We Fight For PhDs And PhD Careers

You feel like you’re in a dark hole [when you don’t have a job you love]. In industry, you really are appreciated, and you get paid well. Seeing what you can accomplish, having people tell you that they appreciate you, giving your feedback — it’s incredible.

I thought I had aged out of the opportunity to transition into industry. After joining the Association, these mindset challenges were no longer an issue. The program helped me create a professional industry resume and build my networking strategy. It feels great working for a company where my values align.

I am pleased to announce that I have started working as a Group Leader for Vaccine Production at Takeda Singen. This marks a significant transition from my many years of passionate and dedicated academic research.
The shift from academia to industry has not been without its challenges. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, particularly those who offered invaluable guidance despite not knowing me personally. Your willingness to listen, provide advice, and share your experiences—often across different time zones and from various organizations such as GSK, EliLilly, Novartis, CSL, Boeringeringhelheim, NovoNordisk, Biogen, Hays, Sanofi, BMS, SyneosHealth, JandJ, Pfizer and so on—has been instrumental in helping me reach this milestone.
As I conclude my tenure at Klinikum rechts der Isar at TU Munich, where I served as a Senior (postdoctoral) Scientist researching neurological and neuroimmunological diseases, I extend my heartfelt thanks to my colleagues, PIs, and the administration for their support and collaboration.
While I initially aimed for a role in medical affairs, the opportunity to lead the production of a tetravalent dengue vaccine at Takeda was too compelling to pass up. Leading a team of approximately 70 individuals in this effort aligns perfectly with my aspiration to make a meaningful impact on global public health. Dengue fever, prevalent in regions such as South Asia, South America, and Africa, poses a significant health risk to over half the world’s population. By contributing to the production of this vaccine, I am taking a significant step toward improving health outcomes for billions of people.
I look forward to this exciting new chapter at Takeda, the oldest pharmaceutical manufacturing company, which has entrusted me with this critical responsibility. Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement as I embark on this journey.

The Diamond Program prepared me for my salary negotiation, and I increased my salary by four times just by following the steps outlined in the program. Now, I feel extremely valued. It’s like everything I went through was totally worth it beyond my wildest dreams. I went from sleeping in my car at Safeway thinking, “Why is this happening to me?” to seeing those numbers and knowing that this is what that was all for.

 I dreamt of becoming a professor because I really loved the combination of research, teaching, and mentorship. It was amazing that, after leaving academia, I was able to find this. Not necessarily in my role as a scientist in industry, but through Cheeky Scientist. [Joining Cheeky Scientist] was one of the few things I never questioned – and I question everything.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Battery Engineer at Enpower Greentech Inc.!

 I was getting zero interviews. My darkest hour was when I decided to accept a low salary position. I had to sit down and figure out what I really needed to do with my life and what was wrong with my approach. After attending a few Cheeky Scientist webinars, I became a member. I started to do the steps, bit by bit. Take the baby steps – those are the ones that will make you successful.

The private group was the biggest plus that Cheeky Scientist offered. It was so supportive, so dynamic, and willing to help at a moment’s notice. You can get 24/7 feedback on any material that you want feedback on, you can contribute and help other people, so it’s such an amazing network.

Thankful to share with my LinkedIn network that I have started a new role as a Research Engineer at CanmetENERGY Ottawa | CanmetÉNERGIE Ottawa within Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), part of the Government of Canada. Becoming a federal public servant and contributing to meaningful projects in the Energy, Efficiency, and Technology Sector aligns perfectly with my values. Wish me and all new job landers luck!
PS: CanmetEnergy Ottawa’s strategic goals focus on advancing energy efficiency, supporting the transition to low carbon and renewable energy, developing and demonstrating clean technologies, and promoting sustainable resource development. These goals are aligned with enhancing energy security, fostering collaboration with stakeholders, and providing scientific support for government policies. By driving innovation in clean  technologies and energy practices, CanmetEnergy Ottawa aims to contribute to Canada’s environmental sustainability,  economic growth, and global leadership in the clean energy sector.

