By Sonal Garg
Not all PhD students want to stay in academia, but many of us are not ready to give up research either. Fortunately, we do not have to choose. R&D departments in pharma and biotech hire skilled PhD scientists to continue making scientific discoveries, but breaking into industry is increasingly competitive and requires a deliberate strategy. To help trainees better understand this, the Rutgers iJOBS program hosted a Career Panel on Research Positions in Industry, which brought together four Rutgers-affiliated PhD alumni who now work at the bench or manage research programs in industry. Each alum shared how they landed their first roles, what companies look for when hiring scientists, and what research looks like outside of academia. The event focused on one central question: Can you keep doing hands-on science after leaving academia? Continue reading to find out!
Meet the panelists
Nisha Singh, PhD, is a Senior Scientist in Discovery Neuroscience at Merck. After earning a BS in molecular biology from Lehigh University and a PhD in cell and developmental biology from Rutgers, where she studied spinal cord injury and neuropathic pain, Dr. Singh entered industry through a contract position. In her current full-time position, she leads a team that identifies and validates therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's, by developing assays, preclinical models, and translational biomarkers. For this position, she still spends 70–80% of her day at the bench and estimates that 50–60% of her techniques overlap with her PhD training.
Kiran Vemuri, PhD, is a Senior Scientist in Translational Development at Bristol Myers Squibb. Dr. Vemuri received her BS in Biochemistry in India and MS in Biotechnology at NYU while interning at Merck. Before beginning her PhD at Rutgers, she worked for 2.5 years as a research technician at Memorial Sloan Kettering. As a PhD student, she received an American Heart Association fellowship and published three first-author papers. In her current position at BMS, she supports oncology drugs already in Phase 2/3 trials by collaborating with teams across the company's drug pipeline. Her responsibilities include generating preclinical data packages for FDA submissions, characterizing the mechanism of action, and identifying biomarkers and combination therapies to extend a drug's reach. She currently divides her time equally between the lab and cross-functional meetings.
Chen Wang, PhD, is a Principal Scientist in Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) at Sanofi. CMC bridges research and manufacturing, ensuring that drugs developed in the lab can be produced and safely injected into humans. After earning her PhD at Rutgers, including completing a final year at the NIH, she worked at Novavax, the startup Precigen, and Sarepta Therapeutics. At Sanofi, she now leads downstream purification process development for adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies. As the Principal Scientist, she spends about 80% of her time guiding her team's experiments and mentoring junior scientists rather than doing bench work herself.
Cemile Bektas, PhD, is a Senior Scientist in the Tissue Materials Science group at AbbVie. After earning her PhD in Turkey and completing a five-year postdoc at Rutgers, she applied to over 100 positions. A connection through her PI led to a contract role at AbbVie, which transitioned into a full-time position within a few months. Her current work involves product development: materials characterization, in vitro assays, in vivo studies, and support from the concept to product launch. Interestingly, she applies 80–90% of her PhD and postdoc skills in her current role and spends most of her time at the bench.
Together, the panelists represented a wide range of industry roles, from bench-focused discovery research to project leadership and process development, illustrating the many ways scientists can build careers outside academia.
Advice from the Panelists
Network before you need a job: Networking was the most consistent piece of advice from the panel. Many opportunities arise through collaboration, mentorship, and leadership experiences. When networking, do not feel awkward starting a conversation and be prepared to discuss your research. Connect with professionals on LinkedIn; people working in your target area offer valuable insights into team culture, the hiring process, open positions, and whether the company sponsors visas. The iJOBS director Dr. Janet Alder added a practical tip: start requesting informational interviews now. A 20–30-minute conversation can build relationships that later become referrals. Alternate weeks, message two Rutgers alumni in roles you want, and set up a 20-minute call.
Tailor your application according to the job description: Kiran applied to more than 400 positions before landing her first role, and her callbacks only started once she created a separate, tailored resume for every single posting. Before submitting a resume, see that more than 60% relates to the job description; if not, remake it. Applying within 2–3 days of a job being posted and using an internal referral link from someone in your network will improve your odds. The panelists also stressed the importance of thoroughly preparing for your interviews and learning about the company.
Contract roles can open doors: Surprisingly, two of the four panelists entered the industry through contracting agencies (Dr. Singh through Pyramid Consulting and Dr. Bektas through Hiregenics). As a contract hire, your employer, pay, and benefits differ from a full-time role, but the day-to-day work is identical. Both panelists converted to permanent positions within 2 years. Dr. Singh noted that being inside the company and directly contributing is a real advantage when full-time openings arise. Being in a contract position builds experience, demonstrates your value, and establishes connections within a company. These positions may lead to a very high chance of securing a full-time position. So, do not exclude contract positions when searching for a job.
Your PhD skills transfer more than you think: Panelists encouraged trainees to recognize their cumulative research experience. Your undergrad, master's, PhD, and postdoc can easily add up to 8–10 years of research. Just as important is learning to communicate how those experiences apply to industry roles. Building skills is more important than the number of publications, and the quality of your publications matters more than quantity. Communication, teamwork, and project management carry as much weight as technical expertise.
Navigating the job market as an international student: The panelists acknowledged that international candidates often face additional challenges in the job market. Be strategic about which companies you target and ask your network directly about sponsorship policies before investing in an application. They encouraged international students to consider smaller companies or contracting agencies as an entry point before pursuing opportunities at larger pharmaceutical companies.
Audience Q&A Highlights
- Are industries using AI daily? Yes, companies are investing in AI in the drug discovery pipeline. For example, Sanofi has a collaboration with Gemini. However, you do not need to become an AI expert before entering industry, as companies train you on their internal platforms.
- Big pharma, small biotech, or contract research organization (CRO)? Each environment offers different advantages. Large pharmaceutical companies offer structure, resources, and professionalism. Small biotech companies offer broader responsibilities and exposure to multiple areas of research. CROs, which pharma companies outsource work to, readily hire fresh PhDs and postdocs, and it is a great way to gain industry experience.
- How do you learn about companies? Stay informed about industry news through resources like Fierce Biotech and Fierce Pharma. Learn what's in a company's pipeline, recent announcements, and strategic priorities before your interview. Interviewers notice when you've done the homework, and it demonstrates genuine interest and helps candidates stand out.
- What determines whether you get an interview? The panelists cite three major factors: how well your experience matches the job description, your publication record (for research roles), and your genuine interest in the company. Always send a thank-you email to your interviewers after the interview.
- Internships for international students? Industry internship postings open 6–9 months before the start date (around September). Apply as you would for a regular job, and CPT (Curricular Practical Training) can provide work authorization.
None of the panelists followed an easy path into industry. They all submitted hundreds of applications, faced rejections, and worked through it. However, what separated these panelists was that they started 6–12 months before graduation. They treated networking as an essential part of the job search, rather than as an afterthought. They also remained open to unconventional opportunities such as contract positions. The key is to keep applying, be consistent, and if the approach is right, something will happen. For trainees considering a research career outside academia, the panel offered an encouraging message: leaving academia does not mean leaving science.
This article was edited by Junior editor Matthew Brown and Senior editor Antonia Kaz.