phd while working in industry

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• CAREER FEATURE
• 15 August 2023

How to make the leap into industry after a PhD

• Spoorthy Raman 0

Spoorthy Raman is a freelance science and environment journalist in St. John’s, Canada.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Melanie Zeppel stepped off the academic path to become a data scientist in industry. Credit: Stephen Jackson

Plant physiologist Melanie Zeppel had heard that hard work, a good publication list and securing highly competitive postdoctoral research fellowships would guarantee a successful career in academia. Despite having it all, a faculty position eluded her for 12 years after her PhD.

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Nature 620 , 683-684 (2023)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-02558-w

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5 Things to Consider Before Doing a PhD While Working

• By Nicholas R.
• August 19, 2020

Those interested in getting a PhD but dreading the several years of no income or a stipend that doesn’t meet their needs may consider a part time or even a full time job. That way, they can gain experience in the field, save up a little money and have a non-academic route they could later make use of. After all, if you’ve already made it to the point where you’re eligible to study at PhD level, you’ve already proven that you have great time management skills and that you can dedicate yourself to your studies, right?…

It might sound like a workable plan to many, but getting a PhD while working might not be as easy as you may think. Take it from many PhD students and postgrads who warn that it a slippery slope from a part time PhD to no PhD at all.

If you decide to go down this route, keep the following considerations in mind to give you the best chance of succeeding.

1. Know Your Programme

Some part time PhD programmes, especially the ones offered by online universities and distance learning schools, are well suited for those who want to work and study at the same time. Some aren’t as rigorous or time-consuming as others, and in some fields, the experience of working in industry through your current career will be a great benefit. A part time PhD will also have a more manageable workload , and supervisors will usually be more experience in providing support to working students. But keep in mind that some PhD part time programmes will not be eligible for financial aid or funding , at which point part time study may no longer be personally worth it.

2. Know Your Job

If your work is related to your field of study and your employers understand and support the requirements of your PhD, you will have a much less stressful few years. Therefore, one of the first things you’ll want to do is to get your employer on your side.

You can go about this by sitting down with them and explaining what your research will be about, how it will benefit your professional development and how it will benefit them as a business. You will also want to reassure them that you’ll be able to remain committed to your job during your studies, as this is likely to be their biggest concern. Don’t just stop at their verbal support, ask your manager to sit down with you to discuss the possibility of funding support, study days and the assignment of a mentor if your workplace has a doctorate holder.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

3. Know Your Situation

If you have young children, a sick parent, or generally any commitments that require hours of your time, it’s probably best to stay a full time student. If your field requires many publications or relies heavily on being able to network and interact with other researchers, keep in mind that you probably won’t be able to live up to their expectations if you already have work commitments you need to keep up.

4. Know Your Supervisor

Your supervisor should be supportive of the fact that you’re attempting to carry out a PhD whilst working part time rather than seeing it as a hindrance. As is to be expected, part time students generally struggle more than full time ones due to having greater external commitments, less contact time and a longer programme duration (beyond five years). You will want to find a PhD supervisor who is aware of these challenges, and if at all possible, try to get one who has taken this path themselves.

A good supervisor won’t only limit their support to physical help , such as introducing you to other researchers, suggesting relevant literature and facilitating data access, but also to emotional and mental support. A supportive supervisor maintains a good attitude and demonstrates concern for your research project. They should be keen to see you excel, help you refine your research skills and make you feel confident enough to experiment with your research approach and share your work whenever the opportunity presents itself, whether it is at a conference or in your place of work. Although you will be responsible for navigating yourself through your doctorate, a good supervisor will act as your safety net for when you get a little lost.

5. Know Yourself

Even the most organised people aren’t prepared for the workload that comes with a PhD. Make a time chart and be truly honest with yourself about how much time you have in the day, it might not be as much as you would think once you’ve factored everything in. Doing a part time PhD requires about 15-20 hours of commitment per week – will you have 15 hours to spare alongside your job, family and friends and other obligations? If not, then working and studying at the same time will most likely be out of your reach.

These considerations will hopefully put you in a better position to tackle a PhD while working part time (or dare I say it, working full time!). Even still, tackling a several year long PhD programme whilst working is probably one of the hardest things you will do, so if you decide to go down this road, much kudos to you.

Self-plagiarism is when you try and pass off work that you’ve previously done as something that is completely new.

