9/22/2017 1:48:18 PM
This
week marked the eighth annual National Postdoc Appreciation Week to celebrate the
important contributions postdocs make to research and innovation in the U.S. Around
the country, institutions showed their appreciation for postdocs with social
events, research symposia and career workshops.
Here
at the ASBMB, we love postdocs year-round and offer a number of postdoc training opportunities, awards and career
resources
to support your professional development. In fact, next
we’ll have a great membership deal that will make joining the ASBMB and the
National Postdoctoral Association even more affordable than usual. (We’re
switching to a new membership-information system this week, so check back.)
Postdocs
are the powerhouses of research productivity, and they play a significant role in
training the next generation of scientists under them. Postdocs make amazing
mentors because they offer experience but still are close enough to the nuances (and frustrations)
associated with bench work.
We
know that postdocs often are underappreciated and overworked. You can read more
about the “plight of postdocs” elsewhere. While
ice-cream socials and free barbecue are a nice touch (and a much needed break
from the lab), institutions and postdoc supervisors can best show appreciation for
postdocs by continuing to work toward fair compensation and benefits, and championing
for the career advancement of their postdoctoral mentees.
Some
would argue (and perhaps rightfully so) that you don’t need to do a postdoc in
the first place, especially for industry or nonacademic career paths, but this
a moot point if you’re already in a postdoc. And the fact remains: If you want
a career in academia, then postdoctoral experience likely will be required.
My
job here is not to deter you from your career goals but to instead encourage
you to be proactive about your career development and connect you with the
resources needed to successfully transition to life after the postdoc. After
you have enjoyed some much-deserved R&R this week, take some time to really
appreciate yourself by doing a little career planning.
Here
are a few suggestions on how to spend that time.
Assess where you are in
your postdoc track.
This
fall semester would be a good time to recognize what you have accomplished so
far and what you need to do to transition out of the postdoc. One useful
exercise is to explore what types of jobs are open, even if you’re not on the
job market yet, to see what piques your interest. You can look at the job-qualifications
section to assess what other experience and skills you may need to focus on for
the rest of your postdoc period. Also, print out a few ideal job postings and
add them to your career-planning file as a good reminder of your goals.
You
can use this information to update your professional-development plan and
review with your supervisor or other mentors. Hopefully you already have started
one of these plans, as required by your institution or a granting agency. If
not, you can find a number of plan templates online via postdoc associations or
try out the myIDP hosted by Science
Careers. For example, I found a number of incredibly useful training and
development resources, including a career-transition
planning checklist
on the Argonne National
Laboratory’s Postdoctoral Office website.
Stay updated on funding
news.
It’s
always a good idea to stay updated on science-policy news to identify trends in
the research-funding landscape, upcoming funding opportunities and places that
may be hiring soon. Most scientific societies publish government-funding
information, including the ASBMB Policy Blotter and the American
Institute of Physics’ FYI: Science Policy News. You also can subscribe
to foundation news (e.g., Philanthropy News Digest) and get email
notifications about federal grants from Grants.gov.
Also
check with the sponsored programs or other research-development offices at your
home institution or alma mater for upcoming grant-writing workshops. These
workshops not only provide useful tips on preparing grant applications but also
updates on trends in what individual agencies are funding. Resources (e.g.,
presentation slides) also may be available on their respective websites. For
example,
The Ohio State
University’s Office of Research website has a number of online trainings posted.
Outline research projects.
I
have done a little
pro bono career
coaching with postdoc friends in the past, and I was surprised they did not
have a working draft of any future research ideas or plans. No matter how early
in your postdoc you may be, start a project-idea file and allocate time each
week to work on related literature searches and writing a mock proposal. Even
if you are transitioning out of academia, a similar activity can help identify what
areas of science interest you most and to formulate potential business concepts,
story ideas for science-communications work, etc.
It
also may be time to have that long-overdue conversation with your supervisor on
whether you will be able to take any part of your research project with you, if
you are applying for academic jobs. If that’s not an option, it’s especially
important to be planning a future research program in advance and reaching out
to form collaborations.
Apply for career-transition
fellowships and grants.
Securing
a fellowship or grant demonstrates your capability to formulate a clear research
plan and the potential to bring in funds in a future research position.
Especially useful (and attractive to employers) are fellowships and grants that
provide career-transition support, such as funding that can be carried over
from a postdoctoral position to an academic appointment.
In
my mind, I also consider other types of fellowships as a career-transition
program — that is, they prepare you for a specific career path with advanced
skills and training, not just a replicate of your Ph.D. program. Here are a few
biomedical-related fellowship and grant opportunities that I ran across this
week on my Twitter feed and from a few web searches.
