alternative career suggestions please for a numerate scientist

[MamaChris]

I'm an academic scientist in a high pressure area. To continue in my career I will need to keep competing for fellowships every 5 years or less. The next time is in 4 years time, and I can't see how I will manage to be internationally competitive without putting in more hours and travel than I can manage with 3 small children. So I am wondering what alternative careers may exist that I could move towards over the next 4 years.

I love the research part of my job, I'm highly numerate (maths and stats degrees), analytical, good programmer (though no formal training), problem solver. Lots of knowledge of human genetics. I don't want to move towards teaching. Any suggestions?

Environment Agency or English Nature, something like that?

Environment Agency or English Nature, something like that?

Sorry, meant to ask, what area are you in academia wise?

I'm in science - human genetics - but my skills are maths, stats, computing. Do the Environment Agency use people like that?

Bioinformatics? I'm in diagnostic genetics and there is a big demand as the use of next gen sequencing etc is increasing.

I can write software to process next gen data, and have reasonable bioinformatics skills re genetics, not much knowledge of protein databases etc though. What industry outside academia could I use these skills in? Where do you work, for example?

Sent you a pm.

Don't bother with the EA - the pay is appalling, and it wouldn't be a developing role from what I know of them.

The Health Protection Agency might be interesting - they do research (see this for something they currently have)

If you want to stay in field, then look at companies that use equipment you use (or which is used further down the chain clinically) - either research, or Product Management. PdMs (as they are in my company) control the development of products, being the interface between pure research and the users, beating the engineers into doing what is required in between. I find it scientifically challenging as you have to understand what is possible (and sometimes go out and hunt it down, or commission research to sort some point out), but also what people need (as opposed to think they want) in order to design the best product.

Or you could move to harness your numeracy and problem solving skills in something unrelated - DH is a geochemist who works in insurance for instance. His report writing and analytical skills, as well as the ability to extract the necessary out of pages of reports have stood him in v good stead

You would be surprised how many people like you work in the Civil Service. The Treasury in particular has highly qualified people. If you fancy a change.

some good suggestions there, thanks. although some of my favourite work has been taking raw data and developing better means of processing it compared to the machine's manufacturer, I didn't think of working for them direct!

But insurance/civil service might provide greater job security, do you think? (I am main earner, so that's important). Can I ask what sort of area your DH works in, CMOT, and how he got into it?

Thanks for pm, EColi, have replied.

Env Agency and Natural England both victims of govt funding cuts and are looking at redundancies not hiring. what about becoming an actuary? lots more money than environmental sector.

I did a PhD in Human Genetics and then got out of the academic rat race for exactly those reasons. I could have written your message. I decided to train as an accountant - really wanted a more 9-5 job but something where I could use my brain. I actually work for a science based company as an accountant now, so my science training is useful and gives me more credibility with my colleagues. I did my CIMA qualification during my first few years working in more junior finance roles, but you could do the exams before you started a job, or at least make a start so it's easier for you to get into it. You need 3 years finance experience to actually qualify though. I really enjoy my job and it means I could work in any city (not true of academia) and have the security that I could always find some kind of work. My work will fit round my life rather than the other way round. I do occasionally do long hours, but it's usually planned and I never work the weekends like I used to in the lab. I miss the science, but wouldn't swap back now if I was given the choice. Good luck!

I have a PhD in physics so similar skills to you and now work in risk in banking, which involves programming, problem solving and analytics. I've really enjoyed it, find it intellectually stimulating and it is reasonably well paid and I've progressed really quickly. I've previously worked in government doing analytics, which probably has a better work-life balance but the pay is about 50% less. Look into the government operational research and statistics service.

Hi MamaChris
What about becoming an actuary and/or working for an insurance company? Some of the skills you have listed appear well suited for such a job. (I'm a pensions actuary by the way!)

Civil service - most depts have stats/analysts divisions. But obviously not a great place to be job searching right now (redundancies, recruitment freezes, etc). (I'm civil service and PhD Microbial genetics). Plus...really DON'T believe it about the gold plated salaries/pensions - it might be slightly better than academia but not all that (although questionable depending on grade recruited - you'd want to look for senior scientific or statitical officer posts if you're looking for something similar or more ££. Pay bands are probably online somewhere I'm sure). My Dept is very family friendly and flexible - which is a huge huge bonus though - and down in part to being such a large organisation. Could check Private Office Office for Science and Tech, Government Office for Science, DoH, (Health Protection Agency is one of the quango's that didn't survive the recent 'bonfire' but apparently its functions are being subsumed by another body - but not sure it'd be the best place to start right now...or maybe would who knows?), DWP is very large (although ever decreasing!) and has a fair few analysts in stats/number crunching roles but obviously quite a departure from human genetics, food Standards Agency? If you wanted to get ahead then check out fast Stream - not only for graduates. But obviously very competitive and you'd have to be pretty career focused for a good few years.

I'd think possibly your best bet would be private sector for bioinformatics type of thing - always see jobs for genetics, computational stuff etc. Seems a good area to be in and would be interesting and still in research albeit better paid and no grant scrabbling. But private sector obviously has its issues too - longer hours, possibly less family friendly depending on company etc.

Other science related areas you could consider:

• Intellectual property (usually working for academics but providing business focused link between science innovation and patenting etc.)
• Working for journals on editing side (Science/Nature/Gene?)
• Medical education/Medical or scientific writing
• Regulatory affairs

scientific sales for a bioinformatics venture (not my cup of tea, but some like it) or backroom support for biotech computing company??

Such a shame academia is the way it is...I loved research but got out for similar reasons.