This post explains where and how to write the list of figures in your thesis or dissertation.

A well written figure legend will explain exactly what a figure means without having to refer to the main text. Our guide explains how to write one.

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Calvin is coming to the end of the second year of his PhD at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. His research is focussed on how recovery as a concept is socially constructed in mental health services.

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Is it possible to earn a PhD while working? The brutal truth

Working alongside your PhD seems like an attractive proposal until you look at all of the different commitments you need to make to actually get a PhD and submit your dissertation. Working part-time may help PhD students financially but it often comes at an academic cost.

It is possible to earn a PhD while working. However, it requires strict time management and can be very complicated. You have to balance any other significant commitments inside and outside of your PhD.

A PhD is typically the equivalent time commitment as a full-time job. The majority of the PhD students I know work at least 40 hours a week. So, trying to get a PhD while working is very time intensive – 80-hour + weeks.

Some students drop down to a part-time PhD in order to balance all of the particular commitments of a PhD program and working hours.

Whether or not you are a part-time PhD student or you are studying your PhD full-time, here are all of the aspects you should consider if you are considering working alongside your PhD research. This is what you need to know if you are considering getting your doctorate while working.

Can you work during a PhD?

Some institutions full-out ban their PhD students from working full-time alongside a full-time research commitment. They want to make sure that you’re working 100% on your PhD because balancing work isn’t easy.

Although it may not be banned in some institutions it is generally expected that students focus on their research and coursework full-time during a PhD and are therefore not typically able to hold down a full-time job.

Some programs may allow for part-time work, but it is generally not recommended as it can interfere with academic progress.

Additionally, many PhD programs offer funding in the form of stipends or fellowships which can help support students financially during their studies.

There are a few things to consider if you are thinking of working during your PhD.

The first is whether or not you will have enough time to dedicate to both your work and your studies. You don’t want your work to suffer because you are spending too much time on your PhD, or vice versa.

Another thing to consider is how working will affect your funding.

If you are receiving PhD funding or a scholarship from an external source, they may have stipulations on whether or not you can work while receiving their funding. Be sure to check with them before taking on any paid work.

Lastly, you will want to make sure that the work you are doing is related to your field of study. Working in a related field can help you with your research by giving you real-world experience that you can apply to your studies.

Even though some institutions allow you to work, should you?

Should you work during your PhD?

Some students feel that they need to work in order to support themselves during their PhD, while others feel that they can focus solely on their studies.

There are pros and cons to both approaches.

Working during your PhD can help you to cover your living expenses and may even allow you to save some money. However, it can also be a distraction from your studies and may make it more difficult to find time to do research.

I know that I wouldn’t be able to balance the pressures of a full-time job with my PhD studies and, therefore, decided to not have any jobs during my first year – this included jobs inside the University such as demonstrating in undergraduate laboratories.

Therefore, it is possible to do a PhD whilst working full-time but you really have to consider the impact of the extra pressures and commitments

. It is much easier to work alongside your PhD if you have a strong research-based masters degree and your job outside of your degree is flexible enough to allow you to attend different academic commitments such as attending seminars, meeting with advisers, and travelling to conferences.

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to work during your PhD is up to you.

Consider your financial situation and how working would impact your studies before making a decision.

It can be difficult to juggle work and study commitments, and you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed and stressed. You may also have less time to socialize and enjoy your student life.

So, it’s important to think carefully about whether working during your PhD is right for you.

What type of work can you do during a PhD? Part time or Full time?

During your PhD there are a number of different options that you could consider if you want to (and you are allowed to) get a job.

I do not recommend working full-time alongside your PhD but, there are some options for part-time work to earn a little bit of money alongside your studies.

Full time work

My recommendation is that you do not try to fit a PhD alongside full-time work. Trying to work full time is asking for trouble.

There will be so many more pressures on you that it will not be a very enjoyable experience.

A PhD requires you to be creative.

Creativity comes from having enough mental space to allow your mind to connect new and interesting ideas together. If you are busy with work you will not have the mental capacity to be able to do this effectively.

Therefore, I recommend that you consider at least dropping down to part-time work if you are insistent on pursuing a PhD alongside employment.

I have seen PhD students complete a PhD part-time supported and partly funded by their current place of employment.

Part time work

If you want to know more about the best PhD student part-time jobs check out my full guide – click here for the full article.

There are a variety of part-time jobs that can easily supplement your income during a PhD.

