Lab Coordinator Utilizes Her PhD Project Management Skills

Name: Sylwia Magdziarz (she/her)

PhD: Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, 2025

What was your main area of research?

I was working on obtaining a superhero - hybrid material for the bone and/or cartilage tissue regeneration. My research was focused on the modification of the carbon non-woven fabric with the ingredients of natural origin (polysaccharides and peptides fragments), which should mimic the natural environment of the tissue regeneration.

What is your current job?

I am a Project Development Manager at Get Software Done in Lodz, Poland and a Lab Coordinator at American International University (AIU) in Kuwait, Kuwait.

Both positions are really about project management in a different sense.

One - in an IT company, where the project is software development - requires working in a team with developers, organising their work in terms of gathering business requirements and then translating and breaking them down into manageable tasks for development. I have to focus on doing my job as well as the other team members, so they know exactly what the scope of the task is, when it needs to be delivered and what the expected outcome is.

The other - at AIU - is more about scientific projects and organising the work of the team members in the lab and also taking care of the resources like reagent supplies.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

My favourite thing is the fact that even though I've spent years in the lab and gained a lot of hands-on experience, I feel really well prepared for all the tasks which I have to deal with and I really don't think there's anything I can't do.

What is the most important skill you developed or experience you had during your PhD that now helps you in your current position?

Definitely project management.

Once you think about it deeply - doing a PhD is actually a project management training, feels so natural. But I would also say - communication - if you are able to convince your supervisor that your idea is worth testing out in the lab, you are definitely able to deal with stakeholders in the industry.

How did you build the skills necessary for your current role?

I wouldn't say there's any special training for it. But being deeply immersed in getting your PhD means you are a fast learner, a multitasker and results developer, a great communicator and trained in public speaking and really - a lot more.

How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?

First - networking, second - via LinkedIn

PhD graduate ➡️ Project Manager ➡️ Lab Coordinator

If someone is interested in a similar role, what would you recommend they start doing now to prepare?

Networking, networking, networking and again - communicating. We (PhDs) are well trained to explain complex ideas in a direct and understandable way. But we often don't believe in ourselves, following the pattern - the more you know, the more you realise your lack of knowledge.

You don't have to be perfectly prepared to talk to people! This develops communication and networking skills at the same time.

Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?

That came quite easily. I started my PhD with the idea of doing it for my personal development rather than to pursue a career as an academic teacher. I felt very comfortable with working with science, as I see myself as a scientist in my approach to life. But I did not feel good about the limitation of "doing science" for the sake of spending teaching hours. So I would say - I tried academia, but it just didn't feel right.

What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?

Think about what you enjoyed most during your PhD and try to define your skills based on that. You may find that you are already well suited to a wide range of positions outside academia.

Are there any components of your identity you would like to share, including how they have impacted your journey?

A willingness to learn, persistence, and an extremely high level of adaptability. All of these helped me during my PhD (because we all know there's no such thing as an easy PhD) and also during my job search.

Especially persistence is something you really need during your PhD (when after trying the same experiment for 7 times, it still doesn't go as planned, but you're still ready for the 8th attempt) and something that really helped during the job search, since it's really another full-time job, and it can be very brutal to have a PhD but not be seen or valued by the market outside of academia.