Are you curious about the myriad of career paths available in the bioscience industry? Check out the various opportunities and resources below curated specifically for STEM PhDs.
Understand the Drug Development Process
Bringing a drug candidate to the market is arduous process (ranges from 10-15 years) that entails rigorous scientific testing and collaboration with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Steps in this process include discovery and development, preclinical research, clinical research, FDA review, and post-market safety monitoring.
Learn from GSAS Alumnus:
OCS’s Recommendations:
- Charles River Laboratory webinar (covers the phases of drug development)
- Technology Networks: Exploring the drug development process
- FDA: The drug development process
Find Your Fit in the Bioscience Industry
Learn from GSAS Alumnus:
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Director at BridgeBio PhD ’20, Immunobiology |
Associate Director at Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. PhD ’15, MBA, Immunobiology |
Director at Vertex Pharmaceuticals PhD ’12, Cell Biology |
Click here to listen to our panelists’ career journey and insightsPanelists’ Recommended ResourcesPodcastsSocieties |
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Katie Smith Senior Research Investigator at Arvinas PhD ’11, Biophysical Chemistry Click here to listen to Dr. Smith’s career journey and insights |
OCS’s Recommendations:
- Which size of pharma company is the best fit for you?
- Careers in biotech and pharma: The right fit
- Working for a contract research organization
Career Diversity in Biotech and Pharma
Bench scientists are just one type of role in the bioscience industry—there are also roles in clinical trials, production, quality assurance, sales and marketing, and more. Listen to this panel discussion and learn directly from alums’ experiences.
- Daniel Schlingman, PhD ’11 – Manager Product Development at Abbott
- Harvey Chin, PhD ’10 – Staff Scientist at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
- Jennifer Saucier-Sawyer, PhD ’15 – Principal Scientist at Sarepta Therapeutics
- Traci Mansfield, PhD ’98 – Compound Development Team Leader at Janssen Pharmaceuticals
OCS’s Recommendation:
Consider Industry Postdocs
Industry postdocs are an excellent option to network and gain industry experience. Hear from panelists currently in industry postdoc positions about their experiences and get all of your questions answered!
- Valerie Su, PhD ’20 – Scientist at Sanofi
- Siyu Feng, PhD ’19 at UC Berkeley-UCSF – Scientist at BridgeBio
Prepare for the Bioscience Job Search
Are you preparing to look for jobs in the biotech and pharma sector? Hear from recent Yale PhD grads and hiring managers about the process of applying and interviewing for jobs in the bioscience industry.
Learn from GSAS Alumnus:
- Gayan Mirihana Arachchilage, PhD ’19 – Senior Scientist at PTC Therapeutics
- Catherine Hofler, PhD ’11 – Director of Research at Emerald Therapeutics
- Aarushi Gupta, PhD ’20 – Scientist at Moderna
OCS’s Recommendations:
- iBiology Job Hunting in Industry video series
- BioSpace
- Biotechnology Innovation Organization: sign up for their newsletter here!
OCS’s Books & Podcasts Recommendations
Books:
- Genentech: The Beginnings of Biotech by Sally Smith Hughes
- The Antidote by Barry Werth
- Her-2: The Making of Herceptin by Robert Bazell
Podcasts: