We Fight For PhDs And PhD Careers

Like any PhD who wants to transition into industry, I did face a lot of challenges, both technical and non-technical. I was basically trying blindly to get a job, not having a proper roadmap. Once I joined the Cheeky Scientist Association I got the kind of directions that I was looking for, what I was doing wrong, where I could improve. I got a better LinkedIn profile and a proper two-page resume. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong, but definitely I was doing something wrong because no one was calling me back.

I decided that the position I wanted was on the clinical side of personal care products, so from the technical side a PhD is enough, but this position required a lot of communication with marketing groups and also consumer insight. So after I joined the SMBA and went through the materials, when a scientific problem comes up I also see it from the consumer side, the marketing side. And I remember during my interview when I talked to a VP-level person, our conversation was more about consumer confidence in the product, and the VP gave me his business card. At that moment I thought, I probably made it this time.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Principal Application Engineer at Fluxo Biomaterials!

Before I joined the Association I wasn’t looking for a job because it was a year before I graduated, but I was looking for an internship, and I had zero success doing that. A lot of the difficulty was that I didn’t know people in the industry, I wasn’t networking correctly. After I found out about the Cheeky Scientist Association and I joined, then I learned a lot.

Before joining the Cheeky Scientist Association, I didn’t know how to make new connections and create a bigger network. After joining the Association, I learned how to present myself during my job search; humanize myself. I began to feel comfortable asking lots of questions and exerting my engagement during the interview process.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Pharmacology/Toxicology Reviewer, Division of Hematology Oncology Toxicology at FDA!

I did my job search by myself for 6 months and it wasn’t really going anywhere. I didn’t know to network, so I just kept applying and applying. When I joined Cheeky I learned how to network and began asking for informational interviews. Cheeky has such a huge network that you can tap into and get referrals.

Cheeky Scientist helped me overcome the challenges I faced in my job search. I learned how to successfully transition into my current position as an evidence evaluation manager at Smith and Nephew. Cheeky Scientist opens up so many professional doors for PhDs…

I am happy to announce that I have started a new position at Merck as a Senior Scientist in Analytical Research and Development in the Microbiology CoE. I am thrilled to be a part of this excellent team!

“Before joining the Cheeky Scientist Association, I applied to industry positions using my academic resume. While I was invited to interviews, the job offers did not come through. Cheeky Scientist taught me how to overhaul my entire application portfolio along with the importance of networking, which ultimately allowed me to transition into a Medical Science Liaison role with Biogen. I have since moved into an Associated Medical Director role with Biogen and encourage PhDs who want to work in industry to join the Cheeky Scientist Association.”

My transition was a long time coming. I didn’t know where to start. I faced immigration issues, and my niche wasn’t popular in industry when I started my job search. I didn’t let these obstacles stop me; I kept investing in my career development. Once I joined Cheeky, it gave me a good framework to work with. I got everything I wanted from Cheeky. Once my obstacles were removed, I was totally ready. I received 3-offers before even applying anywhere.

I am thrilled to announce that I have joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a Customer Experience Strategist!
After being unexpectedly laid off in October, the journey to this moment was not straightforward. It was a period filled with uncertainty, but also growth, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose. I dedicated myself to learning and exploring new opportunities, which has led me to this incredible role.
At the CDC, I am looking forward to contributing to meaningful projects that enhance our public health initiatives and improve user experiences. I am excited to work with talented teams and to apply my skills in new and challenging contexts.
Thank you to everyone who supported me during these past months—your encouragement and advice have been invaluable. I am reminded that every challenge is an opportunity in disguise, and I am eager to start this new chapter.
Here’s to new beginnings and continued growth!

Before joining the Cheeky Scientist Association, I struggled with the resume and interview process. Once I joined the association, I received an overwhelming amount of support from fellow PhD Cheeky members. The private PhD group provided me with a place to ask questions and receive advice right away.

Before joining the Cheeky Scientist Association, I struggled with building my industry network and how to prepare for my transition outside of academia. I first heard about Cheeky Scientist from a fellow colleague at UC Berkeley. Once I joined the association, I felt more confident in my job search by highlighting my strengths. I also learned how to “sell myself” something that I wasn’t taught in academia, so I relied heavily on my CV.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Scientific Communications Specialist at Colgate-Palmolive!

I didn’t know how to best prepare for my transition into industry, so I struggled to shift out of my long-held academic mindset. Everything changed once I became a member of Cheeky Scientist. Now I work in a top position at Amazon as a research scientist.

I was finishing a training grant and had started looking for industry jobs, and was getting absolutely nowhere. So I started looking around for recruiters or anybody I could talk to to get training on how to make that transition. [Cheeky Scientist’s] focus on how to make an industry resume instead of an academic resume, seeing the before and after of my resume, there was a big divide between what I was putting out and what I should’ve been putting out.

