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Job Title: Senior Scientist
Type of Company: I work for the world's largest consumer products company.
Education: Ph.D., Physical Chemistry
Previous Experience: After obtaining my doctorate, I worked at the International Photosynthesis Center at Arizona State University as a Postdoctoral Fellow for more than 2 years.
Job Tasks: Nowadays my primary job function is to conduct clinical trials on human subjects for the development of an at-home over-the-counter medical device. I supervise a team of nurses and clinical assistants. I discuss the study design with co-workers in Research & Development, Engineering, Marketing, Product Safety and Regulatory Affairs. Then I write the study protocol and submit it to regulatory agencies, such as FDA, for approval. I communicate the study design to the clinicians and make sure studies are completed according to the project timelines. I have to make sure that we satisfy all of the regulatory requirements and follow "good clinical practice". I analyze clinical data, write reports and share results with co-workers. Sometimes we invite study subjects to come to the facility for individual interviews or focus groups to get their perspectives on the test products. We adjust the project directions based on study results.
Best and Worst Parts of the Job: The best part of my job, at the moment, is having the opportunity to head up a unique project within the company. We are working on a brand new product category which basically does not exist.
On the other hand, it can get pretty tedious dealing with regulatory stuff all the time.
Job Tips: Be flexible and adaptable! To survive in the corporate world, you need to be a good team player. Learn to be a judge of your abilities. There are things you are good at and there are things you are bad at. You need to know yourself well so you can find the job you will enjoy doing. Lead a well-rounded existence with a good work-life balance. Appreciate "diversity".
Additional Thoughts: To be a good scientist, you need to be open to learning new things. You need to be able to examine the data and recognize "common themes" and "uniqueness." Learn how to digest information and present it in a simple way that non-scientists can understand. Don't hide any mistakes, especially when you are dealing with human subjects.
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