The best PhD student part-time jobs will have flexible hours, provide you with a reasonable hourly rate, and not distract you from your primary goal of completing your PhD.

I have highlighted in my YouTube video, below, all of the different side hustles that PhD students can try if they need to earn a little bit more money.

The common part-time jobs for PhD students include:

• Hospitality
• Customer service
• University-based jobs – such as tutoring, marking exams, student services and working in laboratories
• Online jobs such as user testing, notetaker, and translating.
• Freelancing. Selling a skill that you have two people on services such as Upwork .

Why Should You Worry About Working During Your PhD

There are a number of reasons why you should worry about working during your PhD.

The most important is balancing workload, the fact that you were extending your time in academia by a significant amount, the increased risk of burnout, and ensuring you have enough resources to keep you going for multiple years.

A PhD is just like a full time job.

Therefore, getting a PhD while working full-time will be incredibly difficult. Both commitments will require at least 40 hours per week each.

Nonetheless, if you are able to have full flexibility on your work schedule and you are capable of distance learning for some part of your PhD it may be much more possible.

Many PhD students struggle with just the commitments of earning a doctorate. Consider working alongside your PhD very carefully.

Time it takes

A PhD will typically take between three and seven years. During this time it is extremely stressful and you need to make sure you’re capable of researching at your best for the entire time.

I have always said that a PhD is a marathon and not a sprint. Adding extra years to your PhD if you need to can be worth it. However, you must consider the amount of time it will take you to get your PhD and the potential return on that investment.

Unless you have a particular career secured or in mind for after your PhD the extra years it takes to complete a doctoral degree part-time are generally not worth it.

Burnout is a real consequence of doing a PhD.

By working alongside your PhD you’ll increase your chances of burnout significantly. This is true even if you like to study.

If you are prone to feelings of being overwhelmed I would stay away from earning a PhD whilst working full or part-time.

Slowly introduce part-time work if you need to once you have settled into the general routine of your PhD.

Tips for Earning Your PhD While Working

Here are a few general tips that may help you if you find yourself having to work alongside your PhD:

Talk to everyone involved

Everyone involved in this process needs to be on board. There will be times when you need to ask favours from your supervisor, colleagues, work supervisor or others.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help: Whether it’s from your supervisor, colleagues, or friends and family, don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it.

This is not a sign of weakness, but simply a recognition that we all need assistance from time to time.

Stay Organized and on Track

Find a routine: Try establishing a set schedule for at least most days of the week and stick to it as much as possible. This will help you to stay focused and make the most of your limited time.

Get Involved in the Research Community

Remember to stay in touch with your research community.

Working part-time or full-time can mean that you miss out on the exciting recent advancements and collaboration with people in your field. Make an extra special effort to attend seminars, talks, and networking events to help progress your research and your academic career.

Don’t squirrel yourself away!

Work with your strengths

Know yourself: Be honest about how well you work under pressure and how much free time you realistically have.

If you know that you work better with a tight deadline, then try to structure your work schedule accordingly.

Personally, I need as much free mental space is possible to perform at my best. Just do what is best for you.

Wrapping up

This article has been through everything you need to consider if you are tempted by earning a PhD while working.

Your PhD programme may dictate whether it is possible to work alongside your PhD. Whether or not it is a good idea will be down to you and if you are able to balance an insane amount of commitments and work.

My general recommendation is that you should focus 100% on your PhD journey and although it is definitely possible you’re going to be at risk of burnout.

Combining part-time PhD’s, part-time jobs, and finding a flexible job that will help keep you focused on the primary goal of finishing your dissertation is the most sensible way of working alongside your PhD.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

Thank you for visiting Academia Insider.

We are here to help you navigate Academia as painlessly as possible. We are supported by our readers and by visiting you are helping us earn a small amount through ads and affiliate revenue - Thank you!

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• The Benefits and Challenges of an Industry-Funded PhD

Industry-funded PhDs offer the opportunity to pursue your research in a more vocational setting, developing excellent transferrable skills and providing you with plenty of business experience. This blog, originally published in May 2019, explores some of the main pros and cons associated with this kind of doctorate.

Over the last nine months, I have started a PhD sponsored by an SME to develop a patented idea by the end of the programme. There are many positives to doing this kind of project.