I’ delighted to share that I have joined Mercodia as a Senior Scientist!

I had a resume, but there are certain strategies that get you ahead of the crowd – strategies I hadn’t been using. In CSA, I learned to think from the perspective of industry. The CSA private group was a very perceptive community, and you had a lot of insightful answers from other PhDs when you asked a question.

I achieved tenure, but it wasn’t what I envisioned from an academic research career. I didn’t enjoy it. I was really missing the research side of things. Once I joined Cheeky, I was able to build up my business acumen and develop my career.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Principal Scientist at Faraday Technology Inc!

At the tail end of my postdoctoral fellowship I started applying (randomly, of course) and getting no responses. I was really at a dead end. So that’s when I decided to get my life under control, invest in myself. [After joining the Association] for me the transition module was where I had the “aha moment”. I had assumed that I’d be using my basic skills as a scientist, and that’s all I could probably do in industry. I had no idea where to start. I realized, oh wow, I can do this too besides just being a bench scientist.

Before joining the Cheeky Scientist Association, I had a LinkedIn account, but I did not know how to optimize my utilization. After joining the Cheeky Scientist Association, I felt at home in the community with like-minded professionals. Immediately my networking skills started to improve, and I was able to make connections outside of my academic circle. My favorite thing about the Association is how everyone looks out for one another. I actually found my current position via LinkedIn.

I got my written offer, had a really nice “negotiation” discussion with my future boss last week, and they came back with 15% base salary increase, flexibility around my vacation plans and annual PTO, and discussions about performance-based incentives beyond target bonus and career advancement. Perhaps the most reassuring part was that he complimented my approach, communication style, personality in this discussion and shared that it made him even more confident I’d be a great fit on their team and interacting with clients. I feel like I passed the test and am very grateful for your guidance in preparing!! I’m signing the revised offer letter today and am very excited to get started.

When I decided to quit my postdoc I spent some months looking for a position, and I managed to go through some interviews but I was never very successful. So I thought I still needed to optimize my approach to the job search, so I decided that joining the Association would be a good chance to get the most out of the few interviews I managed to get. For sure the most important thing [about the Cheeky Scientist Association] was that the materials were tailored for people with a background in academia. People with this kind of background aren’t really prepared to transition into industry because you spending your entire working life in academia. You have to reinvent yourself and understand how things work outside academia.

Before coming to this field I didn’t really know what an MSL was. The MSLA program was excellent because it’s not just like any other program on the internet. It’s a group of like-minded, positive-minded people, MSLs in big companies. The MSLA group is so supportive. If you have a question, just type it in and a hundred MSLA members will jump in.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Clinical Researcher and Editor at Function Health. Empower your health!

I had joined CSA during my PhD and I have to thank Isaiah Luke Hankel for creating this lovely group.

I’ve been a member of Cheeky Scientist since 2017. I enjoy talking to MSL’s in the private Cheeky group; that’s what got me motivated in my job search. The help you receive from mentors and peers is so valuable.

I’m excited to share that I have joined IBM Research as a BEOL Semiconductor Integration Engineer!!!

It was hard to think of leaving 15 years of hard work and getting into something new. I was browsing and applying online and trying to figure out how to do the job search and I found the Cheeky Scientist Association. I was looking for a community that could provide some guidance, because it’s very hard. I had never looked for a job before, I was recruited immediately after graduation, everything was going smoothly, so it was the first time in my life that I actually had to write a CV or do a cover letter.

I had started looking at jobs outside of academia, but I was approaching those jobs with my ten-page CV and kind of getting some blank stares back. So I realized I needed to go for more of a traditional resume, but I was having trouble and looking for some resources, so that’s when I first came across the Association. Right away I was kind of overwhelmed with the support that I got in the Facebook group. It helped so much with my resume, and I’m really happy with the way everything turned out.

I’m happy to share that I’m starting as a Reviewer at MaPSci Digital Publishers!

I had been uploading resumes online for 6 months with no success before joining Cheeky Scientist. It turns out there is a right way–and a wrong way–to build out a resume. Cheeky Scientist taught me the difference and so much more. These days, I’m a program manager at AVM Biotechnology.

My mindset before joining the Association was very negative… The biggest thing CSA gave me was a boost in confidence–a boost in hope.

SO excited to share that I’ve accepted a position with RTI-Health Solutions as a Research Health Outcomes Scientist on their Patient-Centered Outcomes Assessment team! I am so incredibly grateful, blessed, and excited to be starting with such a fabulous team and am excited to be able to work on such meaningful, impactful projects to help improve patient outcomes! The past few months have been an incredible journey for me to expand my professional network and explore the job possibilities outside of academia post-graduation. A special thank you to everyone who has spent time emailing, dm-ing, and picking up the phone to talk to me about opportunities and to introduce me to individuals in their teams. I am so incredibly grateful to the generosity of my network and look forward to staying in touch and potentially working together in the future!