3 Non-Bench Careers For STEM PhDs

Join Isaiah for a look at beyond-the-bench careers that are perfect for PhDs who love research but can’t take one more experiment

Here’s a quick rundown on this week’s episode:

• First, Isaiah assures PhDs that, if you love research but are over pushing the pipettes, there are careers in industry that offer a happy medium
• Next, he identifies 3 intellectually stimulating careers for curious PhDs that don’t involve running tedious experiments in the lab
• Finally, Isaiah reminds PhDs to let their strengths and interests inform them in their job search, and not to make assumptions about what a role is or isn’t in industry

From This Week’s Show…

Research In Industry Is Not Synonymous With Being Tied To A Lab Bench

Do you love research, but dread the idea of conducting even one more experiment? 

There are plenty of careers for PhDs in research that don’t require you to be chained to a bench. 

Let’s start with market research. 

When it comes to marketing, the job market is consistently growing. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that employment in this sector will grow by 8% in the next 10 years. 

PhDs are particularly well-positioned for roles in marketing research thanks to their ability to learn complex systems and communicate their knowledge effectively. 

Marketing positions allow PhDs to establish and maintain professional relationships with researchers, healthcare professionals, and other business entities. 

You might spearhead product plans that result in the highest profit margin possible or apply your penchant for digesting complex information and communicating across departments to develop innovative products. 

Even if you’re unsure about remaining in marketing for your entire career, it’s a great place to start. 

Healthcare And Tech Are 2 More Fields Where PhD Researchers Are In High Demand

Another career path for researchers that leads away from the bench is called user experience. 

Called UX for short, this is considered one of the fastest growing jobs on the market. 

We often think that user experience is something that only app developers and video game designers are concerned with.

It’s actually a very broad field. 

UX is part of just about everything we interface with on a daily basis – from software to apps and services and stores. 

UX is the bridge between the product and its target customer. 

They help all departments within a company better understand the product through the lens of the end user. 

UX positions sit at the intersection of research and business. 

You’ll be valued as a researcher and problem-solver, and seen as a subject matter expert. 

PhDs are highly sought after for UX positions. This is because of their ability to understand and perform quantitative and qualitative research. 

Unlike Academia, Research In Industry Leads To Market-Ready Results Instead Of More Research

Clinical Research Associate and Clinical Research Project Management roles combined are another great choice for STEM PhDs. 

The industry is booming, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop growing anytime soon. 

Last year there were around 400,000 registered clinical trials. 

So far this year, there are well over 420,000 newly registered clinical trials. 

Many PhDs think that only physicians and pharmacists are hired into clinical positions, but this is not true. 

Clinical Research Scientists are the ones to collect, analyze, and interpret the data, but as a Clinical Research Associate you would be in charge of overseeing the clinical study process. 

Other researchers, such as data managers, collect, analyze, and interpret study data. 

They get to design the framework, analyze and interpret data, and maintain data security for the research.

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** for the full podcast, check out the audio player above.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.