Career Development in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Industry
Many people think that career development requires a lot of planning and time outside of our regular jobs. Indeed, that's the case for some activities - like earning a certificate or degree. However, most career development could be done as on-the-job responsibilities. This is a good perspective to stress because many of us have incredibly busy schedules working in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This week Michelle and I returned virtually to our alma mater, The University of Pennsylvania. We were excited to share our experiences working in the pharmaceutical industry with biomedical graduate students. We were joined by Dara Reeves, Sr. Scientist at Janssen, to chat with members of the Ernest E. Just Biomedical Society. This group "aims to serve the general academic, social and professional needs of the biomedical community, with an emphasis on the retention of underrepresented PhD students."
Recently, I attended a seminar in which the topic of career development was raised. The speakers addressed the steps that a professional can take to be “successful” in his/her career. This idea of success in one's career made me think about what success means to me. I do not think that success is merely a promotion (although I will gladly accept a promotion!). For me, success in my career is much more holistic. I believe that individuals should have the freedom to define career success in their own terms.
...continue reading "How I define success in my career"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.