Career Development

EXAMPLES OF CAREER OPTIONS WITH A PhD 
(from AAAS http://myidp.sciencecareers.org/ )

Clinical research management: clinical research project/trials manager or coordinator

Scientific/medical testing: testing specialist in an environmental, public health, genetics, or
forensic science setting, clinical diagnostician

Science education for non-scientists: education or public outreach specialist such as at a science
museum or scientific society

Support of science-related products: technical support specialist, product development scientist
or engineer

Drug/device approval and production: regulatory affairs professional, quality control specialist

Sales and marketing of science-related products: medical science liaison, technical sales
representative, marketing specialist.

Public health related careers: public health program analyst or evaluator, epidemiologist,
biostatistician, medical informaticist

Science policy: public affairs/government affairs staff at scientific societies, foundations,
government entities, or think tanks

Research staff in a research-intensive institution: staff scientist or research in academia or
government, lab manager, director of a multi-user research facility in an academic institution

Science writing: science, medical or technical writer or journalist, science editor, science publisher

Research in industry: discovery or preclinical researcher, manager of a research team of facility

Combined research and teaching careers: faculty at a liberal arts college or university whose job
includes both research and major teaching responsibilities

Research administration: research administrator in private or public research institutions,
government or academia, including compliance officers, grants and contracts officers, dean or
director of research programs

Clinical practice: clinician such as genetics counselor, therapist, physician

Intellectual property: patent agent, patent attorney, technology transfer specialist

Science education for K-12 schools: classroom teacher, curriculum developer, science specialist

Teaching-intensive careers in academia: a primarily teaching faculty position in a research
university, liberal arts college, community college

Business of science: management consultant, business development professional in a biotech
company, venture capitalist, market researcher, investment analyst

Principal investigator in a research-intensive institution: independent researcher at a medical
school, private research institution, government lab or university with minimal teaching
responsibilities

Entrepreneurship: starting your own business