By Zachary Fritz
When you hear the term “postdoc”, do you think of a recent PhD graduate, diligently working in an academic research lab with the hopes of one day becoming a tenured professor? Were you aware that a postdoc could be a stepping stone to a career as a scientist in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries? On February 5th, the Rutgers iJOBS Program hosted a virtual panel with four RU alumni to help demystify this often overlooked route. The event’s panelists explained the typical interview process for an industrial postdoc, outlined the job expectations at each of their companies, and gave some career preparation advice. Each panelist came from a different company and emphasized that a postdoc in industry is one of the best starting positions if you desire a career in hands-on research at a pharmaceutical or biotech company.
Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Regeneron, and Eli Lilly all had postdocs on the panel of iJOBS' February 5th event.
Bristol Myers Squibb, Regeneron, Merck, and Eli Lilly were represented at the event by Dr. Kubra Karagoz, Dr. Aysegul Guvenek, Dr. Yixiao Zhang, and Dr. Anchal Sharma, respectively. All panelists had been in their current positions for a year or less, though both Drs. Karagoz and Sharma did academic postdocs at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) prior to being hired by their companies. While their companies and areas of study differed, the panelists shared many experiences, including coming from international student backgrounds and undergoing very similar application and hiring processes. The panelists explained this typical interview process at the start of the event, while further questions and virtual breakout rooms fostered discussion about job roles/expectations, company culture, and additional career advice.
Applying and Interviewing
After the introductions, the panelists quickly addressed a hot topic for graduate students on a job hunt: what was your interview process like? The answers were surprisingly consistent. If a company is interested in your application, your phase one interview is typically a 30-45 minute phone interview where you can introduce yourself and talk a bit about your scientific background. Phase two is usually a presentation to the entire research team of your prospective lab (previously on-site but now often virtual due to COVID-19) of your doctoral thesis work, with a Q&A session at the end. For the final phase, it is common to have many (eight or more) one on one interviews with various members of the team. The panelists stressed that most of the questions asked in these interviews were technical, i.e. focusing on their scientific background, skillset, and problem-solving abilities, though Drs. Zhang and Sharma recalled some behavioral/personality focused questions. Dr. Zhang emphasized that during both your presentation and individual interviews you should find some way to tie in any research experience you have with your prospective lab’s work. His own doctoral research in the Rutgers Chemistry department at first seemed to be a far cry from the work he would eventually be doing at Merck’s Upstream Bioprocesses. However, Dr. Zhang realized he did have some valuable experience in mammalian cell culture and other biology-based skills, and made sure to mention this during his presentation and interviews.
The most important point, Dr. Sharma noted, is to thoroughly read the postdoc job description and tailor your resume and/or CV to the job requirements.
Sometimes just landing a phone interview can prove extremely competitive, so the panelists had some tips for making your application stand out. The most important point, Dr. Sharma noted, is to thoroughly read the postdoc job description and tailor your resume and/or CV to the job requirements. Be sure to use keywords, which are the specific skills and knowledge areas one would need regularly for the position. Dr. Guvenek noted the importance of a complete LinkedIn profile, so be on the lookout for relevant iJOBS events or sign up for a virtual LinkedIn or resume critique session with the Rutgers Office of Career Exploration and Success. Additionally, Dr. Zhang acknowledged that having an industrial internship on your resume is particularly attractive to recruiters. Surprisingly only one of the panelists, Dr. Guvenek, utilized her network of contacts to help her secure an application and interview opportunity. . It goes to show that while networking may not be the end-all-be-all in this field, it still helps to look for possible connections everywhere!
After You’ve Been Hired
You might be asking yourself, what can I expect as a postdoc in industry? Generally, a few things hold true across all industry postdoc programs: the positions last 1-4 years, they are focused on basic research (i.e. not on products that are already in the development pipeline), and yield at least one publication. The starting salaries ($70-$75k) are usually $10-$15k higher than an academic postdoc. That being said, the structures of postdoc programs can vary quite a bit between companies. In some cases, as with Dr. Karagoz, you’ll be in charge of selecting and writing your own project proposal (with some input from mentors), while other companies pair you with a mentor who will already have a project in mind or a list of ideas for you to choose from. Depending on the company, side projects and collaborations can also be possible, though the panelists emphasized that publishing the results of your main project is of paramount importance. There often isn’t any formal onboarding process, but all of the postdocs assured that training is readily available for techniques you may not be familiar with. In fact, all of the panelists touted their companies as very supportive in terms of learning new skills, providing benefits like maternity leave, and visa sponsorship for international students.
One critical question was left for the end of the event: is a postdoc absolutely necessary if you want to pursue biomedical research in industry? While the panelists noted that it was common for well-performing postdocs to be hired as permanent scientists by their companies, a postdoc as a prerequisite might vary by field and company. Dr Guvenek, for example, felt that in her field of bioinformatics there are plenty of industry jobs that don’t require a prior postdoc, whereas Dr. Sharma thought that such jobs were rare in her field. Dr. Karagoz also pointed out that her company, BMS, typically only hires PhDs without postdoc experience as contractors. It is also possible that if you apply for a permanent scientist position without quite enough relevant experience, a company may still hire you as a postdoc with the intention of building up your skillset.
Even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, pharmaceutical and biotech companies (including all the ones represented at this event) are still hiring. Whether you decide to apply as a postdoc, contractor, or try your luck with a permanent scientist position, it’s time to polish up your resume, practice your interviewing skills, and get your name out there!
This article was edited by Junior Editor Natalie Losada and Senior Editor Samantha Avina.