Name: Jon Bradshaw (he/him)
PhD: Civil & Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, 2020
What was your main area of research?
My research focused on computational modeling and optimization of recycled water infrastructure systems.
What is your current job?
I am a Manager at Pacific Gas & Electric in Oakland, CA.
My position involves leading a team that forecasts energy demand. The forecasting itself includes research, computational modeling, and stakeholder engagement. Additionally, I am also responsible for project management, technical communication, and coaching team members to learn new projects.
The best thing about my job is that I get to collaborate with bright and motivated people on interesting and impactful projects that advance California's decarbonization efforts.
How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?
I found this job position on the company website and applied.
PhD graduate ➡️ senior analyst ➡️ internal promotions ➡️ manager
Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia? Was this a difficult decision or one you felt came easily?
There are a few reasons why I left academia including better choices for location, higher pay, increased benefits, improved work-life balance, and greater job security. However, I was first interested in pursuing a career in academia. I applied and did not succeed in the academic job market. This further confirmed my decision to leave academia.
What are three pieces of advice you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?
When applying for non-academic jobs, have a simple and short (2-3 sentences) on what your research is, and why it matters. Your audience will likely not care about, or understand, much of the technical detail, so don't spend much time on that. Most people will know that the PhD means that you have strong technical skills, but they don't know if you have other important skills like collaboration, stakeholder engagement, project management, and technical communication – so be sure to highlight these skills, too!
Engage in professional development programs at your university or institution
Connect with alumni through LinkedIn