In this issue:

Closing Soon on the ISCB Career Center

Article:

Translating Your Academic Experience for Industry Job Applications

• Speaking Industry's Language
• Required Experience
• Reading Between the Lines

Closing Soon on the ISCB Career Center

These jobs will be leaving the Career Center this month:

• Staff Associate III – Columbia University
• Canada Research Chair (CRC) Tier 1 in Metabolomics for Novel Therapeutics – Western University
• Bioinformatics Specialist (Infrastructure Focus) – Stowers Institute
• Postdoctoral Researcher – University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
• Postdoctoral Fellow in Computational Biology – Indiana University School of Medicine
• Post Doc – Quantitative Cell Biology Center at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Postdoctoral Fellow in Agentic AI/LLM for drug discovery – Western University
• Assistant Research Professor - Bioinformatics Manager – University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
• Pi + tenure track prof, and postdocs – ELLIS Institute Finland
• Postdoctoral Position in Computational Cancer Genomics and Pathology – Weill Cornell Medicine

Translating Your Academic Experience for Industry Job Applications

If you're a PhD candidate or post-doc your academic experience is more applicable to industry positions than you might think. With some careful translation and a clearer understanding of what employers are looking for, you can position yourself as a strong candidate for industry roles, even without prior industry experience.

Speaking Industry's Language

The skills you've developed during your PhD or post-doc are valuable in industry, they just need to be reframed to bridge the translation gap. Start by thinking about your core skills, like what you do most often and what you’re best at. Then, consider how those skills map to industry terms.

Here are some examples to get you started:

As with any job application, be specific. For example, saying something like: “Developed a machine learning pipeline to analyze genomic data, reducing processing time by 30%” shows what you accomplished and the measurable value you created. Industry employers want to see evidence of impact and measurable results, not just responsibilities.

Always remember that your academic experience has equipped you with transferable skills, including high-level critical thinking and the ability to tackle complex problems. A PhD demonstrates to employers that you can dive deep into challenging questions, master new skills, and persist through obstacles.

Required Experience

One of the most intimidating parts of industry job postings is seeing "[X] years of experience required" and immediately thinking you don't qualify. Remember this: Your research experience counts!

Industry employers understand that a PhD involves years of hands-on technical work, problem-solving, and skill development. Even if your PhD or post-doc wasn’t in a corporate setting, you’ve still gained substantial experience. Don’t disqualify yourself because of where your experience came from. You know you’re a strong candidate with transferable skills.

What's more, when it comes to job listings, “required” isn’t always required. The qualifications listed are often what’s ideal but aren’t actually deal breakers. If you meet at least 70-80% of the qualifications and core technical skills, apply for the job! You never know what may happen.

Reading Between the Lines

When you're new to reading industry job postings, it can be hard to tell which opportunities are worth your time. Here are a few things to watch for:

Red flags:

• Vague or unclear job responsibilities

• Unrealistic expectations (e.g., entry-level position requiring 10+ years experience)

• Long lists of unrelated "required" skills

• No mention of team structure, growth, or culture

Green flags:

• Clear day-to-day responsibilities

• Reasonable, role-appropriate qualifications

• Mentions of mentorship or professional development

• Details about team dynamics and company values

If a posting feels off or the company culture seems like a poor fit based on the description, it's okay to skip it and focus your energy on opportunities that genuinely excite you.

Final Thoughts

Your PhD or post-doc has given you real, valuable experience that’s transferable to industry. The key is translating and presenting your skills in ways that industry employers understand. 

Don't let unfamiliar terminology or seemingly rigid requirements hold you back from applying to roles that interest you!

Want Your Job Featured in the Next Career Compass?

You can get your job featured in the Career Compass newsletter by selecting this option when you post a new job!

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to the ISCB Career Center.

2. From your Profile page or My Job Posts page, click the blue “Post a Job” button.

3. On the next page, select option 2 that mentions the monthly marketing with Career Compass.

4. Complete the required payment for the Career Compass upgrade.

5. Fill out your job post details.

6. Click “Submit” to post your job on the ISCB Career Center.

7. Keep an eye out for the next Career Compass newsletter to see your job there, too!