Phd in sciences looking for second career

[Anonymous]

I am 10 years post graduation and work in a stable job with a high 5 figure salary. No chances for advancement in this job, pay likely to remain the Sam for the next 5 years and am too junior for a management position. The thing is I am bored of the work and can't see myself doing the same thing for the next several years. Private jobs in my field are rare. What would you do in my position?

[Anonymous]

Have you looked at NIH, FDA and biotech jobs? How about associations, or lobbying? Law school is also an interesting option for you.
Are you in the DC area?

[Anonymous]

Yes, I am in the DC area. I thought I would write the patent exam and try law school but from what i am hearing,law jobs are hard to come by, enrollment has dropped 30% and law schools are firing faculty, so I am wary of going this route. FDA regulatory jobs sound interesting but am not sure how to break into this field. This is a good suggestion and I will investigate more. I currently work in a national lab so NIH will probably be the same sort of work and I am not sure I want to be a lab monkey any longer.

[Anonymous]

I haven't looked into lobbying or associations. Something to consider. Thank you for the suggestions.

[Anonymous]

I'm PP. I have a lot of associations personal and professional akin to your background. You don't need to worry as much about the law industry downturn as the non-specialists. There is a lot of work out there and senior people who are looking for a new generation to train.
It depends on what direction you are inclined. You know FDA and NIH need policy people, as much as industry people need representatives to make an educated case. You have a lot of options outside the lab and postdoctoral box.

[Anonymous]

PP here, patent examiner also very feasible for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 10 years post graduation and work in a stable job with a high 5 figure salary. No chances for advancement in this job, pay likely to remain the Sam for the next 5 years and am too junior for a management position. The thing is I am bored of the work and can't see myself doing the same thing for the next several years. Private jobs in my field are rare. What would you do in my position?

what type of science? trading/finance is littered with physics phd's.

are you strong in R, sql, matlab? Sports analytics - mlb, nba, etc.

Consulting - reach out to someone in strategy consulting - they'll be interested in atleast screening you for a role.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm PP. I have a lot of associations personal and professional akin to your background. You don't need to worry as much about the law industry downturn as the non-specialists. There is a lot of work out there and senior people who are looking for a new generation to train.
It depends on what direction you are inclined. You know FDA and NIH need policy people, as much as industry people need representatives to make an educated case. You have a lot of options outside the lab and postdoctoral box.

What would I look for in terms of job descriptions of titles? I want I set up some informational interviews and check out profiles if necessary. My thought was to prepare for the patent exam and see how I like it. At this point in career, I am beyond post doc positions. I could try out a postdoc in a new to me but somewhat related field and learn some new skills but I fear I will just be delaying my departure from lab science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 10 years post graduation and work in a stable job with a high 5 figure salary. No chances for advancement in this job, pay likely to remain the Sam for the next 5 years and am too junior for a management position. The thing is I am bored of the work and can't see myself doing the same thing for the next several years. Private jobs in my field are rare. What would you do in my position?

what type of science? trading/finance is littered with physics phd's.

are you strong in R, sql, matlab? Sports analytics - mlb, nba, etc.

Consulting - reach out to someone in strategy consulting - they'll be interested in atleast screening you for a role.

Biophysics. Lots of experience in Matlab and other computational programming. No SQL but I pick up programming languages fast because of my engineering undergrad. I haven't bothered with Python, Java etc because they are not of much use in my current role.

What sort of companies should I contact? Sorry to sound obtuse but strategy consulting is not something I know anything about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 10 years post graduation and work in a stable job with a high 5 figure salary. No chances for advancement in this job, pay likely to remain the Sam for the next 5 years and am too junior for a management position. The thing is I am bored of the work and can't see myself doing the same thing for the next several years. Private jobs in my field are rare. What would you do in my position?

what type of science? trading/finance is littered with physics phd's.

are you strong in R, sql, matlab? Sports analytics - mlb, nba, etc.

Consulting - reach out to someone in strategy consulting - they'll be interested in atleast screening you for a role.