- The
National Institutes of Health offers
several types of career-development grants (e.g., K22, K99/R00) to support the
transition of postdoc to independent researcher. Such grants fund projects in
two phases: during the postdoc appointment and then upon successful transition
to a tenure-track or equivalent faculty position. You can visit the “Research Career
Development Awards”
page to filter through programs and view current funding opportunities.
Standard due dates for new K-series submissions are Oct. 12, Feb. 12 and June
12.
- The
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
recently announced the first cohort of the Hanna H. Gray Fellows
Program
aimed at increasing diversity in academic science. Fellows are financially
supported for eight years from postdoc through the first years of a
tenure-track faculty position. Applications are being accepted through Jan. 10 for
the next competition round.
- The
Mayo Clinic runs a Clinical Microbiology Fellowship program designed to
train post-Ph.D. and M.D. scientists to be directors of clinical-microbiology
laboratories. The program includes both clinical components and management
training. The application deadline is Dec. 31. It also offers a number of similar
post-graduate fellowships for other specialties within the clinical and
medical-technology fields.
- The
Burroughs Wellcome Fund offers
several postdoctoral fellowships, including the Career Awards for Medical
Scientists
and Career Awards at the
Scientific Interface.
Both programs bridge the funding gap between postdoctoral appointment and the
early years of an academic faculty position. The CASM is designed for
physician-scientists working in biomedical, disease-oriented or translational
research areas, and applications are due Oct. 3. The deadline for the CASI has
passed for this year.
- A
number of disease-oriented nonprofits
also fund postdoctoral fellowships with options for career-transition funding
to an academic appointment. Such organizations include the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society.
While the deadlines have passed for this year for those two, you can investigate
options offered by other foundations and start a calendar of application
deadlines for next year.
In
the end, I’m not a postdoc and never will be one, so seek out advice from peers
who have faced similar career decisions. It’s important to hear your thoughts
on this topic. Please comment below or on social media with any career tips and
resources for other postdocs.
Donna Kridelbaugh is the ASBMB careers blogger.
Connect with her on Twitter (@science_mentor) or at her
website (sciencementor.me).
9/15/2017 11:23:47 AM
I
am excited to join the communications team at the American Society for
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as the newest careers blogger. Each week, I
will be bringing you updated job postings, training opportunities and honest
career advice across the full spectrum of science careers.
I’ll
have some big (closed-toe and heel, lab-appropriate) shoes to fill after all the
great content provided by past careers blogger Diedre Ribbens over the years.
As a sneak peek, I am looking forward to featuring Diedre in an upcoming post about
her technical-communications career in the medical-device industry (stay
tuned).
Also
thanks to Angela Hopp (ASBMB communications director) for filling in these past
weeks. If you haven’t checked out her recent posts like science jobs in the Washington, D.C., area, you definitely should
catch up on this useful advice.
And
I want to hear from you, too. Feel free to comment below, email me or reach out on Twitter
(@science_mentor) to share cool jobs you find,
additional career tips and topics you would like to see featured here.
Building a Portfolio
Career in Science Communications
This
week the focus is on science communications, considering I am a little partial
to this career route. My transition from working in a research institution to a
freelance career was fueled by the need to have a flexible work schedule and my
interest in helping scientists share their work with a broader audience. In
particular, science communications is an ideal career route for any other
science generalists out there who get bored easily and enjoy the challenge of
mastering new areas of science.
Science
communications is a broad term that encompasses developing content in a variety
of formats (e.g., articles, videos, graphics) to relay scientific information
to a target audience (e.g., general public, other scientists, customers). Many
companies and institutions do not have the budget for a dedicated
communications team, so often this work is contracted out to freelancers who
can provide the needed services.
Freelancing
is an example of a portfolio career—a collection of part-time jobs with
different clients and varying projects. The benefits are many with more
autonomy, creative expression and work flexibility, but it also requires a
great deal of self-management. Freelancing also makes a good side gig, which is
a reasonable route to take and see if you like it (just make sure you check
with your institution on whether you need to declare any conflicts of interest).
Seasoned
freelancers may focus on a niche market over time. But if you’re just starting
out, I suggest taking on a variety of projects to round out your portfolio and
explore what services you can best provide. Examples of recent projects I have
worked on include writing newsletter articles, foundation grants, issue briefs
and communication plans.
Most
of my business has come from referrals (yes, networking pays off) or from
people running across my portfolio website. If you are interested in science
writing, a portfolio with published clips (typically three) often is needed to
apply for jobs and internships and to join professional writing groups.
So
naturally, one of the top questions I get asked is how to build a portfolio. First
look at the work you have done so far. Any communication products like
technical abstracts, research highlights and science outreach materials may be
relevant depending on the type of work you are seeking.
If
you are associated with an institution, try reaching out to the public-relations
department to help write press releases. Or, let your PI know that you are
interested in gaining more experience and volunteer to assist with grant
proposals, reports or other projects. More than likely, they will be happy to
have some support.
While
freelancing certainly shouldn’t be free, you may need to volunteer to write for
a professional society, industry/trade publications or other outlets to get
started. For me, I got my writing clips by volunteering to write for the
ASBMB Today magazine. My first published
piece on “
How to Compete with a Lab
Diva” was
a morale booster for sure.
There
are other benefits, even if not paid, if you can find a good editor to help
fine-tune your writing skills. Angela Hopp of the ASBMB took the time to be a
proactive editor and taught me so much (and I’m not just saying that to get
brownie points). And now, that volunteer opportunity has led to this amazing
(and paid) careers blog gig.
Here
are a few other ideas on gaining experience through training programs. I have
plenty of other ideas in my head, so feel free to reach out or also check out
this
blog post on the topic of
writing in the sciences. Comment below with any other opportunities you know about.
Thanks!
Internships and
Fellowships
You
might consider participating in a science-communications internship or
fellowship to gain experience and sample projects to buff up your résumé.
Fortunately, most of these positions are paid decently (and I highly advise
against taking an unpaid internship). Here are a few opportunities that I saw
posted this week.
- The
American Society for Microbiology is
hiring a public outreach fellow to assist the
Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., with
developing an exhibit on viral zoonoses called “Outbreak, Epidemics in a
Connected World.” The position requires a master’s degree in the life sciences
at a minimum (Ph.D. preferred) with volunteer or paid science education
experience. Applications are due Oct. 2, but the position is to be filled
a.s.a.p. H/t to Erica Siebrasse (@ericasieb) for sharing this
awesome opportunity on Twitter!
- The Open Notebook is accepting applications
for its Early-Career Fellowship
Program
in partnership with the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. During an eight-month period,
fellows work with mentors to publish a series of stories focused on the craft
of science writing and features of science journalists. This program sounds
like a good way to learn what the art of science writing is all about. Applicants
must have less than two years of professional writing experience but
demonstrate strong potential. The fellowship is completed remotely and pays a
stipend. Applications are due Oct. 15.
- The
environmental-news outlet Ensia has
established the Ensia Mentor Program that pairs up aspiring
environmental-science writers with experienced mentors to develop articles for
potential publication. Both mentors and mentees receive stipends for their
work. Applicants submit story ideas or multimedia ideas on the website for
consideration, and there is no deadline listed.
- The
American Association for the Advancement
of Science takes applications for its paid Science News Writing
Internship
program on a rolling basis. Interns work for six months with newsroom staff to
develop stories for both Science's daily online news site and Science Magazine.
Preference is for applicants who have science backgrounds. Applicants should be
at least college seniors or hold bachelor’s degrees. Applications should be
submitted two months before the internship period. (See posting for dates.)
Certificate Programs and
Courses
Another
good way to get experience in science communications is through formal and
informal training programs. Most courses and other trainings culminate in final
projects that can be added to your portfolio or serve as drafts for publishing
in paid outlets. Here are a few upcoming training opportunities and other
resources to check out.
- The
ASBMB is running an online session of its “Art of Science
Communications”
course in October of this year. During the eight-week course, participants
learn the fundamentals of communicating complex scientific information to a nontechnical
audience with an emphasis on presentations. The course is $25 for ASBMB members
(and you can join
the ASBMB here!). Applications are due Sept.
25.
- There
are a number of free, online courses available through MOOC platforms like
Coursera. One course that I highly recommend (and have completed) is “Writing in the Sciences” taught by Kristin
Sainani of Stanford University. The course teaches participants how to write
more effectively for both technical and general audiences. The next session
starts Oct. 2 and runs for eight weeks with an estimated time
commitment of three to five hours a week.
- The
Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas offers a wide range of online
courses on data visualization, investigative reporting and more. The next
course is “Crafting Data Stories” and starts Sept. 18,
for six weeks. Participants will learn how to use a dataset to tell a story for
the public.
- Also
check with your local university or community college to see what certificate
programs or other science-communication courses are offered through the journalism
and other departments. I completed a grant-writing certificate program through
the professional development (noncredit) center at the University of
Tennessee-Knoxville, which even led to paid work from an instructor who
referred me for a contract.
Donna Kridelbaugh is the
ASBMB careers blogger. Connect with her on Twitter (@science_mentor) or at her
website (sciencementor.me).
