Getting out of a rut

In my travels to academic institutions and companies around the world, I frequently meet scientists at varying stages of their careers who feel trapped and uninterested in their jobs. Some in their mid-50s feel they can't escape the 'publish-or-perish' rat race, and younger ones see no flexibility in the career path they have chosen.

The good news is that they can build tremendous flexibility and excitement into their careers by taking on a wider range of professional activities, such as editorial work, consulting and administration. Measured participation in such activities, even just on an extracurricular level, will not get in the way of doing good research, and can open up alternative career paths.

Thanks to this multitasking strategy, I have been recruited to a part-time position as chief scientific officer of iCo Therapeutics, a biotechnology company based in Vancouver, Canada. I have also been considered for jobs as editor-in-chief of journals and dean of arts and sciences at a major university. Many of my peers have had similar opportunities.

Indeed, many scientists have successfully made the transition into an allied field and are very happy as a consequence. Some have turned part-time work as industrial consultants or members of scientific advisory boards into senior-level positions at biotechnology companies. Postdoctoral fellows can join these companies and work their way up.

Work as a reviewer can lead to memberships on editorial boards, and even to full-time appointments as editor-in-chief of major journals. Younger scientists can work at law firms, often receiving a fully financed legal education while training to be a patent lawyer.

Major service on university committees can lead to jobs as high-level university administrators, or at a more junior level to work at consultancies.

And scientists at all levels often become primary- or secondary-school teachers. Some join fast-track teaching programmes to qualify for posts at state schools, and others work at leading independent or private schools. This transition often begins by volunteering to lecture at such schools.

For every disenchanted scientist I have met in academia or industry, there are many others who have shown that, as long as scientists develop some skills in allied fields, there is truly no need to feel stuck in a rut.