Biophysics. Lots of experience in Matlab and other computational programming. No SQL but I pick up programming languages fast because of my engineering undergrad. I haven't bothered with Python, Java etc because they are not of much use in my current role.

What sort of companies should I contact? Sorry to sound obtuse but strategy consulting is not something I know anything about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 10 years post graduation and work in a stable job with a high 5 figure salary. No chances for advancement in this job, pay likely to remain the Sam for the next 5 years and am too junior for a management position. The thing is I am bored of the work and can't see myself doing the same thing for the next several years. Private jobs in my field are rare. What would you do in my position?

what type of science? trading/finance is littered with physics phd's.

are you strong in R, sql, matlab? Sports analytics - mlb, nba, etc.

Consulting - reach out to someone in strategy consulting - they'll be interested in atleast screening you for a role.

Biophysics. Lots of experience in Matlab and other computational programming. No SQL but I pick up programming languages fast because of my engineering undergrad. I haven't bothered with Python, Java etc because they are not of much use in my current role.

What sort of companies should I contact? Sorry to sound obtuse but strategy consulting is not something I know anything about.

D.E. Shaw - you are a typical candidacy for them. quant hedge fund and run their own bio research arm on the side.

AQR

Renaissance Tech.

Bridgewater (largest HF on the planet)

Reach out via alumni association (of all your schools) business school regarding putting you in touch with alums who work in bulge bracket trading desks. You can use linkedin as well. GS, JPM, C, MS, BAC - though with your profile, you are a more typical hire on buyside quant fund.

Jane Street

Susquehanna Investment Group.

Did you ever want to work in sports? Your skill set is heavily in demand in baseball especially - specifically cubs, astros, (i know phillies are looking for a analytics person ).

if you like basketball the houston rockets and philly 76ers would love to talk to you of the top of my head

However if you go the sports route, you are trading your stability for high risk low pay but potential very high reward.

Strategy consulting: McKinsey APD - http://www.mckinsey.com/careers/your_career/your_background/advanced_professional_degrees

BCG and bain to a lesser extent but I would try to find mckinsey consultants on linkedin that went to your alma mater(s) and reach out to them to set up an info interview to see if that's something you would want to do.

The benefit of MBB consulting is you can stay in DC - pretty much everything else i've mentioned you would have to move.

So this would be my game plan in your shoes:

1. Reach out to career services and or alum association of all 2/3 of your alma maters and ask to get put in touch with people who work in MBB consulting or buyside quantitative finance/trading (if you would be interested in the later).

2. look at linkedin to find alums of your school(s) that work at tehse places and contact them. mckinsey email format: [e-mail]

3. if these firms do OCI at your alma maters, ask career services to be placed in contact with the recruiting contact they have for these firms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 10 years post graduation and work in a stable job with a high 5 figure salary. No chances for advancement in this job, pay likely to remain the Sam for the next 5 years and am too junior for a management position. The thing is I am bored of the work and can't see myself doing the same thing for the next several years. Private jobs in my field are rare. What would you do in my position?

what type of science? trading/finance is littered with physics phd's.

are you strong in R, sql, matlab? Sports analytics - mlb, nba, etc.

Consulting - reach out to someone in strategy consulting - they'll be interested in atleast screening you for a role.

Biophysics. Lots of experience in Matlab and other computational programming. No SQL but I pick up programming languages fast because of my engineering undergrad. I haven't bothered with Python, Java etc because they are not of much use in my current role.

What sort of companies should I contact? Sorry to sound obtuse but strategy consulting is not something I know anything about.

D.E. Shaw - you are a typical candidacy for them. quant hedge fund and run their own bio research arm on the side.

AQR

Renaissance Tech.

Bridgewater (largest HF on the planet)

Reach out via alumni association (of all your schools) business school regarding putting you in touch with alums who work in bulge bracket trading desks. You can use linkedin as well. GS, JPM, C, MS, BAC - though with your profile, you are a more typical hire on buyside quant fund.

Jane Street

Susquehanna Investment Group.