I’m very, very happy with my overall experience with the Cheeky Scientist Association. For me, joining the Association was the perfect timing when I was trying to get into industry. It was the perfect place at the perfect time to start learning how to effectively transition into the private sector.

Before Cheeky Scientist, I had never worked outside of academia. I didn’t even know how to begin my industry job search. CS has changed my life for the better – now, I’m a software engineer at Google. Pretty big difference. Cheeky Scientist made it possible, and they’ll do the same for you.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Patent Agent at AdamsIP, LLC!

Right after my PhD I knew I did not want to go into academia and the postdoc path. So I started applying for non-academic positions, but there were two problems. First, I did not know which job titles I might be eligible to apply to. The other part was that all my thought process, my resume, my LinkedIn, everything was academic. Before joining the Association I was lost, I was discouraged. After joining the Association, things started to be a lot different.

I had to change my mindset and understand that what was valued in industry wasn’t valued in academia inversely. In industry it’s about what you can do and the bottom line.

I am thrilled to share that I joined the team at The Alliance for Collective Action as their Regenerative Agriculture Program Manager!

I knew I didn’t want to do lab work forever, but I didn’t know how to target a different path in my job search. Cheeky Scientist helped me articulate the type of career and lifestyle I wanted. Now, I hold an industry position as director of science outreach at NeuroNexus.

I was very stuck in academia. My mental health was at its lowest point – I had a hopeless mindset. CSA gave me hope that there was more outside of academia. The Association provided a great road map to career success.

I am thrilled to announce that I have started on a new chapter in my career as Scientist I at Prime Medicine, Inc. with Sci.bio Recruiting. In this role, I will focus primarily on the downstream processing of guideRNA, contributing to the development of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics. This position allows me to leverage my expertise in Organic and Oligonucleotide Chemistry to drive innovation and success in our projects.
I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Mallik Putta, Kay Chow (she/her), and the entire interview panel of Prime Medicine, Inc. for discussing this opportunity and ensuring a seamless hiring process. Additionally, I would like to thank Mary Abrams and the entire HR team of Sci.bio Recruiting for their efficient onboarding. Your professionalism and support have been invaluable. I am also grateful to my new colleagues at Prime Medicine, Inc. for their warm welcome, which has made my transition smooth and enjoyable.A special thank you to my PhD advisor, Dr. Shiyue Fang, for his unwavering support and mentorship throughout my academic journey. His guidance has been instrumental in shaping my career, and I deeply appreciate the knowledge and skills I gained under his supervision.
I would also like to thank Cheeky Scientist for professional development and industry insights.
I am enthusiastic about the opportunities this role presents for continuous learning and professional growth. With confidence and enthusiasm, I am eager to make meaningful contributions to our projects and advance the field of science and technology.
Lastly, I want to express my deepest appreciation to my family, friends for their unwavering support and belief in me. Your encouragement has been my pillar of strength, and I am grateful for your steadfast presence in my life.
I am deeply thankful to God for guidance and enlightening my path with blessings.
Here’s to new beginnings, exciting opportunities, and a future filled with growth and success!

One thing that I had never realized the power of, was LinkedIn. Upon joining the Association I saw how much LinkedIn was stressed. Immediately, I’m talking less than 48 hours after I started applying some of the LinkedIn makeover techniques provided through the modules and the books that we received as free gifts, I had a recruiter reach out to me and say, “We saw that you had project management experience, do you want a job?” It was amazing, because having had LinkedIn for about a year and a half before that, no one had ever reached out to me. Just doing ten percent changes resulted in an immediate reach out from a recruiter.

I had spent many years in academia; I was stuck in that mindset for so long before joining the Cheeky Scientist Association. I thought I could only do academic work, and that industry wasn’t a possibility for me until I joined the Association. I love the amount of support I receive from the Cheeky team and other members of the Association. The community is very precious to me and my success.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Quality Specialist at GSK!

