Exploring Postdoctoral Positions in Industry

The postdoctoral position in the pharmaceutical industry is a unique position. Companies typically open these postdoc positions to hire early-career scientists who will help explore and understand the biology related to its therapeutics. And the postdoc position exposes the scientist to drug discovery or drug development.

For the early-career scientist, there are several considerations when exploring postdoctoral opportunities in industry.

1. Timing of Application- Some people do a postdoc in industry immediately after graduate school, while others do a postdoc after having done an academic postdoc. You may have to apply for industry postdoc positions at the same time that you apply for academic postdoc positions. Graduate students should apply after getting permission and a date to defend. Those with previous postdoc experience should apply early and often to positions at all levels, including postdoc positions, temporary or contract positions, and entry level scientist positions, that suit their interests and experience.
2. Length of Postdoc Position- Most postdoc positions in industry are 2 years, but candidate should find out the length of the position. Questions to ask include: What is the length of time for the position? Do I have an option for an additional year? Where have prior postdocs gone after completing their time in this position?
3. Salary and Benefits- In large pharmaceutical companies, postdoc positions are often paid more generously in salary than academic positions, and they may also include competitive benefits. Salary and benefits will vary by company.
4. Publications-  Publications are very important for postdocs in industry because you cannot talk about the work you do in pharma unless it is publicly disclosed. Usually, the confidentiality agreement that postdocs sign are crafted to protect the company’s intellectual property. Therefore, as a postdoc, it means you could be limited in discussing your work when you apply for the next position unless you have published your work. You may need to be prepared to talk about previous work from graduate school or your prior academic postdoc position.
5. Before accepting a postdoc position in industry, scientists need to ask that at least one of their projects is one that can be published. The easiest way to publish is to work on a project that is outside of the direct discovery and development process but that still provides to the company an understanding of the relevant biology. Drug discovery often has to be streamlined and efficient to move therapeutics forward, so hiring postdoc scientists is one way for the company to explore novel biology. Of course, you need to be prepared to work efficiently and diligently to have publishable results in 2-3 years. A presentation at an international meeting as well as publication in a peer-reviewed journal need to be achievable goals.
6. Be a Team Player- In the highly matrixed team environment of industry, we often need to rely on others and work as a team to move our projects forward. This concept applies to postdoc projects in industry as well, which is different from academia where you may be expected to be do the project from start to finish. Although postdoc projects are typically more individual-led, there are opportunities to be a team player, which will increase your exposure to the drug discovery process. Being a team player will also allow you to build your network inside pharma, which may be useful as you start to look for the next position.
7. Get Exposed- By attending lab and departmental meetings and through conversations with colleagues, you will gain exposure to the drug discovery or drug development process. It is important to present your work internally, ask questions during lab meetings, and offer to help your colleagues when appropriate.
8. Career Development- Taking a postdoctoral position in industry may make you more desirable for positions in industry because you now have experience performing research relevant to drug discovery and have gained exposure to the drug discovery process while forming a network of colleagues inside pharma. However, taking a position in a pharma/biotech company is NOT a guarantee that you will be hired into an entry level position at that company. Use this time to work diligently, be a team player, and look for opportunities to increase your exposure to colleagues. Take advantage of this time to learn new science and publish your work so that you can share the knowledge you gained with others.