I’m about to finish my PhD and I’ve been looking for positions in industry. My research is in a very specialized STEM field with a high entry cost, so there are few companies offering related jobs and they are scattered all around the world.
Sadly there is no such company in the country I live, meaning I would have to move out. However, because of recently announced government investment, there might be opportunities coming up in the next few years, but not before I graduate.
I am considering staying in the country by picking up a postdoc in the same group where I did in my PhD so I can wait for these opportunities or help create them. There are several advantages:
– Salary would be higher or comparable to what I would get in industry overseas after tax.
– I would be far away of the current turmoil in US, where the best jobs currently are.
– My partner wouldn’t need to relocate and find another job.
– I would be able to stay in the same group and in the same field, both of which I’m really fond of.
– I would be able to devote time to develop postdoc-related skills.
The disadvantages are:
– I’m not interested in academia in the long term, so a postdoc is arguably a waste of time.
– I’m not really sure how being a postdoc will help my personal growth.
– I’m afraid this can somehow hurt my chances of going into industry, although I cannot tell if this is a rational fear.
I would appreciate people’s opinions on what they would do in my situation, especially if you can dispel my fears about being a postdoc with intentions if going into industry!
Comments
I never understand why other scientists pigeon hole themselves into jobs that only directly do their own research. In doing so, you dramatically limit your options. I had a biology PhD and post doc research focusing in superresolution and light sheet microscopy. There is basically no options based on my experience so now I’m a software engineer in pharma. Don’t spend your life waiting for someone to give you an opportunity.
Be careful of opportunity cost
Postdocs are training positions – generally for academia. Do you need training?
If you were my mentee, I’d tell you to take a job in this field abroad with the plan to come back to your home country once the opportunity arises.
A postdoc wont hurt your industry chances at all, if anything most tech companies see it as extra experience and skills that make you more valueable than a fresh PhD (especially in specialized fields where that experitse is hard to find).