You get to explore your research in a more pragmatic and applicable way – academia often suffers from criticism that not enough of the work completed has practical applications. You also get to work in close proximity with people with much experience in the world of industry and business, which allows you to increase your skills in these fields. This can make you a desirable potential employee for many different industries, as you have developed skills that can be directly relevant to industry fields.

However, an industrial PhD is quite different from a standard ‘academic’ PhD – and it’s also quite different from the academic degrees you’ve probably done so far. You have to be prepared to face different kinds of challenges. Here are five of the biggest, with my tips for overcoming them.

#1 You have to become extremely good at time management

While every PhD will require effective time management, an industry-oriented one will be much stricter about this. You will likely have stipulations about how much time you must spend each week or month working with your industry partner or working with your university.

This can be the cause of several headaches if you do not get on top of it and appropriately timetable yourself.

#2 You will have to be the bridge between several different groups of collaborators and foster good communication between them

In a more conventional environment, your main go-to contact is your supervisor, or PI (principle investigator). In industry projects, you will often have multiple collaborators, all of whom must be regularly communicated with to arrange face-to-face meetings to discuss the progress of the project.

This is useful for increasing communication and organisational skills and also gives you far more people with different experiences to call upon for help. The downside is the difficulty of getting people from different industries and professions that all have different time commitments to meet in the same place at the same time.

#3 You will have to learn about a topic or field you know relatively little about

This point is shared with multi-disciplinary PhDs. The vast majority of these projects are not purely focused on one strict field of research. The positive to this is that you will develop yourself further as a researcher and be more capable of handling different kinds of projects in the future. The downside is the difficulty of getting up to speed to a high level on a topic you know relatively little about.

#4 There will be some legal and patenting restrictions on your work

While you can work on some exciting concepts and explore different ideas during an industrial PhD, the end goal is still a product that will possibly be sold for commercial profit. This provides some excellent practical experience (and will eventually look great on your CV), but it does have its limitations when it comes to sharing your research.

There are various legal protections and intellectual property concerns that will limit your publication potential compared to a ‘normal’ doctorate. A lot of this can be addressed by chatting with your industry partner about what information is and is not okay to divulge. You’ll find that you usually must get their approval to present work at conferences or to publish interesting findings.

#5 It is necessary to focus on the big picture and the ‘macro’ of the project

You will come to have a good understanding of some of the more pragmatic aspects of your project and its future applications.

For example, what will be the financial cost of producing something on a large scale? Just because you make something that works doesn’t mean it’s something that will sell; you’ll need to know what kind of target market there is for this product.

While more conventional PhDs focus strongly on knowledge for knowledge’s sake, important logistical questions should stay at the forefront of a student’s mind when they are completing an industrial project. While that's not to say exciting results can't be studied in greater detail, it’s very beneficial to know precisely what the outcome of your project should look like from the very beginning and have a clear plan of how to get there from day 1.

What have I learnt so far in this project?

So far, I have immensely enjoyed the challenges and opportunities involved in this project as I have become open to approaching problems in an entirely new way.

I have found my overall PhD experience very useful in developing multiple skills as a scientist and understanding some of the bigger pictures involved in the industry. These kinds of PhDs are becoming increasingly common as industries realise they can form links with universities and access world-class facilities and knowledge for a relatively small investment. I'd recommend looking into these projects as a prospective PhD student, particularly if you’re not sure you want a university career after you graduate: industrial PhDs allow you to build your CV for a future working in industry or for one in academia.

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The PhD is the most common variety of doctorate, but others are awarded in specific disciplines or sometimes particular countries.

Joint PhD programmes involve collaboration between two (or more) different universities. So how does that work? Who can apply? And what are the advantages (and disadvantages) of researching in this way?

Integrated PhD programmes consist of a one-year Masters followed by three years of PhD research. Find out more about what it's like to study an integrated PhD, how to apply and the funding options available.

Thinking of applying for the Doctor of Engineering (EngD)? Our guide covers everything you need to know about the qualification, including costs, applications, programme content, and how it differs from a PhD.

A PhD isn't the only option for postgraduate researchers. Our guides explain professional doctorates, joint degrees and compare other qualification types.

How does the value of an MPhil compare with a PhD, and why might you choose the Masters over the doctorate?

