The hottest jobs in science, and how to land them

The hottest jobs in science, and how to land them

A new book presents a comprehensive overview of careers in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry

Cover image of Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development, (c) 2008 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. Click here for more information.

COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y. – As the life science industry has grown by leaps and bounds, so too have career opportunities. But the choices can be daunting. Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development , a new book published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press (www.cshlpress.com), provides an overview of careers in the life science industry, advice on tailoring a job search, and guidance on making the transition.

"Academia generally does not prepare individuals for careers in industry," explains the author, Toby Freedman, Ph.D. "This book aims to serve as a resource for making the transition—a transition that I myself have made."

Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development (www.careersbiotech.com) is designed for science students and graduates, active researchers, as well as those in medical, business, legal, high-tech, or engineering professions looking to transition into life science industry. Those already working in industry will find helpful information on how to take advantage of opportunities within their own companies and elsewhere. The book will also be a valuable tool for career guidance counselors, as they assist students in making wiser and more informed choices about a potential career in biotech or pharma.

In the first section of the book, Freedman lays the foundation for job seekers interested in the life science industry. She outlines the advantages and disadvantages of working for a biotechnology or pharmaceutical company, discusses personality characteristics needed to excel in industry, and offers advice for getting one's foot in the door. She provides plenty of practical advice: how to develop skills specifically for industry, how to network with the relevant people, how to research job opportunities, how to write a résumé specifically for industry, and how to successfully tackle a job interview.

The remainder of the book provides a systematic and comprehensive overview of more than 100 careers in industry—everything from discovery research to venture capital investment is covered in detail. To gain first-hand insight into these careers, Freedman interviewed more than 200 key industry executives, who offered explanations of their day-to-day roles and responsibilities, as well as advice on what it takes to be successful. The resulting descriptions that Freedman included in the book, therefore, represent a broad range of viewpoints and opinions.

Presented in an easy-to-scan format, each chapter covers a specific aspect of a biotechnology or pharmaceutical organization. Topics cover 20 vocational areas, including research and development, regulatory and medical affairs, sales and marketing, business development, information management, law, executive leadership, consulting, recruiting, and finance. Each chapter includes a discussion of job security, future trends, and potential career paths; specific educational requirements and personality characteristics needed to excel in a chosen profession; recommendations of books, magazines, and Web site resources; and issues to consider regarding salary and compensation.

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For a complete table of contents, please see http://www.cshlpress.com/link/career.htm .

About the book:

Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development (© 2008, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press) was written by Toby Freedman (Synapsis Search, Portola Valley, California). It is 409 pp. in length (illus., index) and is available in hardcover (ISBN 978-087969725-9). For additional information, please see http://www.cshlpress.com/link/career.htm and http://www.careersbiotech.com.

About the author:

Toby Freedman, Ph.D., is a scientist who transitioned into business as a writer, recruiter, and entrepreneur, and recently launched a life science recruiting firm, Synapsis Search, which pairs job candidates with companies. She previously worked at BioQuest, a retained executive search firm, and as the Director of Business Development at SLIL Biomedical, a drug discovery company. Toby received a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University and at the University of Texas, Austin.

About Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press:

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press is an internationally renowned publisher of books, journals, and electronic media, located on Long Island, New York. Since 1933, it has furthered the advance and spread of scientific knowledge in all areas of genetics and molecular biology, including cancer biology, plant science, bioinformatics, and neurobiology. It is a division of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, an innovator in life science research and the education of scientists, students, and the public. For more information, visit www.cshlpress.com.