Assessing business trends and strategies, entrepreneurial ideas
Attending conferences or scientific meetings
Building new devices or developing/refining techniques
Management consultant; business development professional in a biotech company; venture capitalist; market researcher; investment analyst
Clinician such as genetics counselor, therapist, physician
Clinical research project/trials manager or coordinator
Faculty at a liberal arts college or university whose job includes both research and major teaching responsibilities
Contributing to discipline (e.g. member of professional society)
Contributing to institution (e.g. participate on committees)
Critical evaluation of scientific literature
Deep knowledge of my specific research area
Regulatory affairs professional; quality control specialist
Patent agent; patent attorney; technology transfer specialist
Keeping up with current events in science
Learning how to use new equipment or techniques
Maintaining positive relationships with colleagues
Organizing things, creating systems in the workplace
Performing research with animal subjects
Planning new scientific projects or developing new research directions
Independent researcher at a medical school, private research institute, government lab or university with minimal teaching responsibilities
Principal investigator in a research-intensive institution
Public health program analyst or evaluator; epidemiologist; biostatistician; medical informaticist
Representing data in figures/illustrations
Staff scientist or researcher in academia or government, lab manager, director of a multi-user research facility in an academic institution
Research staff in a research-intensive institution
Research administrator in private or public research institutions, government or academia, including compliance officers, grants and contracts officers; dean or director of research programs
Discovery or preclinical researcher; manager of a research team or facility
Medical science liaison; technical sales representative; marketing specialist
Sales and marketing of science-related products
Classroom teacher; curriculum developer; science specialist
Education or public outreach specialist such as at a science museum or scientific society
Public affairs/government affairs staff at scientific societies, foundations, government entities, or think tanks
Science, medical, or technical writer or journalist; science editor; science publisher
The scientific career paths mentioned in Science myIDP.
Testing specialist in an environmental, public health, genetics, or forensic science setting (intelligence agencies, federal/state departments of justice); clinical diagnostician
Seeking advice from advisors and mentors
Speaking about science to non-scientists
Technical support specialist; field application specialist; product development scientist or engineer
A primarily teaching faculty position in a research university, liberal arts college, community college
Technical skills related to my specific research area
Upholding commitments and meeting deadlines
Using qualitative methods in understanding science (e.g., focus groups, in-depth interviews, field observations)
Using quantitative methods in understanding science (e.g., statistics, mathematical modeling)
Writing position papers or policy papers
Writing project reports or other business-related correspondence
AMIA (American Medical Informatics Association)
A Guide for Applying to Jobs at Selective Liberal Arts Colleges
Advancing in Industry: Choosing Among Many Paths
How would this career allow you to express your artistic side?
appreciate the beauty of things and ideas that I work with
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
American Association for Clinical Chemistry
American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
American Medical Writers Association (AMWA)
American Public Health Association (APHA)
An Interview with a Medical Science Liaison
Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP)
Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities
Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP)
Association of Science-Technology Centers
Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM)
What benefits generally accrue to employees in this career field? What are your minimum requirements?
have health, retirement, tuition reimbursements, etc.
Big Thinking at Smaller Universities (examples of faculty who have productive research programs at small universities)
Biomedical Careers in Industry: A Few Tips for the Newcomer
Biotechnology Innovation Organization (Bio)
Careers-in-Investment-Banking.com (collection of articles and resources)
Careers at Nonprofits and NGOs (collection of articles)
Careers for Scientists: Investing in Science (collection of articles and interviews)
Careers for Scientists in Science Communications and Public Relations (collection of articles)
Careers in Clinical Testing Laboratories
Careers in Patent Law (collection of articles and interviews)
Careers in Science Broadcasting (collection of articles)
Careers in Science Writing and Editing (collection of articles)
Careers in Scientific Translating (collection of articles)
Careers in Technology Transfer and Idea Commercialization
Clinical Career Options for Basic Scientists
Community College Faculty: Must Love to Teach
Will your achievements be measured and recognized? Will the results be used for promotion and salary decisions?
engage in activities that test my abilities/achievements against others’ abilities/achievements
Consulting the Experts (collection of articles)
In this field how will you be able to be innovative?
Description of Epidemiologist Career Paths
What salaries are common for people entering this field? Does this match your earnings expectations?
have a salary which allows me to purchase essentials as well as some luxuries of life
In what ways would this field make use of my abilities?
take advantage of my strongest talents and skills on a regular basis
Are people in this field given adequate recognition for their expertise?
be acknowledged as an expert in a given field
What policies are common in this field that make it more or less family friendly?
have a job with policies supportive of families, including day care, flexible work schedules, etc.
What do you know about the environment? Will there be enough activity for you?
work in a busy atmosphere with frequent deadlines
Fellowship: Regulatory Affairs Training Fellowship Program at the FDA
What do you know about typical work schedules? What are your specific needs for flexibility?
have some choice over the hours or days that I work
Forensic Science: Making the Transition from Research to Forensics
How do work environments in this field promote the development of close friendships among workers?
