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Industry Transition Spotlight: Gad Sabbatier

Industry Transition: An interview with Gad Sabbatier, PhD, Project Leader in Innovation and Business Development 

1. What is your name, your full job title, and the name of the company you work for?

Gad Sabbatier, Project Leader in Innovation and Business Development, SOVAR. It is a mandated technology transfer office.

2. What is your favorite part about working in industry?

I really love the team spirit in the company. I have a lot of autonomy and I am learning a lot. I really enjoy the work-life balance as well.

3. What does a typical day at work look like for you?

My job is to help researchers and entrepreneurs to transfer and accelerate research which has a potential interest to improve the society. I am spending my days analyzing intellectual property and the markets as well as communicating with researchers and entrepreneurs and finding strategies to develop and deploy innovation.

4. How is your current industry position different than your academic postdoc or experience as a graduate student?

I have a better view of how research can be useful to people. I feel that my work has a better impact on people’s lives. I am not working at the bench anymore but still enjoying science in a more positive atmosphere.

5. If you could go back in time, to before you received your job offer, and give yourself one piece of advice or encouragement, what would it be?

Everything is going to be okay. Be more confident; some days are just harder than others.

6. What was the most important thing you did during your job search that enabled your success?

Network and polish my LinkedIn profile as this is how I heard about the position.

7. What is the most memorable moment for you (so far) as a Cheeky Scientist Associate?

I really enjoy the CSA summit in Boston in 2017 and the meetups in Montreal and Toronto.

8. What do you see as the next step in your career?

I would like to keep going to learn about my job and innovate in its practice.

9. How can the Association and the Association’s members help you continue to achieve your career goals?

The association is unique. It provides an incredible network, a space for professional development, and helps PhDs who would like to transition outside of academia.

10. Now that you’ve spent some time working in industry, what is the biggest piece of advice you’d like to share with those Associates who are still executing their job search?

Even if you are passionate about the excellent work you are doing, the lab is not everything. Continue to meet different people, be open-minded, and take care of yourself. Self-awareness and learning how to work and navigate with different people is more important than accumulating more and more technical skills. Graduate studies and postdocs are not a burden, but an opportunity to grow and try different things outside of the benchwork.

Ready to make your own industry transition? The Cheeky Scientist Association is the world’s largest PhD-only industry job search training platform and PhD-only industry job referral network. When you become an Associate, you get access to our proven job search blueprint, which includes 200+ training videos, interviews with industry PhDs working in the most popular 100+ careers for PhDs, lifetime access to a private job referral network of 8,000+ PhDs, and much more.

You get instant feedback from our trainers 24/7 on any job search-related question so you can be 100% confident in your decisions about your job search and your overall career. To learn more about how to make your own industry transition, including instant access to our exclusive training videos, case studies, industry insider documents, transition plan, and private online network, get on the waitlist for the Cheeky Scientist Association.

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ABOUT ISAIAH HANKEL, PHD

CEO, CHEEKY SCIENTIST & SUCCESS MENTOR TO PHDS

Dr. Isaiah Hankel is the Founder and CEO of Cheeky Scientist. His articles, podcasts and trainings are consumed annually by millions of PhDs and other professionals in hundreds of different countries. He has helped PhDs transition into top companies like Amazon, Google, Apple, Intel, Dow Chemical, BASF, Merck, Genentech, Home Depot, Nestle, Hilton, SpaceX, Tesla, Syngenta, the CDC, UN and Ford Foundation.

Dr. Hankel has published 3X bestselling books and his latest book, The Power of a PhD, debuted on the Barnes & Noble bestseller list. His methods for getting PhDs hired have been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Nature, Forbes, The Guardian, Fast Company, Entrepreneur Magazine and Success Magazine.

Isaiah Hankel, PhD

Here's What Others Are Saying

"I started working with you all back in October 2022 and it took me about four months to secure my new role. I actually had two six figure salary offers in the learning and development arena! One was from a prestigious HBCU and the other one was with a scientific research organization. I signed my six figure offer letter for a Head of Talent Development role with the scientific research organization on March 1st. I negotiated and received a $7,500 increase in salary and I also received an increase in my relocation package. I cannot thank you all enough!"

Dr. Rhonda Anderson

Dr. Rhonda Anderson

Head of Talent Development

at Southern Research

"I attended the Transition CHALLENGE and VIP Modality and, as a result, in less than 2 months I have participated in 8 interesting interviews and been offered a wonderful job full of opportunities! Thank you so much for all the great and necessary work you do!"

Veronica Pascual

Veronica Pascual

Research Projects Coordinator

at SEMERGEN

"I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position as Clinical Scientist at Arvinas!"

Ana Luiza C. Zaninotto

Ana Luiza C. Zaninotto

Clinical Scientist

at Arvinas

"I am happy to share that I have started a new position!....I look forward to learning from experience colleagues and apply the"

Augustina Kwesie Osabutey

Augustina Kwesie Osabutey

Water/Wastewater Engineer

at Barr Engineering Group

"I'm happy to share that I will be starting a new position as MSL at Sanofi! I want to thank everyone that took the time to speak with me about their MSL experience and to help me land this position!"

John Crawford

John Crawford

MSL-Vaccines

at Sanofi

"I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position as R&D Scientist II at Chemring Sensors and Electronic Systems, Inc.!"

Karim Dawkins

Karim Dawkins

R&D Scientist II

at Chemring Sensors and Electronic Systems, Inc

"I am happy to share that I'm starting a new position as a European Portfolio Manager at Scientific Instruments!"

 Shikha Acharya

Shikha Acharya

European Portfolio Manager

at Scientific Instruments

"Thrilled to announce that I have joined a new role as a Research Associate at HJF to work at the WRAIR. Very excited to join a dedicated and brilliant team working to eradicate HIV. Thanks to my family, friends, and fellow Cheeky associates for their support in my job hunt journey.""

 Lakshmi Rani Iyer

Lakshmi Rani Iyer

Research Associate

at HJF

"I proceeded with the offer we were discussing and i signed the contract a few days ago. I would like to thank you so much for your support throughout this process. it was really helpful and beneficial!"

Samir Tohme

Samir Tohme

Project Engineer, Optical Development & Simulation Expert

at EDL Rethschulte GmbH (FEV Group)

"Hi Isaiah, I hope you are good....I did receive and accept a job offer!"

Debadrita Pal

Debadrita Pal

Scientist

at Sanofi

"Thank you for your support. I greatly benefited from your DD talks on the importance of networking on LinkedIn and resume-building tips. Your team member Meera was very helpful in building my LinkedIn Profile and resume. Thank you!"

 Taranum Sultana

Taranum Sultana

Research Administration

"Hi Isaiah, I got hired yesterday!....Thanks for all of your encouragement provided by way of your presentations."

Beverly Brereton

Beverly Brereton

Compliance Manager

at Enel North America

"BIG NEWS!! Lufthansa offered me the gig!!"

Marco Milesi

Marco Milesi

at Lufthansa

"'....all the modules and associates really helped me understand the job and interview aspects really well. Meera specially helped me a lot prepare for the 8 interviews (written, analytical, on-site, assessments). She was very prompt in responding to my questions and concerns and really helped me keep my morale whenever I felt I might loose this position.... This is something I was looking for in a job so it is perfect for me."

Haymanti Bhanot

Haymanti Bhanot

Editorial

at Elsevier

"I landed a dream job as a revenue management analyst at british airways."

James Washak

James Washak

Revenue Management Analyst

at British Airways

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