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9 things you should consider before embarking on a PhD

June 23, 2021 | 15 min read

By Andy Greenspon

The ideal research program you envision is not what it appears to be

Editor's Note:  When Andy Greenspon wrote this article, he was a first-year student in Applied Physics at Harvard. Now he has completed his PhD. — Alison Bert, June 23, 2021

If you are planning to apply for a PhD program, you're probably getting advice from dozens of students, professors, administrators your parents and the Internet. Sometimes it's hard to know which advice to focus on and what will make the biggest difference in the long-run. So before you go back to daydreaming about the day you accept that Nobel Prize, here are nine things you should give serious thought to. One or more of these tips may save you from anguish and help you make better decisions as you embark on that path to a PhD.

1. Actively seek out information about PhD programs.

Depending on your undergraduate institution, there may be more or less support to guide you in selecting a PhD program – but there is generally much less than when you applied to college.

On the website of my physics department, I found a page written by one of my professors, which listed graduate school options in physics and engineering along with resources to consult. As far as I know, my career center did not send out much information about PhD programs. Only after applying to programs did I find out that my undergraduate website had a link providing general information applicable to most PhD programs. This is the kind of information that is available all over the Internet.

So don't wait for your career center or department to lay out a plan for you. Actively seek it out from your career center counselors, your professors, the Internet — and especially from alumni from your department who are in or graduated from your desired PhD program. First-hand experiences will almost always trump the knowledge you get second-hand.

2. A PhD program is not simply a continuation of your undergraduate program.

Many students don't internalize this idea until they have jumped head-first into a PhD program. The goal is not to complete an assigned set of courses as in an undergraduate program, but to develop significant and original research in your area of expertise. You will have required courses to take, especially if you do not have a master's degree yet, but these are designed merely to compliment your research and provide a broad and deep knowledge base to support you in your research endeavors.

At the end of your PhD program, you will be judged on your research, not on how well you did in your courses. Grades are not critical as long as you maintain the minimum GPA requirement, and you should not spend too much time on courses at the expense of research projects. Graduate courses tend to be designed to allow you to take away what you will find useful to your research more than to drill a rigid set of facts and techniques into your brain.

3. Take a break between your undergraduate education and a PhD program.

You are beginning your senior year of college, and your classmates are asking you if you are applying to graduate school. You think to yourself, "Well, I like studying this topic and the associated research, and I am going to need a PhD if I want to be a professor or do independent research, so I might as well get it done as soon as possible." But are you certain about the type of research you want to do? Do you know where you want to live for the next five years? Are you prepared to stay in an academic environment for nine years straight?

Many people burn out or end up trudging through their PhD program without a thought about what lies outside of or beyond it. A break of a year or two or even more may be necessary to gain perspective. If all you know is an academic environment, how can you compare it to anything else? Many people take a job for five or more years before going back to get their PhD. It is true though that the longer you stay out of school, the harder it is to go back to an academic environment with lower pay and a lack of set work hours. A one-year break will give you six months or so after graduation before PhD applications are due. A two-year gap might be ideal to provide time to identify your priorities in life and explore different areas of research without having school work or a thesis competing for your attention.

Getting research experience outside of a degree program can help focus your interests and give you a leg up on the competition when you finally decide to apply. It can also help you determine whether you will enjoy full-time research or if you might prefer an alternative career path that still incorporates science, for example, in policy, consulting or business — or a hybrid research job that combines scientific and non-scientific skills.

I will be forever grateful that I chose to do research in a non-academic environment for a year between my undergraduate and PhD programs. It gave me the chance to get a feel for doing nothing but research for a full year. Working at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in the Space Division, I was the manager of an optics lab, performing spectroscopic experiments on rocks and minerals placed in a vacuum chamber. While my boss determined the overall experimental design, I was able to make my own suggestions for experiments and use my own discretion in how to perform them. I presented this research at two national conferences as well — a first for me. I was also able to learn about other research being performed there, determine which projects excited me the most, and thus narrow down my criteria for a PhD program.

4. Your current area of study does not dictate what you have to study in graduate school.

You might be studying the function and regulation of membrane proteins or doing a computational analysis of the conductivity of different battery designs, but that doesn't mean your PhD project must revolve around similar projects. The transition between college or another research job to a PhD program is one of the main transitions in your life when it is perfectly acceptable to completely change research areas.

If you are doing computation, you may want to switch to lab-based work or vice versa. If you are working in biology but have always had an interest in photonics research, now is the time to try it out. You may find that you love the alternative research and devote your PhD to it, you might hate it and fall back on your previous area of study — or you may even discover a unique topic that incorporates both subjects.

