One job wasn't enough

摘要

I sat at my desk wondering whether I would ever feel as engaged in and proud of my work as I had in academia. My job in the RD division of a cosmetics company was coming easy to me and resulting in products on the shelves. But I thought constantly about what else I could do. I missed the feeling of risk and adventure that being a scientist at the edge of a'discovery gives. I knew I didn't want to go back to academia, where I would have to hyperspecialize and study the same thing every day. But I couldn't picture myself in that industry job for years and years. It was time to get creative and find a different solution-or, as it turned out, a combination of them. I had made the move to the private sector after 5 years as a postdoc, when I became disenchanted with the instability and lack of funding that is inherent in academia. I started my job search by reaching out to Ph.D.s in industry-people I'd worked with or found on social media. I asked about their career choices and what they liked and disliked about their jobs. Many told me they enjoyed the security that came with their long-term contracts, as well as their clearly defined job responsibilities. That sounded appealing.