I presented a number of seminars at the Experimental Biology meeting a couple of weeks ago offered attendees a number of ideas regarding alternate career paths for individuals with Ph.D. degrees. One new emerging career path that is still under the radar is something called project management. The name is self evidentyour job as a project manager is to manage projects. Project managers are responsible for managing a project according to specified timelines and within the budget that was set for the project.
Project management has been employed for many years in the telecommunication and software industries. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology executives have finally realized the benefits of project management and many companies are now hiring project managers to oversee research programs. This is largely because bioscience executive have finally realized that it is more cost effective and timely to have appropriately trained project managers to oversee and manage research programs as compared with Ph.D. scientists who typically have no idea about how to manage projects. Simply put, a Ph.D. is not required to be a project manager. That said, there is no better person that I can think of to manage a research project than a person who actually understands the processes and scientific underpinnings of a project. Unfortunately, Ph.D. candidates do not receive training in project management. Not to worry there is an entire institute, called theProject Management Institute (PMI)that is dedicated to project management training. Further, the PMI offerscertification in project management.
Check it out.there may be a career waiting for you.
Until next time..
Good Luck and Good Job Hunting!!!!!!
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