Scientific Project Manager Has International Impact

Name: Hannah Scott (she/her)

PhD: Molecular Neuroscience, University of Bristol, 2015

What was your main area of research?

My PhD and postdoc research focussed on gene regulation in brain cells and how the various processes involved contribute to brain function (e.g. memory) and brain disease (e.g. Alzheimer's disease).

The work combined molecular/cell biology (lab work) and bioinformatics (computational work).

What is your current job?

I am a Scientific Project Manager for Goethe University - Frankfurt located in Frankfurt, Germany.

I currently work as a Scientific Project Manager for ERN-LUNG, one of 24 European networks for rare diseases that bring together medical professionals across Europe to share expertise.

In this role, I manage EU-funded projects that support the aims of the network as well as its integration into national healthcare systems. My day-to-day is very varied and project-dependent; examples of tasks include the more administrative aspects of project management, leading international meetings, writing publications in the public health field, and financial reporting.

Prior to my current job, I spent nearly three years as a Medical Writer at a healthcare communications agency, where I contributed various forms of medical content for marketing and awareness campaigns we developed for our clients in the pharmaceutical industry.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I'm going to go with three things: being able to manage my own projects on my own schedule, that my work ultimately benefits patients, and that it's very international.

How did you build the skills necessary for your current role?

While there are specific science management courses available, I believe that a PhD already provides the majority of the skills needed for the job, along with an insight into the environment you'd be working in (e.g. academic, research or medical fields).

How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?

Since I was specifically looking to move into science management and did not want to relocate, I kept an eye on the online job boards at local universities and research institutes.

PhD graduate ➡️ Postdoc ➡️ Medical Writer ➡️ Scientific Project Manager

If someone is interested in a similar role, what would you recommend they start doing now to prepare?

The science management field is very broad and varied, so I would suggest looking at job descriptions and talking to people in the field to get an idea of the types of jobs that you could see yourself working in.

Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?

My decision to leave academia was linked to some health problems I had at the time, along with my decision to move to Germany - it seemed like a good time to reassess what I wanted to do and to try out something different.

Leaving academia was a really difficult decision for me, and it took me a good 6 months or so to come to terms with it. Being an academic researcher had been a major part of my identity, and I struggled a lot with (unnecessary) feelings of failure. I also didn't know much about other career pathways available.

So ultimately, I didn't leave academia because I didn't enjoy it as a career - however, I am very happy with my current job and proud of the work I do now.

What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?

Start thinking about what you enjoy about your PhD and what is currently missing for you; in which areas would you like to develop further? Take your time exploring careers outside of academia, including talking to people in those fields to find out if they are a good fit with what you're looking for.

At the same time, don't worry too much about finding the perfect job outside of academia straight away. Sometimes you have to get "out there" first to find out what careers are possible.

Lastly, don't sell yourself short! It's too easy to say things like "I have some project management experience, but it was just a research project." Being in the academia bubble, we sometimes forget the huge range of transferable skills we have developed. So work on translating those to the ex-academia context, especially if you're applying to organisations that are not familiar with PhDs.