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Topic starter
July 1, 2021 7:22 pm
Hi,
I could use some advice! I have a PhD (published very well) from a small school and 5 years postdoc experience from fancy-pants university (no papers in the near future, lab has great reputation but is notoriously slow for publishing). I've recently relocated to a midwest city for family reasons, unfortunately I don't have any flexibility on this right now and need to stay put in this city for 2 years. There's a limited amount of biotech, very few startups in my field. Couple big pharma companies with some amount overlap with my training but not great fits. I've been on the lookout and aggressively networking since about April, but during that time nothing has opened for a scientist position that matches my profile. I've applied to things that somewhat fit but have gotten no interviews yet. I've talked to a few CSO/CEOs of some of the startups here that are distantly related to my field of expertise and they agree that right now there's really not that much here that would be a great fit, maybe in a few years as the biotech scene in this city grows. I'm starting to approach the point where prolonging this search will put a huge strain on my finances.
I have been offered a position as a senior research associate in a large startup (job posting listed PhD as desirable qualification but it's still a tech level job). Prospective boss says there's room for growth and creative science but I'm worried that by taking this job, even as a temporary fix, it will sabotage my career for years to come, as it is my first step out of academia. I fear that when a better fitting job arises (at this same or a different company), my CV will be looked down upon because I was hired as an SRA. I'm ok with being a pair of hands for a year or 2 but I'm sure that at the very least that would raise some questions for future hiring managers .
Alternatively I could look for another postdoc/senior scientist job in academia to weather the next 2 years, and in the meantime be in the lookout for scientist level positions in biotech. None of these options are great, but I'm trying to pick the lesser of two evils.
Option 3 would be to go back to hub city that's the hub for my type of research, but this would come a great personal/family cost.
July 2, 2021 7:18 am
Go with the SRA role.
Hear me out. You have an offer as I read right? You mentioned start-up. Rather than think about the job title, think of the opportunity. You'll get into an industry job. You'll learned the "hand's on". And in those 2 years, you'll grow a bit in subject expertise.
Now, some risks you take. 2 years later you may not have advanced, that's downside risk. But you still walk away with industry experience. As a start-up as you get inserted, if you have the right personality, you can try to "create" your job as you move forward, that's an upside in a start-up/small company. So who knows where, maybe that an upside risk, is you advanced. No matter what a few years down the road you'll come out with a different set of experiences. Who knows you may come out with a superior set of experiences, hell there is even the risk you love the company and you have grown to warrent a desire not to move on. Maybe you thrive! that's a risk you take.
Later on, you can position it. Link it to the area you live, i.e. difficult biotech/pharma landscape, opportunity to do something (.i.e. SRA role) vs the big fat nothing, and that you had hands-on experience that you're ready to port onwards and upwards.
So, 1/2 the battle done if you take the role, you have a good career story.
Option 2: Well yeah you'll survive, but not thrive. Same old academic job you've done before, next to zero advancement in skills, experiences that potential of any value. You got that T-shirt. Unless you're truly inspired by research in an academic environment and LOVE IT, the ok. But if you don't, you'll get a big zero, zip, zilch, if any thing hiring risk for learning nothing that will advance you other than to be in a park-spot. If that's what you want then ok.
Option 3: well you've put the balancer to that option, family costs. There will be burden and pursuit of any opportunity that is a burden to family is not worth it, the military-industrial-academic-scientific-politico-complex will try to tell you differently, but don't believe them. Family first. If you had said it was not a burden and your family would be energized by a relocation then hey...different story. The opposite side of energy would be say, you get a amazing ExPat package to Singapore and you said your family is looking forward to exploring Asia (just an example, of the opposite senario). So my option 3, my recommendation to you, is no option, delete it.
Good luck where you land, I don't think anybody will look down with that title and your situation - if anything - it can point to something that as I have learned is the greatest predictor of success..Grit. There is a TED talk on this. That's a good positioner as well to your career story.
DX
July 2, 2021 1:53 pm
DX is absolutely right. The hardest job to get in industry is the first one. Once that ticket is punched, it gets easier. Take the SRA job. Doing another post-doc won't get you anywhere.
Dick
July 5, 2021 8:01 am
Is this the TED talk you refer to?
yes, and yet another by same speaker one can fine on youtube as well.
July 22, 2021 2:03 pm
As the two experts above stated, getting that first job in industry is going to move you directly into a career that could go in many different directions. Whatever you do, avoid another postdoc.
Dave
Dave Jensen, Founder and Moderator
Bio Careers Forum