Anita Blakeston
Projects Manager at Surgical MedTech CooperativeMy take-home message to anyone is always to be realistic and recognise who and what you are and to follow that.
Researchers find all sorts of rewarding careers – smart people work everywhere!
Such diversity in potential roles can prove challenging when exploring your options. This collection of career profiles enables you to see what others in your position chose to do, why and how they made the move, and what they most enjoy about their job. You will get a feel for their daily activities, workplace culture and work-life balance.Top tip: Look out for authors’ insights into which skills developed during or after their PhD proved helpful in getting their job, and performing well there. You’ll be encouraged to see how people are building on their research expertise to thrive in newer roles.And don’t miss the “employer bio” at the end of each career profile for careers opportunities in each organisation.
Recent profiles
Amy Bilderbeck
Senior Scientist at P1vital LtdI most enjoy the feeling of being a competent, trusted, and an empowered member of my team; capable and effectual in helping us to achieve the goals that we set.
James Cooper
Research Leader at CGGA Ph.D. is about much more than demonstrating problem solving and analytical abilities. Learning to collaborate and communicate effectively with others is a key aspect of research, both in academia and the workplace.
Burcu Anil Kirmizitas
Medical Writer at Ogilvy HealthworldIf you have doubts about whether academia is for you, don’t wait too long thinking “What if I stay a bit longer?” to see if those doubts subside.
Sam Wills
Economist at Rokos Capital ManagementWhen you are deciding on what your goalposts will be, speak to as many people as you can to get a feel for what’s out there.
Giulia Spinato
Systems Engineer at SESMy motto is ‘always choose the hardest battle, never stop looking for the unbeaten path’.
Katherine Fletcher
Research Communications Officer at Parkinson’s UKBe proactive and nurture your skills outside of the lab. Think about your career options early, so you have time to build your CV. Think about what motivates you and follow what you enjoy.
Joshua Maher
Associate Consultant at IQVIAIt’s very rewarding working directly with patients and exploring their experiences on different treatments. I also love the collaborative atmosphere and working across multiple areas, as you gain a lot of experience over a relatively short period of time.
Fiona F Peevers (nee Cahill)
Scientist at Immunocore LtdDuring my DPhil I learned the importance of teamwork to obtain the desired outcome in the most efficient time. As all staff working for a company have one common goal that is to deliver a medicine that will improve the lives of patients, I felt teamwork would be even more valuable to a company.
Yaoyao Xiong
Research Scientist at Oxford Nanoimaging (ONI)It is great to be part of something where the progress is really tangible and your contributions really do seem to make a difference. I most enjoy the sense of reward when we overcome a difficult problem or successfully bring together technologies we’ve developed.
Michelle Castelletti
Director at Oxford Festival of the Arts (UK) | Three Palaces Festival (Malta)My research training set me up to believe that academic rigour, the levels of observation and the analytical skills gained, and the way one presents ones arguments, filters into everything one does later on in life.
Alison Murphy
Associate Medical Writer at Oxford PharmaGenesisMy advice for researchers leaving academia would be: do not be afraid! There are many varied roles out there – more than you realise!