We Fight For PhDs And PhD Careers

Transitioning into industry is a life-and-death issue… You can’t just ‘do it next week’ or ‘try again next year.’ In the CSA private group, most of the suggestions were really helpful. I really like how active the group is, and I like how selfless the other PhDs are.

I became a member of Cheeky Scientist after struggling for over 3 years to find a full-time teaching position in academia. After a ton of frustration, Cheeky gave me the course materials to successfully transition into an industry career. I’m thrilled to report that I’m now a  senior representative at Bruker Nano Surfaces in California.

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 learned, in networking, not to expect anything back right away, but to focus on adding value. I also learned how to initiate informational interviews with other Cheeky Scientist members and also outside of the group. I’m still learning from the group.

Cheeky Scientist was instrumental for me. I got a lot of guidelines for how to get started, and the biggest decision for me was to make it my priority. Having a very specific set of goals made it easier to focus and put my entire energy into it.

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

First of all, the resume template that we get from Cheeky Scientist is absolutely amazing. The moment I did that change, I started getting results. I started getting calls from interviewers. Every third or fourth day, I had an interview.

I had several hiccups in drafting my resume. I would upload so many resumes and hear nothing back. I learned from Cheeky that every element needs to be in the right order going in the right direction; you don’t know which element will click. Just dumping everything into a CV won’t work.

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

I wanted to change my current job and I had been trying for at least the last six to seven months. I had applied, applied, applied, gone through all the people I know, contacted them, forwarded my resume. I had done every possible thing, applied for 90 or 100 jobs and had not heard back from a single position. I really learned a lot from Cheeky Scientist–how to prevent yourself in an interview situation, what to answer and what not to answer. The most helpful part for me was the salary negotiation guidance, which was phenomenal.

The thing that really intrigued me about the Cheeky Scientist Association was that it focused on PhD students, and at that time that was exactly what I was looking for. [After joining the Association] the biggest and most immediate benefit that I found was the change of mindset. Every time I was applying for a job I changed my whole approach, from my CV to the end, until I secured a job. I think that was the biggest benefit that I saw in myself.

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!

As an academic, I never thought I was capable of possessing an Industry position until I joined the Association. The Cheeky Scientist modules helped bridge what I had done in academia into what is needed in industry. Immediately I learned the importance of networking and began setting goals. I was able to make meaningful network connections and find a career in industry.

I needed to overcome my personal version of imposter syndrome in order to pursue the career and lifestyle I wanted. It wasn’t easy, but the folks at Cheeky Scientist made it possible. I’m now happily employed as a technical director of chemistry at Merieux NutriSciences.

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

I knew that I needed to have aa well-developed strategy in order to be successful. When I joined the Association, I was very far off from a real job search. But having access to CSA’s network was huge.

During my PhD I considered doing something else, but my main challenge was that I didn’t know what I could do. I started working more on my own I realized that I wasn’t happy as a postdoc and this was not what I wanted to do in my future life. Once I joined the Association, I really shifted my mindset. It was no longer about what can I do with the skills that I have right now, but rather what do I want to do, and then I’ll just frame my approach towards what I want to do. Just this little change in mindset really made the difference.

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

When I joined Cheeky, I started to think about where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. I was able to work backwards and form a strategy – I wasn’t a victim anymore. Your PI is not responsible for your success… You are.

Through Cheeky Scientist, I came to know my worth as a PhD. I was working at an environmental remediation firm, which was no way related to my PhD. work. But as soon as I joined the group, the transition plan helped me realize where I want to be.

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

As many of you PhDs have experienced, there’s really not much guidance as to how to structure your resume for industry. That was one challenge for sure, because after uploading my resume in its previous form I usually didn’t get any kind of response. Knowing how to tailor a resume to a specific position was a big challenge, but…after taking care of that it becomes a lot easier.

I realized during the first years of my PhD that academia was not for me. I convinced myself to join CSA, and I must say that it was one of the best decisions I have made in my life! I was amazed by the amount of resources and support that this excellent community provided.

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.

The biggest hurdle for me was submitting resumes that would get through the applicant tracking systems and be seen by real human beings. Getting the first phone interview was a challenge for me. The most helpful part of the Association materials for me was the negotiation module, as well as the webinars on the whole process of transitioning to industry. It changed my perspective as a whole. The negotiation module really changed my attitude.

CSA helped me to regain my faith in myself. I learned to build my resume, shape my LI profile, prepare for interviews, network, and negotiate.

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

For me, the biggest challenge was to overcome the thinking that if you don’t do academic work, you’re worthless. Once I realized that that wasn’t true, then actually taking action was much easier. At that point, the biggest challenge became networking. At first I was skeptical about joining the Association because it is an American company and I didn’t know how helpful the networking would be across the ocean, but because the Association was expanding so much I ended up actually networking in person with other Italians. Once I started networking, that was really a pivotal moment.

Before joining the Cheeky Scientist Association, I struggled with how to navigate the world and mindset of industry. My network was in academia; I knew I needed to branch out. Once I joined the Association, I felt more confident in my job search. I really enjoy the exclusive private groups because it is a space for PhDs to support one another and build their industry network.

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.

The community itself was incredibly supportive. I don’t think I’ve encountered a more supportive community before. People really would help each other. One of the things in the Cheeky Scientist materials that really helped me was the Transition Plan, and specifically the strategy. Once I had that, it made it a lot easier for me to utilize my network more effectively and also to have a lot more confidence that this was the direction that I wanted to go in.

I was struggling to find the right career path to match my goals and lifestyle. When I decided to join Cheeky Scientist, I discovered the data scientist career path and realized I actually had the skills required for the position. Now, I AM a Data Scientist – at a top company in London, UK.

Very excited for new challenges and a new city! The Data Products team are made of super-creative problem solvers so happy to work with them. My new role is Sr. Product Manager at Nasdaq!

When I joined the Association, my initial impression was great. It was a bit overwhelming, because the amount of available resources in the Association is really a lot. And when you’re so eager at that stage and really want to get a job, you just want to go through it as fast as you can, absorb it as fast as you can. One thing I found great about it was the webinars, I think the people that were being interviewed were really great. Spot on on their experiences, on the tips they shared. I also found several things in the private group very valuable. One of them was that a lot of the senior members of the CSA reply right away to your questions, as silly as they might sound, and as desperate as they might sound sometimes. They respond to them with an open heart and an open mind.

I joined the Association because after receiving my PhD and doing a postdoc I realized that the academic path I was preparing for was full of insecurity and some peril. There were very few faculty jobs, the funding is scarce, there’s perpetual instability, and “publish or perish” culture makes it very difficult to succeed in that system while maintaining your sanity. So unfortunately I found myself completely unprepared for a job search outside academia. I had been following the Association for something like six months before I finally took the plunge and joined. Immediately after joining I was part of a supportive network of PhDs in the exact same situation. On top of that, the materials on resume building, LinkedIn, networking, and other subjects are extremely useful and practical.

I am thrilled to announce that I have started a new position as a Senior Data Analyst at Definity. I am excited to join an incredible data and analytics team at Definity, where I can work on a variety of amazing projects alongside smart and talented data analysts, data scientists, data engineers, and insurance experts. Together, we will provide the business with valuable insights for data-driven decisions! What really captivated me in applying to Definity is their commitment to making insurance better and helping people with over 150 years of operations in Canada! Moreover, Definity encourages continuous learning, provides an inclusive work environment, and values sustainability. I am looking forward to contributing to such an inspiring and forward-thinking organization as well as learning along the way about insurance domain from experts! Thank you everyone who supported me in this transition. As they say, it is a journey, not a destination. And my new journey begins now.