By Alcina A Rodrigues
Many graduate students associate earning a PhD degree with academic research or laboratory careers. However, no single path leads from a PhD to a science-related career, and stepping away from bench work doesn’t mean leaving science behind. A career panel for “Non-Bench Careers with a PhD” offered broader perspectives on a career in science, featuring professionals across science policy, intellectual property (IP), patent law, regulatory affairs, commercial strategy, and medical communications. This article explores five different career paths, paths to learn about non-bench careers, and advice from the panelists.
Five PhDs, Different Career Paths
Dr. Angelica Barrerto is a Science Diplomacy Fellow for the National Science Policy Network at the New Jersey Department of Health, where she manages grants and reviews grantee progress. She ensures projects align with their agency's goals. She also builds partnerships with organizations across New Jersey to connect programs with the populations they serve.
Dr. Elysa Goldberg is Executive Director, Assistant General Counsel, and a patent attorney at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. She works closely with scientific teams to monitor emerging research and determine when innovations should be protected through patents or trade secrets. She manages IP portfolios across areas including antibody-generating technologies, vaccines, immunology, and siRNA. She also leads IP education and operations initiatives across Regeneron.
Dr. Shereka Banton is an Associate Director in Regulatory Affairs at Johnson & Johnson. Her day-to-day work involves developing regulatory strategies, coordinating with global teams and health authorities, and ensuring products stay on track for approval.
Dr. Eve Reilly is Director of Global Commercial Oncology Marketing at Merck. She leads commercial strategy for early-stage drugs from preclinical development through subsequent phases. Her work involves understanding the science, evaluating competitors and market trends, and assessing how changes in the clinical landscape affect a drug’s commercial potential.
Dr. Samantha Avina is a Scientific Associate at International Meetings & Science (IMsci). In her role, she supports the development of scientific content for pharmaceutical clients, including conference materials and advisory board presentations. She also adapts these materials for different audiences and international markets.
Finding a career beyond the bench
Several panelists realized they did not want to continue bench work during graduate school. Dr. Barreto, for example, realized this around her third year and began exploring other opportunities. Her interest in science policy developed through experiences working on mental health issues affecting immigrant youth and two Rutgers programs that exposed her to the intersection of science and policy, representing Rutgers University at the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering (CASE) workshop in Washington, D.C., and as an Eagleton Science and Politics Fellow.
Rutgers University sponsors graduate students every year to attend this highly competitive AAAS national workshop. The workshop brings together graduate students across the country to learn how scientific research informs public policy and develop skills in science communication and advocacy.
The Eagleton fellowship places participants in a government office for a year tailored to their interests. It allows fellows to gain hands-on experience in public health, policy development, and program management. Importantly, the opportunity is not limited to recent graduates; current graduate students can participate through the graduate fellowship, while PhD holders, including those who have already completed postdoctoral training or held faculty positions, can pursue the postdoctoral fellowship.
These experiences can also serve as a pathway into permanent government roles, as some fellows transition into full-time positions after completing the program.
Drs. Reilly and Banton also emphasized an internship with the Rutgers Technology Transfer Program as a crucial opportunity for graduate students to explore careers outside of bench research. Through this program, students learn about IP and patent law, collaborating with licensing managers on Rutgers-developed technologies. Students gain hands-on experience in patent assessment, commercialization, and strategizing to bring academic innovations to the market. For the panelists, this internship enabled close collaboration with scientists and built skills in IP, business strategy, and technology commercialization—competencies that later helped them transition into careers in business development, patent law, and other roles beyond benchwork.
Personally, my biggest takeaway was that exploring careers outside of research typically begins with opportunities during graduate school. Participating in conferences, enrolling in classes unrelated to your thesis, networking with industry professionals, and joining career development programs can help build connections to transition into new careers.
Advice for Graduate Students
When asked for advice for students considering a non-bench career, the panelists emphasized exploration and preparation, and starting early. Students do not need to wait until their final year of graduate school to investigate alternative careers. Conferences, internships, fellowships, workshops, student organizations, and conversations with professionals can provide opportunities to learn about different careers.
Dr. Goldberg also encouraged students to identify what they enjoy and what skills they want to build on. One panelist suggested starting with a simple exercise: Identify what brings you joy and what makes you unique. Understanding these strengths can help identify careers where they can be translated effectively.
A PhD degree opens doors to careers far beyond academic research. During PhD training, students can explore opportunities, build new skills, connect with professionals, and discover careers that apply their scientific expertise beyond the bench.
This article was edited by Senior Editors Joshua Stuckey and Antonia Kaz.