Northeast
9/8/2017 11:18:50 AM
While there are plenty of D.C. haters from coast to coast,
the truth is that the metropolitan region has a lot to offer in terms of employment,
culture and entertainment.
D.C. is, obviously, home to many government agencies that
require scientific expertise. It’s also home to many educational institutions,
nonprofits and biotech companies that need high-skilled employees.
If you’ve never considered living in or near the nation’s
capital, just imagine being able to run down to Capitol Hill to attend a
hearing that interests you, showing off your clever sign-making skills in a sea
of demonstrators at the gates of the White House, enjoying Ethiopian cuisine, or
attending the Kennedy Center Honors in person.
Take it from this transplanted Texan: What D.C. lacks in
terms of Mexican food, fashion-forwardness and affordable housing it makes up
for with four distinct (but not extreme) seasons, lovely parklands and trails,
free Smithsonian museums and galleries, and architecturally charming
neighborhoods and shopping districts.
Here is a sampling of jobs in the region.
Science jobs
AstraZeneca
(locations worldwide) has more
than 200 openings at its Gaithersburg, Md., location. Many of them are
business-focused positions (marketing and financial). But there are plenty of
research positions, including some at Medimmune.
The Carnegie
Institution for Science’s headquarters is in D.C., but it has labs in
Baltimore (near Johns Hopkins University) and at other locations in the U.S.
Here are the most relevant D.C.-area openings:
- Postdoc
for Steven Farber’s lab in the Department of Embryology.
- Another
postdoc in the Department of Embryology.
- Investigator,
which is the equivalent of an assistant professor, in the Department of
Embryology.
- Staff associate
to “pursue highly original and innovative biological research” in the
Department of Embryology
The J. Craig Venter
Institute (Rockville, Md., and La Jolla, Calif.) frequently has a
dozen or more openings. Today, it has half a dozen science-related
positions available in the D.C. area, including two synthetic biology research
associate openings, two synthetic biology postdoc positions, an infectious
diseases postdoc position and a genomic medicine postdoc position. See
all the postings. Also, the institute has an internship
program.
NantOmics
(locations nationwide) is one of several companies under the umbrella of
NantWorks. Here’s how NantOmics describes itself: “Combining DNA sequencing,
RNA sequencing, and quantitative proteomics, NantOmics offers extensive testing
capabilities that provide a comprehensive molecular profile of a patient’s
cancer. Our proprietary analytical platform delivers molecular diagnostic
capabilities that provide actionable intelligence and molecularly driven
decision support for cancer patients and their providers at the point of care.”
The Rockville, Md., location has the following openings:
REGENEXBIO
(Rockville, Md.) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that focuses on gene
therapy. It has three R&D openings now:
Salubris
Biotherapeutics (Gaithersburg, Md.) is advertising on Indeed an opening for
a “scientist/senior
scientist/principal scientist — analytical — mass spec.” I could not find a
website for this biotech company. I did find this
press release for a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this year at the
company’s new R&D lab.
Jobs away from the
bench
If you’re looking for a position in the policy/lobbying/cause arena, start by checking out the DC Public Affairs +
Communications Jobs blog, which (full disclosure) was the inspiration for
our jobs blog.
If you’re thinking about working for an association – like the ASBMB – start at the job board by the American Society
of Association Executives. (Yes, it’s an association for association
people. There’s an association for everything in D.C.)
Want to be a part of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology family?
Check out the FASEB
human resources page. It has posts from all the scientific societies under
the FASEB umbrella. This is not to be confused with FASEB’s job board, which also is a good
resource but not region- or association-specific.
The Carnegie
Institution for Science is seeking an experienced
STEM educator to train teachers involved in the institution’s high-school
outreach programs.
Gryphon Scientific
(Takoma Park, Md.) is a consulting company hiring research assistants
with bachelor’s degrees in the life sciences. Here’s an excerpt: “As a Gryphon (research
assistant), you will participate in projects focused on public safety, homeland
security and emerging infectious disease. Most projects require analysis of
publications in professional journals with the goal of extracting and
summarizing relevant information.” The listing emphasizes that research
assistants will use analytical and quantitative skills – but will do no bench
work.
Federal jobs
Finally, if you wish to work as a scientist or other
professional for the federal government (and have the patience for enduring a
long application process), visit USAjobs.gov.
Angela Hopp is ASBMB’s communications director and ASBMB Today’s executive editor. Follow her on Twitter.
Looking for more jobs posts or for other tips on how to search for jobs? Check out the additional posts by searching your area of interest or geography on the ASBMB Careers Blog. As always, we’d love to hear your feedback or suggestions. Leave a comment or reach out to ASBMB on Twitter or Facebook!