I was afraid that I didn’t have enough technical skills. But the program taught me the importance of highlighting my strengths. So, I was able to narrow down my job search to careers that would fit my strengths. Even so, I suffered from severe imposter syndrome, but the group has helped me realize my potential. I am a very well trained academic who knows how to go down to the grindstone and get things done, and because of these skills and work ethic, I am so valued in industry.

Being able to work, having skills, and still not getting any job is kind of frustrating. But the Cheeky Scientist Association platform not only gives you confidence, but also a supportive environment where you can talk about your problems to other people who might be in the same situation. CSA gives all of us PhDs a platform that helps us move forward.

I’m happy to share that I started a new position as a Clinical Research Project Manager at Regions Hospital!

The first tool that Cheeky Scientist provided was the career map and that really made a huge difference. It changed my perspective on how I was looking and it gave me a fresh start. That’s what actually convinced me to join the program, I was getting value and wanted to see how I could go deeper in the program. The Facebook group also helped me, seeing what different experiences people were going to and if I had a question I would get an immediate response. That was really useful.

Cheeky Scientist helped me perfect my LinkedIn profile, strengthen my salary negotiation skills, and land a top industry position as a Senior Scientist. I highly recommend Cheeky Scientist’s programs to other PhDs.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Medical Writer at Novo Nordisk!

I was struggling to find success in my industry job search before becoming a Cheeky Scientist program member. Cheeky Scientist provided the momentum and networking community I needed to land a top industry position as a Clinical Account Specialist. Today, I work as a Field Sales Specialist for Biosense Webster. Thank you Cheeky Scientist!

Before joining the Cheeky Scientist Association, I would submit an academic CV attached to my job applications versus an industry resume. Reflecting on that now, “what was I thinking?”. After joining the association, I learned how to write an industry resume and started to feel confident in my job search.

It is my privilege to announce that I have embarked on a new role as Principal Transformational Physicist at Northrop Grumman. I am excited to leverage my physics knowledge and research experience towards developing cutting-edge technologies, as well as thankful for the opportunity to collaborate with so many smart and talented people.

Like many other PhDs, I had no idea initially that there were other alternatives for PhDs and I was 100% focused on academia. Soon after I joined my first postdoc I realized that academia might not be a good fit for me so I started searching for other opportunities, but guess what, it was not easy. Thankfully I came across the Cheeky Scientist Association and I finally joined. As soon as I joined the Association it felt like being home. You will feel the warm welcome in the Facebook group when you ask questions. You will start feeling like you’re going in the right direction.

I had been left in the dust by my academic institution. After joining CSA, everything was an ‘A-ha’ moment. The CSA platform was incredibly helpful and allowed me to hit the ground running as I applied to industry positions.

Dear Isaiah and team,I’m writing to let you know that I’ve landed a great role, I accepted an offer and have just completed my first week as a Clinical Trial Liaison at ICON. I wanted to take this time to thank you and your team, especially Meera and Abha for all your help and guidance throughout the process! The online resources were extremely insightful!
Thank you again!
Best, Rana

I was already in industry but I wanted to transition into a higher level career in the tech sector. The main challenge I had was marketing myself in terms of transferable skills to the new industry that I was targeting. That was a huge challenge for me. I had interviews, went for on-site visits, and most of the interviews I felt like I did quite well and was hoping for a job offer, but it never materialized. I started asking myself, what was it I wasn’t doing right. That’s when I joined the Association. The Association provided a lot of valuable resources, including resume updates, LinkedIn profile updates, information on interviewing and negotiating for higher level industry careers, and a network of industry professionals.

The biggest thing that I’ve gotten from Cheeky was the informational interviews. It helped me learn the right words to use and narrow down my skills. I’ve made some lifelong friends and colleagues through this. There are so many resources to help you make the right steps moving forward. This was the most life-changing process. I value myself and my PhD more now than I did before joining Cheeky.

I’m happy to announce that I joined Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) team as a Research and Development Scientist. KCNSC is a world-class engineering and manufacturing facility that creates a variety of non-nuclear products. KCNSC’s teams are dedicated to keeping the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile safe, secure, reliable, now, and always.