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The goal of the Rutgers University’s iJOBS Program (interdisciplinary Job Opportunities for Biomedical Scientists) is to expose biomedical PhD students and postdoctoral fellows to the large variety of non-academic career options as well as give them skills useful for academic careers.  iJOBS was established by a grant from the NIH Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training initiative in January 2015 to serve the graduate students and postdocs at the New Brunswick/Piscataway, Newark, and Camden Rutgers campuses. There are 4 phases of the iJOBS program. Phase 1, iNQUIRE, is open to anyone who wants to participate and consists of career panels covering a range of career paths including, among others, Science and Health Policy, Intellectual Property Management, Industrial Development & Business Management, Clinical and Regulatory Testing Support, Health & Science Data Analysis, Science Writing, Non-profit Organizations, Publishing, Science Education, and Finance.  Trainees also can participate in site visits to industrial partners, networking sessions with professionals, and skills-building workshops.  SciPhD is an intensive workshop offered annually focused on enhancing communication, leadership, teamwork, business, negotiation and project management skills. In Phase 2, iNITIATE, a smaller cohort of trainees formally commit to the iJOBS program and apply to take part in intensive training and coursework for their career track of choice. Industrial partners demonstrate the career’s practical side with hosting of shadowing/externship activities. Throughout, individual development plans document the journey and a professional mentor guides and advises trainee progress. Within Phase 3, iMPLEMENT, resume, LinkedIn and application packages are honed and interview skills perfected with iJOBS training and one-on-one coaching. Upon successful career placement, iJOBS program alumni are encouraged to share their wisdom with new iJOBS trainees in Phase 4, iNSTRUCT as they serve as mentors, event hosts and shadow partners.

Click here for a document file of the above paragraph.

Applications for Phase 2 of iJOBS: The career panels, site visits and workshops that constitute Phase 1 continue all year and we hope you will participate in them actively.  If you are also interested in getting more involved in iJOBS we have opened this cycle of Phase 2 applications for grad students, postdocs, and alumni of Rutgers, Princeton, Stevens, Rowan and NJIT.  

Phase 2 benefits: 

1) you will have an opportunity to shadow a professional in your career of interest for about 2 days a month over a semester. You tell us what career you want to pursue and we will find someone who is appropriate and match you to a shadow host. 

2) you will have an opportunity to take a class in the other semester that you are not doing the shadowing.  The class you select will help you prepare for your career of interest that you can select based on your interest (e.g. practical aspects of clinical trial design, project management, principles of finance and accounting)

3) you will get assigned a mentor to work on an individual development plan (IDP) with. This mentor is different from your shadow host and will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and come up with a plan to prepare for your career.

Phase 2 applications require at least 12 hours of Phase 1 activities, a personal statement, permission from your PI, and a letter of recommendation from your PI or another faculty member.  Grad students must be in good academic standing and have completed the proposition qualifier by Fall 2024 to apply.  Postdocs and alumni may apply at any stage.

Applications are due by May 1 and admissions decisions will be made by June 3. All accepted trainees will meet individual with the program directors to discuss their personalized plan for Phase 2 in terms of shadowing, course, and mentor.  Phase 2 for 2024 will start in September.  Phase 2 applications only open once a year.  

Please follow the instructions carefully on the attached application. FAQ as well as examples of courses should address questions that you might have. 

An individual development plan (IDP) helps you explore career possibilities and set goals to follow the career path that fits you best.

To explore careers that might be a good fit for your interests and skills, you can visit AAAS MyIDP website.

For the Rutgers iJOBS IDP document, please click here.