The Office of Career Strategy (OCS) recently hosted the latest installment of its PhD Pathways series, which highlights the diverse and impactful careers of Yale PhD alumni. This session focused on careers in data science, AI, and product management (PM), featuring two remarkable alumni joined who shared candid insights about transitioning from academic research to fast-moving roles in tech and biotech:
- Mehraveh Salehi (’19 PhD Electrical Engineering), Principal AI/ML Engineer at Truveta
- Gregory W. Kyro (’25 PhD Computational Biophysical Chemistry), AI Scientist at Lila Sciences
Both speakers offered a window into how their PhD experiences shaped their career paths, the strategies they used to land their first roles, and the skills that have proven most valuable in their fields. Here are the key takeaways from their discussion.
Bridging Disciplines: How Their PhDs Shaped Their Careers
Mehraveh shared how working at the intersection of healthcare, neuroscience, machine learning, and engineering taught her to move fluidly across disciplines – a skill central to leading AI team today. She highlighted the value of leadership training for graduate students, particularly Yale’s Advanced Graduate Leadership Program, which gave her early experience guiding cross-functional groups.
Greg described how his PhD journey exposed him to AI applications in chemistry just as the field was gaining momentum. Courses in business and seminars on science communication helped him learn to translate complex ideas across technical and non-technical audiences, a skill crucial in his biotech AI role.
A shared theme emerged: a PhD is not just about technical expertise – it about learning how to learn, leading projects, framing problems, and collaborating effectively. Those skills carry over directly into industry.
Finding the First Role: Networking, Curiosity, and a Little Serendipity
Mehraveh’s first post-PhD roles came through collaboration: she joined a former collaborator’s startup before moving to Truveta. Her advice: stay open to relationships and conversations – they often shape career paths more than we realize.
Greg emphasized curiosity and openness in his job search. Rather than targeting a narrow set of positions, he explored roles that genuinely interested him while staying active on professional networks. LinkedIn was crucial – not just for applications but for starting meaningful conversations. Keeping an eye on emerging startups and their funding trajectories also helped him connect with opportunities aligned with his interests.
The AI Job Market: What’s Changing and What Still Matters
The panelists noted trends in AI hiring:
- Large tech and pharma companies increasingly rely on referrals and professional networks.
- Startups focus more on adaptability, energy, and willingness to build than on formal credentials.
- The AI boom – particularly around large language models and agentic systems – has made curiosity and learning agility more valuable than mastery of a single tool.
Yet fundamentals remain critical:
- Strong conceptual grounding in machine learning
- Clean, maintainable coding practices
- The ability to articulate the “why” behind your work, not just the “how”
Greg observed that while AI can now generate decent code, the ability to design, reason, and structure projects is becoming the key differentiator.
Internships and Experience: How to Stand Out
Both speakers emphasized the value of internships, not only for strengthening resumes but also for clarifying what type of work feels right.
When internships aren’t available, they suggested:
- High-impact personal or lab projects
- Contributions to open-source repositories
- Clear documentation and storytelling around your work
Greg put it succinctly: “Your GitHub should show not just code, but thinking.”
Transitioning from Academia to Industry: Framing Your Impact
A major takeaway was the need to reframe your PhD experience for industry:
- Academia emphasizes rigor, detail, and precision.
- Industry highlights impact, scope, and decision-making.
Mehraveh advised: “You are more than your methods. Show people what you can do with your skills.”
Greg suggested focusing on:
- How your work changed understanding
- How you made decisions under uncertainty
- How you collaborated and led processes
To learn more about our PhD Pathways series and other annual programming offered by OCS, please visit our programming overview here.
