The scientific hiring

“I was always curious about scientific research and therefore, after my BSc and MSc where I did not have a chance to do a dissertation, I did an M.Phil and then worked in an allied research field with CADILA Pharmaceuticals Ltd for a while. Post that, when I moved to Delhi, the fascination for research and PhD stayed with me and therefore, I joined the TERI School of Advanced Studies, Delhi to pursue my doctorate in environmental biotechnology. I published three research articles in international journals and secured two patents during those five years. I then took a short break during which I enrolled in courses that allowed me to explore and understand the intellectual property area for research.

My PhD was industry funded, and owing to that I always had an inclination towards applied research. I didn’t think I had the grit or patience to succeed in academia. So, I never applied for any postdoctoral position.

After my PhD, I moved to Bengaluru and started looking for job opportunities there. During the job search, when I spoke to the recruiters, I realized that they could not comprehend that the research skills accrued during a PhD are transferable to other domains and since my PhD was in hydrocarbon biotechnology, they only considered me for similar job profiles. At that moment, I realized how important it was to have a person in the recruiting system who understood science- a…