Develop close personal relationships with people at work
From Bench Science to Public Information Officer
From PhD to Pharmacy: The Life of a Clinical Research Scientist
Getting a Job with the Federal Government (presentation and handouts)
How will you know that your day-to-day work is benefitting specific individuals?
be involved with directly helping individuals or small groups
In what specific ways do people in this career field make the world a better place?
Will work in this area make you more marketable?
develop a desirable knowledge base or skill set to facilitate finding my next job
How to Get a Job in Science Education and Outreach
Are people in this field allowed to have a high degree of control over their daily tasks?
Would your day to day work allow you to have an impact on people's attitudes?
be in a position to change attitudes or opinions of other people
Innovation: The big idea of technology transfer
In what ways would you find this work stimulating?
perform work that is intellectually stimulating
Interactive Public Health Career Guide (about careers in public health testing)
Do most employees stay in these jobs long-term?
Do you know enough about the typical work environment?
K-12 Science Education (comparing teaching in public vs. private schools)
Does the work require constant learning or updating my skills?
be challenged to learn new skills or knowledge on a regular basis
Liberal Arts College Faculty: Finding the Sweet Spot
Licensing Executives Society (LES) International
Listing of federal government research centers in the U.S.
Does this career field cluster around certain geographic areas? Will the areas where I can work in this field meet my lifestyle requirements?
live in a place which is conducive to my lifestyle
MD/PHD: Is it Right for Me? (download a pdf)
Do job descriptions in this career field typically provide decision-making authority?
have authority to decide courses of action, policies, etc.
Mastering Your PhD: A Career in Management Consulting
Mythbusting for Academics: Considering a Job in Biotech/Pharma
National Association of Science Writers (NASW)
National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP)
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
National Society for Genetics Counselors
Does this work exceed your desired physical limits?
have a job that does not require high physical demands
Partners in Information Access for the Public Health Workforce
Do you know enough about the typical work environment? Will it provide enough contact with people?
have day-to-day contact with clients or colleagues
PhD and then MD? (discussion thread with career stories)
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
have a job that requires high physical demands
Would you know what your tasks will be when you go into work every day?
have job duties that are similar day-to-day
For the people in this field what is the next position? What is the path for continued promotions?
have a job with opportunities for growth or promotions
In what ways are people recognized for their contributions?
be recognized or appreciated for the quality of my work
Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS)
Research Program Management: Helping Scientists and Facilitating Research as an NIH Scientist-Administrator
Research Program Management: Much More than Paper Pushing
What new endeavors will you be able to undertake in this career field?
have work duties that involve trying new things, despite the chance that negative outcomes could result
Science Education Through the Eyes of a Physicist
Science Policy Careers (collection of articles and interviews)
Scientists Serving Science (examples of academic researchers in non-faculty positions)
Scientists as Competitive Intelligence Analysts
Scientists as Schoolteachers (collection of articles)
Society for Clinical Data Management (SCDM)
Society for Technical Communication (STC)
Society of Research Administrators (SRA) International
Staff Scientists in Academia: A Hidden Academic Workforce
Ask those you care about: do you respect this position or organization?
work in a position or organization which carries respect with my friends, family or colleagues
Do job descriptions in this career field typically require overseeing the work of others?
be directly responsible for work done by others
Do the tasks involved require regular contributions in a team setting?
work in collaboration with others as part of a team
Technical Support: A Different View of Science
The Emergence of the Research Development Professional (scientists who help run large research programs on university campuses)
Transitioning from Researcher to Outreacher
Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (WEST)
Do you know enough about the nature of projects in this field? Will your work require interaction with other people?
work on projects by myself, with little contact with others
What do people in this field say about their work/life balance?
balance time spent at work and time spent doing other activities
Will work in this field keep you on the cutting edge?
