in graduate school for inordinately long periods of time doesn’t do them much good with regard to long term career outcomes. This is because —as most card- carrying PhDs will tell you—the real education doesn’t truly begin until your first postdoctoral fellowship or full time job.

While graduate school may seem extremely difficult and overwhelming at times, it truly doesn’t compare with the pressures, demands and anxieties pervasive in the working world. To that end, shortening the time PhD students spend in graduate school may afford them the opportunity to begin to experience the “real world” prior to the age of 35 to 40; the current age range of most life sciences PhDs looking for the “their first real jobs.”

Alternatively, if the time it takes to obtain a life sciences PhD degree can not be shortened, then it would behoove graduate programs to begin to integrate specialized instructional programs, e.g. alternate careers, career counseling, resume writing and interviewing workshops, etc, into their  curricula to more adequately prepare students for the working world.

Until next time…

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!!!

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As many of you already know, I talk to a lot of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who are disillusioned with the prospect of remaining in the laboratory for the rest of their lives. Frequently, students mention regulatory affairs as an alternate career option and ask me what type of training and skills are required to transit into a regulatory career. Unfortunately, regulatory affairs is an industry specific career and regulatory affairs training programs with the possible exceptions of the courses offered by the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) and the Drug Information Association (DIA) (which can be costly) are not readily accessible to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Consequently, I recommend that PhD-trained scientists who are interested in regulatory affairs check out employment opportunities at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is because there is no better place than FDA to learn the “ins and outs” of regulatory affairs!

Until recently, jobs, fellowships and training programs at the agency were scarce. However, while reading an industry trade magazine I came across an ad (posted below) announcing fellowship opportunities for PhD level life scientists, healthcare professionals, pharmacists and even engineers(although they only need a bachelors degree to be eligible.

This is an opportunity for those interested in a regulatory affairs career to give it a shot! For more info visiting the agency’s website

Until next time...

Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!!!

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By now, I think that most BioJobBlog readers understand that the job market for life scientists is lousy and that it isn’t likely to improve anytime soon. I know that many of you have spent close to 10 years training for a shot at an R&D job but the reality is that everybody needs to work to put food on the table—whether or not you find a job in your chosen profession. To that end, now may be a good time for those of you who are finding it difficult to land a job to consider one more year of training to get a certificate in a field that keeps you in science but not in R&D.

I came across interesting post today at the Resume Bear blog that discussed 10 certificate programs that can help people transition to new careers to find jobs. Interestingly, four of the programs are good fits for life scientists who are willing modify their careers to be gainfully employed. They are:

Clinical Trials Design and Management

“Pharmaceutical drug and medical device development is one of the premier industries of the 21st century, and the success of this vital industry depends upon the complex process of studying new products to verify their effectiveness and safety.”

Regulatory Affairs

“Professionals are needed to guide drug development and medical device companies through FDA imposed regulation issues pertinent to the pharmaceutical and biological industry.”

Project Management

“As project cycles get shorter – and budgets get leaner – project managers are vital to the success of organizations today.”

Copyediting

“Bridging the gap between writers and publishers – especially technical and nonfiction copyediting – is one of today’s most marketable skills for both full-time and freelance work.”

Another one that was not on the list biotechnology certificate programs in which students learn about product development, regulatory affairs and best business practices in the life sciences industry.

Not surprisingly, many certificate programs are offered at local community colleges and frequently online. For regulatory affairs training you might try the Drug Information Association and Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society. The Project Management Institute offers training in project management and the Editorial Freelancers Association offers its members courses in copyediting. Mercer County College in West Windsor NJ in association with a local clinical research organization developed a “hands-on” certificate program in clinical trials design and management. 

In my opinion, certificate programs are worth checking out. They are designed for working professionals (courses are typically given in the evenings and weekends); usually only take 12 months to complete (what is one more year in the scheme of things) and improves the likelihood of finding a job because you now have a marketable skill set! It certainly beats collecting unemployment or sleeping in your old bed at your parent’s home—or not?

Hat tip to Resume Bear

Until next time...

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