Biotechnology Industry

Working in the biotechnology industry can be a very rewarding career. I know a woman who was on the team that developed Enbrel, a ground-breaking treatment for several autoimmune arthritic diseases. She found it to be enormously gratifying to know that her work has made a significant difference in the quality of life for tens of thousands of people. People afflicted by these diseases have thanked her personally for improving their lives. I can't think of a much better feeling than that.

Industry usually offers better salaries than academia, and in large companies there is often more support staff to help the scientists' work run more smoothly and efficiently. There are usually much greater resources and funding available if the company decides to head in a direction that they think will yield good results.

Biotech research is often interdisciplinary, and many scientists in industry find themselves part of a team that includes chemists, molecular biologists, statisticians, engineers, and clinicians. For this reason, many biotech companies highly value the ability of scientists to be flexible, communicate well, and work well with others. The environment can often be fast-paced, intellectually stimulating, and exciting.

There is often a misconception that those who work in industry cannot publish their work. Industry scientists can often publish after the appropriate measures are taken to ensure the protection of intellectual property. Some companies encourage their scientists to publish, while for others it is not a priority. Another misconception is that a scientist who works in industry has sold out for a bigger paycheck. While industry does pay better than academia, those who work in industry do not feel that they have sold out at all, and are excited to be working with highly collaborative teams toward a common goal of reducing and eliminating human suffering and prolonging life.

Industry can, however, be a more volatile environment than academia in terms of job security. In academia, you'll usually have at least a few months notice of the termination of your position, but in industry you might have less notice if the company is headed in a different direction and your skills are no longer needed. I know a person working in industry who came into work one day to discover that her entire project had been scrapped, and most of the team had been disbanded. However, only a few people were laid off, and most, including my friend, were reassigned to different work groups to start on new projects. It was a hard transition, as she had to deal with the loss of her project and her co-workers. She has remained with the company for several years and really enjoys her work, but now has an awareness that the company will act swiftly if a project doesn't seem productive. The fast-paced environment can be more stressful. But most scientists working in biotech industries feel that they are making a difference and love what they do.

In industry, there are large companies and small companies. Large companies tend to have more funds available, are often more stable, and hire people with a wide range of skills. Small companies are often looking for very specific skill sets to complement their small teams. Both large and small companies expect their scientists to work hard to achieve their goals, but many people who work in small companies require extra flexibility to do a variety of tasks as they may not have expertise in every area. Salary levels can also vary between large and small companies. One man I know works in a company of four people. He's not being paid much at this point, but they are working on a very exciting idea with a lot of potential growth in the future, so he's willing to sacrifice for now while the company tries to get itself off the ground. If it does pay off, he will be well positioned for great success in his career. He loves the many hats that he wears in his job and the fast-paced environment.