Industry Research


Making the transition from academia to industry can seem difficult, but luckily your academic training has well prepared you for the transition. While the path of an academic scientist includes postdoctoral training, that is not always required for research careers in industry. Many PhDs transition into industry-related careers such as Research Scientist, Research Associate, or Social Science Research Analyst. Success in these careers will require excellent communication, leadership, planning and analysis skills.

The Professional Development and Career Office provides students with the opportunity to research possible career transitions, and find necessary resources to gain additional knowledge and skill sets needed to be successful in their careers.

You may be interested in reviewing our Finding a Postdoc powerpoint, narrated by PDCO director, Pat Phelps, Ph.D. This informational presentation covers topics ranging from when to start looking for a postdoc, how to prepare for the postdoc interview process, tailoring your career goals, and finding the right lab and PI.

Interested in learning about industry research careers? Read these alumni interviews and check out the resources below.
Dr. Mei Yang-Woytowitz
Photo of Dr. Yang-Woytowitz Dr. Mei Yang-Woytowitz graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a PhD in Chemistry and worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Bloomberg School of Public Health in the Department of Environmental Health & Engineering. Dr. Yang-Woytowitz has worked at BD Life Sciences, Personal Genome Diagnostics, and is currently the R&D Senior Manager in Assay Development at QIAGEN.
Dr. Yen-Ching Wu
Photo of Dr. Wu Dr. Yen-Ching Wu conducted her postdoctoral research at the Bloomberg School of Public Health in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and her PhD at Johns Hopkins in the Neuroscience Department of the School of Medicine. After her postdoctoral training, she worked at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an ORISE fellow and then as a Toxicology Reviewer in the Division of Food Contact Notifications at the Office of Food Additives. She currently works at McCormick & Company, Inc. in Maryland as a Regulatory Toxicologist and Food Safety Scientist.

Gain Skills and Experience

Biomedical Careers Initiative

The Biomedical Careers Initiative provides career resources for biomedical trainees who wish to explore various careers through research, and also through internships which offer real-world experience, networking opportunities, and the chance to enhance your skill set.

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iBiology Job Hunting in Industry Online Series

Job hunting in industry might seem like a mysterious or overwhelming task, but there are specific skills you can learn to make the process approachable and successful. In a series of four talks, Bill Lindstaedt, the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Career Advancement, International and Postdoctoral Services (CAIPS) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), will show you how to effectively search, apply, interview and negotiate for industry scientist positions.

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Biobuzz

Biobuzz believes that business does good when the community does good, and vice versa. That is why they look to help you stay be more connected to your biotech cluster by creating experiences through stories, events, and resources.

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JHU Drug Discovery Center

Build innovative partnerships and transform academic translational research while gaining knowledge on expertise in drug discovery research.

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Biomedical Engineering Society

Members will receive benefits such as networking with industry partners, career and business development opportunities and cross-sector collaboration with academia, government, and healthcare.

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Maryland Tech Council

The largest technology trade association in the state of Maryland, who provides value by giving their members forum to learn, share and connect. Members are provided with educational programming taught by industry leaders with a focus on key topics, advocacy at the state and national levels, and a variety of opportunities to take part in networking events.

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