Although academic life scientists are aware of industrial opportunities, they are also wary of them. So says a recent poll on the perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of working in the pharmaceutical industry, conducted by the Science Advisory Board, an online forum of researchers in the life and medical sciences.

Of the 778 respondents, about a third cited an inflexible corporate culture or the inability to set their own research priorities as the main drawbacks of a career in the pharmaceutical industry. Another 19% mentioned restrictions on publication as the main disadvantage.

But the respondents were also aware of the advantages of industry. They noted that companies offer a team-oriented environment with multiple career paths. Also mentioned was the fact that companies often have better research facilities, with equipment that can increase research productivity.

These pros and cons are echoed by postdocs working in industrial laboratories (see page 5). But their stories also show that policies on research autonomy and publication vary widely from company to company.

All this adds up to a lesson in preparation. Anyone — postdoc or otherwise — considering industrial employment would be well advised to investigate their potential employer's publication record, talk to former and current employees and ask pointed questions about research autonomy. Then, a decision to join a company can be made with confidence rather than caution.