Guide to Non-Traditional Careers in Science

A Resource Guide for Pursuing a Non-Traditional Path

Karen Y. Kreeger

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781138173125
• eBook ISBN: 9781135894238
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Sociology
• Index: Social Sciences

Offering practical advice and stories from scientists and professionals, this guidebook aids the reader in evaluating and finding career opportunities in non-academic research fields. It demonstrates that choices are available, providing many examples of fields (for example publishing, law, public policy and business) in which people can use their scientific training to nurture a satisfying professional life. Yet it also acknowledges that there are trade-offs involved with any veer from the traditional path.

APPENDIX 1: FOR FURTHER READING

Academic Environment: A Handbook for Evaluating Employment Opportunities in Science, Karl W. Lanks, Taylor & Francis, Washington, DC, 1996

—Contains chapter on “alternatives” to research careers in “high-profile research centers”

Alternative Careers in Science: Leaving the Ivory Tower, Cynthia RobbinsRoth (ed.), Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1998

—Chapters on alternative careers, each written by careers changers

Careers for Chemists: A World Outside the Lab, Fred Owens, Roger Uhler, Corinne Marasco, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 1997

—Profiles over 60 chemists in 20 different allied science careers

Careers in Science and Engineering: A Student Guide to Grad School and Beyond, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996

—Contains many profiles of science career switchers

Career Renewal: Tools for Scientists and Technical Professionals, Stephen Rosen and Celia Paul, Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1998

—Contains tips on making a career transition in the science and technology fields, including a few examples of switches into nontraditional areas

The Guide to Internet job Searching, Margaret Riley, Frances Roehm, Steve Oserman, VGM Career Horizons, NTС Publishing, Lincolnwood, IL, 1996

—Contains lists of Web sites and newsgroups for locating job advertisements on the Internet, organized by job area, public vs. private sector, and location. Also includes international opportunities

Jump Start Your Career in Bioscience, Chandra В. Louise, Bookmasters, Inc., Ashland, OH, 1998

—Many descriptions of research and nonresearch positions for scientists at and away from the bench in government, industry, and academia

Marine Science Careers: A Sea Grant Guide to Ocean Opportunities, Tracey Crago, Steve Adams, University of Maine/University of New Hampshire Sea Grant College Program and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant Program, 1996

—Contains profiles of 38 people whose careers in the marine sciences range from traditional to nontraditional. Some examples in the latter category include underwater filmmaker, environmental communicator, ocean advocate, and naval architect. Available for $5.00 at:

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
WHOI Sea Grant Communications
193 Oyster Pond Road, CRL 209
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1525

A National Conversation on Doctoral Education: An Emerging Consensus. National Convocation on Science and Engineering Doctoral Education. June 15, 1996, National Academy of Science Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, Washington, DC

—Available at http://www2.nas.edu/convo/

Opportunities in Biotechnology Careers, Sheldon S. Brown, VGM Career Horizons, NTC Publishing, Lincolnwood, IL, 1994

—Chapter on nonscientific biotech careers

Outside the Ivory Tower: A Guide for Academics Considering Alternative Careers, Margaret Newhouse, Office of Career Services, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1993

—Many career how-tos, like how to tailor CVs and cover letters; although not specifically aimed at people with training in science and technology there are some examples relevant for people with scientific training

A Ph.D. Is Not Enough: A Guide to Survival in Science, Peter j. Feibelman, Addison-Wesley, New York, 1993

—Advice for jobseekers, but mostly aimed at academic positions and most examples are from physical sciences.

Postdocs and Career Prospects: A Status Report, Commission on Professionals in Science and Technology, Washington, DC, 1997

—Single copies available at no charge from:

Commission on Professionals in Science and Technology
1200 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 390
Washington, DC 20005

Reshaping the Graduate Education of Scientists and Engineers, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1995

Rethinking Science as a Career: Perceptions and Realities in the Physical Sciences, Sheila Tobias, Daryl Chubin, Kevin Aylesworth. Research Corp., Tucson, AZ, 1995

Science magazine, October 27, 1995 issue

—Career issue with many sections and articles devoted to the state of scientific careers

The Scientist as Consultant: Building New Career Opportunities, Carl J. Sindermann and Thomas K. Sawyer, Plenum Trade, New York, 1998

—Advice and how-tos for scientists looking to move into part-time or full-time consulting in a variety of fields

Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Report on Mathematics in Industry, SIAM, Philadelphia, PA, 1996.

—Survey on roles of mathematical scientists in nonacademic settings, including skills and attributes valued in nonacademic settings, educational programs, and job opportunities. Full report available at: http://www.siam.org/mii/miihome.htm

To Boldly Go: A Practical Career Guide for Scientists, Peter S. Fiske, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, 1996

—Contains chapter on geophysicists who have gone on to work in allied science-related careers, including policy, science writing, and business

Trends in the Early Careers of Life Scientists, Commission on Dimensions, Causes, and Implications of Recent Trends in the Careers of Life Scientists, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1998. Copies available from:

National Academy Press
2101 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20418 202-334-2138

The 1998 What Color is Your Parachute?, Richard Nelson Bolles, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA, 1998

—The quintessential jobhunting guidebook. It now contains a huge section on Web sites for jobseekers in many areas, including science and technology fields

APPENDIX 2: SOURCES ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB

The following is a list of sites with career advice and jobhunting tips, as well as listings for jobs, links to career-oriented sites, and resume-posting services. The sites, which were up-to-date at press time, are not exclusively for nontraditional science- and technology-related jobs, and might include more traditional positions, such as academic posts. Other sites, such as business-oriented ones, may also include nonscience positions.

General Jobhunting Sites (includes job listings in science and technology, and related fields)

Academe This Week, the Chronicle of Higher Education’s Web site
http://chronicle.merit.edu/.ads/.links.html

Academic Position Network
gopher://wcni.cis.umn.edu:11111/

America’s Employers
http://www.americasemployers.com/

America’s Job Bank, federal government job listings
http://www.ajb.dni.us./index.html

The Best Job Site
http://www.itec.sfsu.edu/jobs/

Contract Employment Weekly Online
http://www.ceweekly.com/index.html

Career placement and planning centers at various universities
http://www.rpi.edu/dept/cdc/carserv

Career City
http://www.careercity.com

Career Magazine
http://careermag.com/careermag/

Career Mosaic, recruiting site for high-technology companies and searchable Usenet postings
http://www.careermosaic.com/

Career Path, classified job ads from U.S. newspapers, searchable by key words
http://www.careerpath.com/

CareerWeb
http://www.cweb.com/

College Grad Job Hunter
http://www.collegegrad.com/

Direct Marketing World
http://www.dmworld.com/

Employment Opportunities and Resume Postings
http://galaxy.einet.net/GJ/employment.html

E-span
http://www.espan.com/

Getting Past Go: A Survival Guide for New Graduates
http://www.mongen.com/getgo

Human Resources Electronic Advertising and Recruiting Tool
http://www.career.com/

Help Wanted USA
http://iccweb.com

Internet Job Locator, all major job-search engines on one page
http://www.joblocator.com/jobs/

Jobhunt
http://www.job-hunt.org

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Table of contents

• Cover
• Halftitle
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• “The Myth” and Beyond
• Definitions, Themes, and Advice
• Science Education
• Scientific and Medical Illustration and Imaging
• Science and Technical Writing, Editing, and Publishing
• Informatics
• Technology Transfer
• Business
• Law
• Science Policy, Advocacy, and Regulation
• Appendix 1 : For Further Reading
• Appendix 2: Sources on the World Wide Web
• Index