Name: Jennifer Luke (she/her)
PhD: Surface Chemistry, Duquesne University, 2022
What was your main area of research?
I worked on different surfaces and altered their properties through chemistry. Some examples were developing hydrogels with an amphiphilic nature, altering metal surfaces to be more blood clot resistant, and optimizing polymer composition for eye implant materials. There was a lot of organic synthesis and analytical methodology involved that used various instrumentation.
What is your current job?
I am an Innovation Ecosystem Relationship Manager for Collaborative Real Estate in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
I serve as a "Scientific Concierge" for two research parks my company owns. I talk to the tenants which are academic and industry-based research groups, learn about their science, and help make connections that further their projects. If they need expertise in methods, ideas, etc. I find those people and get them together. I post grant funding opportunities that are relevant to their work monthly and celebrate publications that anyone makes. We also try to foster a sense of community.
I love getting to meet all of the scientists and learning about all of the different projects.
How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?
I got a LinkedIn notification about it and thought that I got a wrong automated alert, but took a chance anyway.
PhD graduate ➡️ Research Scientist ➡️ Innovation Ecosystem Relationship Manager
Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?
The pay for academia compared to the workload is not very promising. I really enjoyed teaching, but I also like affording food and paying bills. Maybe I'll go back as an adjunct when I retire (if ever).
What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?
Networking is key to getting places and learning about opportunities. Go to community events, volunteer when you can, and just relax with it. A lot of people go in with a super focused mindset but remember that these are people too. Just talk to them as you would a friend and things will flow from there. Also I promise they are normally just as nervous as you.
Reddit was a great resource for resume editing and LinkedIn can be good for the job hunt but make sure you do your research and follow up. LinkedIn is becoming a bigger player in the hiring process due to networking so keep it up to date and somewhat active.
When interviewing for a non-academic job, you can talk about your science (particularly if it's a research role), but also make sure to highlight the "soft skills" like time management, teamwork, and communication which all are equally important.