engage in the pursuit of knowledge or generating new ideas
100 Awesome Things You Can Do with a Public Health MPH Degree
Academic Environment: A Handbook for Evaluating Employment Opportunities in Science, (Chapter 7), Karl W. Lanks, Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis 1996
Academic Environment: A Handbook for Evaluating Employment Opportunities in Science, Karl W. Lanks, Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis 1996
Academic Scientists at Work: Navigating the Biomedical Research Career, Jeremy M. Boss and Susan H. Eckert, New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers 2003
Academic Scientist’s Toolkit (collection of articles)
Across the Road from the Ivory Tower (a scientist’s journey from research to sales)
Advancing Healthy Populations: The Pfizer Guide to Careers in Public Health, Barbara A. DeBuono, MD, MPH and Hugh Tilson, MD, DrPH, New York, NY: Pfizer, Inc. 2003, Read online
Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, 2nd ed., (Chapter 21), Cynthia Robbins-Roth, San Diego, CA: Academic Press 2006
Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, (Chapter 10), Cynthia Robbins-Roth, San Diego, CA: Academic Press 1993
Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, (Chapter 12), Cynthia Robbins-Roth, San Diego: Academic Press 1993
Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, (Chapter 14), Cynthia Robbins-Roth, San Diego, CA: Academic Press 1993
Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, (Chapter 17), Cynthia Robbins-Roth, San Diego, CA: Academic Press 1993
Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, (Chapters 13, 15), Cynthia Robbins-Roth, San Diego, CA: Academic Press 1993
Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, (Chapters 19, 21), Cynthia Robbins-Roth, San Diego, CA: Academic Press 1993
Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, (Chapters 2, 3, 4), Cynthia Robbins-Roth, San Diego: Academic Press 1993
Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, (Chapters 6-9), Cynthia Robbins-Roth, San Diego, CA: Academic Press 1993
And Gladly Teach: A Resource Book for Chemists Considering Academic Careers (2nd Edition), American Chemical Society 2006, Download a pdf
At the Helm: A Laboratory Navigator, Kathy Barker, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2002
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, (Chapter 20), Toby Freedman, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2008
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, (Chapter 22), Toby Freedman, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2008
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, (Chapter 23), Toby Freedman, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2008
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, (Chapters 10, 11), Toby Freedman, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2008
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, (Chapters 11, 18, 19), Toby Freedman, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2008
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, (Chapters 12-14), Toby Freedman, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2008
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, (Chapters 17, 24, 25), Toby Freedman, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2008
Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, (chapters 7, 8, 15), Toby Freedman, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2008
Career Opportunities in Clinical Drug Research, Rebecca J. Anderson, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2010
Career Opportunities in Forensic Science, Susan Echaore-McDavid and Richard A. McDavid, New York, NY: Checkmark Books 2008
Career Options for Biomedical Scientists, (Chapter 3), Kaaren Janssen and Richard Sever, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2015
Career Options for Biomedical Scientists, (Chapters 4, 5), Kaaren Janssen and Richard Sever, Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 2015
Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering, (chapters 1, 2 describe the growth of careers in science education research), Susan R. Singer, Natalie R. Nielsen, and Heidi A. Schweingruber, Editors, Washington, DC: National Research Council 2012, View online or order a copy
Explaining Research, (Chapter 17), Dennis Meredith, New York: Oxford University Press 2010
From Alchemy to IPO, (Chapters 17-20), Cynthia Robbins-Roth, New York: Basic Books 2000
Guide to Nontraditional Careers in Science, (Chapter 5), Karen Young Kreeger, Philadelphia: Taylor and Francis 1999
Guide to Nontraditional Careers in Science, (Chapter 8), Karen Young Kreeger, Philadelphia, PA: Taylor and Francis 1999
Guide to Nontraditional Careers in Science, (Chapters 7, 9), Karen Young Kreeger, Philadelphia, PA: Taylor and Francis 1999
Guide to Nontraditional Careers in Science (Chapter 3), Karen Young Kreeger, Philadelphia, PA: Taylor and Francis 1999
Health, Science and Technology Policy Fellowships
How to Get a Tenure-Track Position at a Predominantly Undergraduate Institution, Michelle N Bushey, Deborah E Lycan, Patricia E Videtich, Washington, DC: Council on Undergraduate Research 2001
I’ve Got a Great Idea (advice for scientists considering their own start-up)
Making the Right Moves, Research Triangle Park, NC: Burroughs Wellcome Fund 2004, Chevy Chase, MD: Howard Hughes Medical Institute 2004, Download pdf or view online
Perspective: Preparing for a PUI Career (i.e., at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution)
Psychologist Bridges Clinic and Lab to Untangle Schizophrenia’s Roots (psychotherapist/researcher tells her career story)
Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R)
Research Administration and Management, Elliott C. Kulakowski and Lynne Chronister, Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning 2011
Selling Science (a scientist’s journey from the bench to sales)
So, What's it Really Like to Work in Biotech?
The Fast Track: The Insider's Guide to Winning Jobs in Management Consulting, Investment Banking, and Securities Trading, Mariam Naficy, New York, NY: Broadway Books 1997
The Medical Science Liaison: An A to Z Guide, Erin Albert, Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse 2007
The Venture Cafe: Secrets, Strategies, and Stories from America’s High-Tech Entrepreneurs, Teresa Esser, New York: Warner Books 2002
Tomorrow's Professor: Preparing for Academic Careers in Science and Engineering, Richard M. Reis, New York: Wiley Interscience 1997
Treading a Different Track (non-tenure track, teaching-focused faculty positions
Understanding Pharma: A Primer on How Pharmaceutical Companies Really Work, (Chapters 6, 8-10), John. J. Campbell, Raleigh, NC: Pharmaceutical Institute 2008
Understanding Pharma: A Primer on How Pharmaceutical Companies Really Work, (Chapters 7, 8), John J. Campbell, Raleigh, NC: Pharmaceutical Institute 2008
Understanding Pharma: A Primer on How Pharmaceutical Companies Really Work, (chapters 1, 4, 5), John J. Campbell, Raleigh, NC: Pharmaceutical Institute 2008
University Research Administration: Benefits, Not Bureaucracy