Did you ever want to work in sports? Your skill set is heavily in demand in baseball especially - specifically cubs, astros, (i know phillies are looking for a analytics person ).

if you like basketball the houston rockets and philly 76ers would love to talk to you of the top of my head

However if you go the sports route, you are trading your stability for high risk low pay but potential very high reward.

Strategy consulting: McKinsey APD - http://www.mckinsey.com/careers/your_career/your_background/advanced_professional_degrees

BCG and bain to a lesser extent but I would try to find mckinsey consultants on linkedin that went to your alma mater(s) and reach out to them to set up an info interview to see if that's something you would want to do.

The benefit of MBB consulting is you can stay in DC - pretty much everything else i've mentioned you would have to move.

So this would be my game plan in your shoes:

1. Reach out to career services and or alum association of all 2/3 of your alma maters and ask to get put in touch with people who work in MBB consulting or buyside quantitative finance/trading (if you would be interested in the later).

2. look at linkedin to find alums of your school(s) that work at tehse places and contact them. mckinsey email format: [e-mail]

3. if these firms do OCI at your alma maters, ask career services to be placed in contact with the recruiting contact they have for these firms.

Thanks for all this info. Lots to think and consider.

[Anonymous]

Teach high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am 10 years post graduation and work in a stable job with a high 5 figure salary. No chances for advancement in this job, pay likely to remain the Sam for the next 5 years and am too junior for a management position. The thing is I am bored of the work and can't see myself doing the same thing for the next several years. Private jobs in my field are rare. What would you do in my position?

what type of science? trading/finance is littered with physics phd's.

are you strong in R, sql, matlab? Sports analytics - mlb, nba, etc.

Consulting - reach out to someone in strategy consulting - they'll be interested in atleast screening you for a role.

Biophysics. Lots of experience in Matlab and other computational programming. No SQL but I pick up programming languages fast because of my engineering undergrad. I haven't bothered with Python, Java etc because they are not of much use in my current role.

What sort of companies should I contact? Sorry to sound obtuse but strategy consulting is not something I know anything about.

D.E. Shaw - you are a typical candidacy for them. quant hedge fund and run their own bio research arm on the side.

AQR

Renaissance Tech.

Bridgewater (largest HF on the planet)

Reach out via alumni association (of all your schools) business school regarding putting you in touch with alums who work in bulge bracket trading desks. You can use linkedin as well. GS, JPM, C, MS, BAC - though with your profile, you are a more typical hire on buyside quant fund.

Jane Street

Susquehanna Investment Group.

Did you ever want to work in sports? Your skill set is heavily in demand in baseball especially - specifically cubs, astros, (i know phillies are looking for a analytics person ).

if you like basketball the houston rockets and philly 76ers would love to talk to you of the top of my head

However if you go the sports route, you are trading your stability for high risk low pay but potential very high reward.

Strategy consulting: McKinsey APD - http://www.mckinsey.com/careers/your_career/your_background/advanced_professional_degrees

BCG and bain to a lesser extent but I would try to find mckinsey consultants on linkedin that went to your alma mater(s) and reach out to them to set up an info interview to see if that's something you would want to do.

The benefit of MBB consulting is you can stay in DC - pretty much everything else i've mentioned you would have to move.

So this would be my game plan in your shoes:

1. Reach out to career services and or alum association of all 2/3 of your alma maters and ask to get put in touch with people who work in MBB consulting or buyside quantitative finance/trading (if you would be interested in the later).

2. look at linkedin to find alums of your school(s) that work at tehse places and contact them. mckinsey email format: [e-mail]

3. if these firms do OCI at your alma maters, ask career services to be placed in contact with the recruiting contact they have for these firms.

Thanks for all this info. Lots to think and consider.

No prob. If you get a job in MBB or a quant buyside fund or quant desk at a BB bank, remember who sparked it off for you and help a bro out when you get that first bonus that's atleast half of what you make yearly now.

Remember, if you go this path you are definitely trading away hours and some stability for much higher comp, stress, and hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Teach high school.

Taught undergrads but didn't enjoy it much. Not bad but just didn't have a passion for it beyond course design and lab classes.