Name: Jeff Moffat (he/him)
PhD: Developmental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska, 2018
What was your main area of research?
In my PhD, I studied genes related to neurodevelopmental disorders, primarily intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. We mainly used cell culture and animal models to examine neuronal development, positioning, and behavior.
In my postdoc at UCSF, I studied alcohol use disorder, with a major focus on the interplay between genetic risk factors, brain signaling, and animal behavior.
What is your current job?
I am a Consultant at Bain & Company in San Francisco, CA.
I work on dynamic teams addressing various questions from corporate clients in different fields. My work involves primary research (e.g., expert interviews, customer surveys), secondary research (e.g., scanning market reports), and business analytics. I am currently assigned to a team in our private equity group, performing due diligence work on (mostly) healthcare and life sciences acquisition targets.
I love the constant challenge and opportunity to learn about new topics and industries. I also work with brilliant individuals on diverse teams. Beyond the day-to-day, I really love the culture we have of professional development and frequent feedback / coaching sessions. I am continually expected to get better, but my mentors and supervisors are doing their best to provide tools and strategies to make sure I succeed.
How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?
I applied to and participated in the Bain ADvantage program, which is a one-week, in-person training program, in which I was assigned to a real consulting team and contributed to an assigned work stream.
The application and interview process for management consulting is very intense and requires long hours of preparation and significant planning to get the timing right. For those interested, I would recommend seeking out online resources for PhDs looking to get into consulting.
PhD graduate ➡️ postdoctoral fellow ➡️ consultant
Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?
I was completely set on an academic career path up until close to the end of my 4-year postdoc. I was making good progress toward that goal, but the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with anxiety about the academic job market and the geographic and financial sacrifices an academic job could require, led me to do some reflecting on what I value most in a career.
I found that some of the things that bring me the most professional fulfillment are (1) opportunities to provide training / mentorship (2) intellectually engaging work and (3) responsibility for making / contributing to decisions that really matter. I randomly came across consulting as a career option for scientists by listening to the “Once a Scientist” podcast, and realized it would tick all of those boxes and open doors for future employment that would otherwise be closed to me.
It was very difficult to give up on my academic dream, and I do still miss it from time to time, but I have grown and found fulfillment in consulting in new and helpful ways. I don’t regret my decision.
What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?
You are qualified and capable of performing all kinds of jobs outside of academia - don't sell yourself short or underestimate what you can achieve. I have not directly used my expertise in neuroscience very often as a consultant, but the things I learned about analyzing and presenting data, and solving tough problems, have really helped me to succeed.
Networking is important and not nearly as painful as you think. I found plenty of people who were willing to talk with me about transitioning from academia and consulting, and many of those people are great mentors and colleagues to this day. Send an email or LinkedIn message, and you will be surprised by how excited people are to talk to you and share their experience!
Do your research! This should come naturally to you, but make sure you understand the jobs you qualify for and if there are any application or start date expectations / rules. Management consulting has pretty set timelines (at least at larger firms), so make sure you understand what role you are applying for and when you need to start preparing.