One of the best aspects of the PhD program is that you can make the research your own. Remember, the answer to the question "Why are you doing this research?" should not be "Well, because it's what I've been working on for the past few years already."While my undergraduate research was in atomic physics, I easily transitioned into applied physics and materials science for my PhD program and was able to apply much of what I learned as an undergraduate to my current research. If you are moving from the sciences to a non-STEM field such as social sciences or humanities, this advice can still apply, though the transition is a bit more difficult and more of a permanent commitment.

5. Make sure the PhD program has a variety of research options, and learn about as many research groups as possible in your first year.

Even if you believe you are committed to one research area, you may find that five years of such work is not quite what you expected. As such, you should find a PhD program where the professors are not all working in the same narrowly focused research area. Make sure there are at least three professors working on an array of topics you could imagine yourself working on.

In many graduate programs, you are supposed to pick a research advisor before even starting. But such arrangements often do not work out, and you may be seeking a new advisor before you know it. That's why many programs give students one or two semesters to explore different research areas before choosing a permanent research advisor.

In your first year, you should explore the research of a diverse set of groups. After touring their labs, talking to the students, or sitting in on group meetings, you may find that this group is the right one for you.

In addition, consider the importance of who your research advisor will be. This will be the person you interact with regularly for five straight years and who will have a crucial influence on your research. Do you like their advising style? Does their personality mesh with yours? Can you get along? Of course, the research your advisor works on is critical, but if you have large disagreements at every meeting or do not get helpful advice on how to proceed with your research, you may not be able to succeed. At the very least, you must be able to handle your advisor's management of the lab and advising style if you are going to be productive in your work. The Harvard program I enrolled in has professors working on research spanning from nanophotonics to energy materials and biophysics, covering my wide range of interests. By spending time in labs and offices informally chatting with graduate students, I found an advisor whose personality and research interests meshed very well with me. Their genuine enthusiasm for this advisor and their excitement when talking about their research was the best input I could have received.

6. Location is more important than you think — but name recognition is not.

The first consideration in choosing a PhD program should be, "Is there research at this university that I am passionate about?" After all, you will have to study this topic in detail for four or more years. But when considering the location of a university, your first thought should not be, "I'm going to be in the lab all the time, so what does it matter if I'm by the beach, in a city, or in the middle of nowhere." Contrary to popular belief, you will have a life outside of the lab, and you will have to be able to live with it for four or more years. Unlike when you were an undergraduate, your social and extracurricular life will revolve less around the university community, so the environment of the surrounding area is important. Do you need a city atmosphere to be productive? Or is your ideal location surrounded by forests and mountains or by a beach? Is being close to your family important? Imagine what it will be like living in the area during the times you are not doing research; consider what activities will you do and how often will you want to visit family.

While many of the PhD programs that accepted me had research that truly excited me, the only place I could envision living for five or more years was Boston, as the city I grew up near and whose environment and culture I love, and to be close to my family.

While location is more important than you think, the reputation and prestige of the university is not. In graduate school, the reputation of the individual department you are joining — and sometimes even the specific research group you work in — are more important. There, you will develop research collaborations and professional connections that will be crucial during your program and beyond. When searching for a job after graduation, other scientists will look at your specific department, the people you have worked with and the research you have done.

At the Asgard Irish Pub in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Andy Greenspon talks with fellow graduate students from Harvard and MIT at an Ask for Evidence workshop organized by Sense About Science. He grew up near Boston and chose to go to graduate school there.

7. Those time management skills you developed in college? Develop them further.

After surviving college, you may think you have mastered the ability to squeeze in your coursework, extracurricular activities and even some sleep. In a PhD program, time management reaches a whole new level. You will not only have lectures to attend and homework to do. You will have to make time for your research, which will include spending extended periods of time in the lab, analyzing data, and scheduling time with other students to collaborate on research.

Also, you will most likely have to teach for a number of semesters, and you will want to attend any seminar that may be related to your research or that just peaks your interest. To top it all off, you will still want to do many of those extracurricular activities you did as an undergraduate. While in the abstract, it may seem simple enough to put this all into your calendar and stay organized, you will find quickly enough that the one hour you scheduled for a task might take two or three hours, putting you behind on everything else for the rest of the day or forcing you to cut other planned events. Be prepared for schedules to go awry, and be willing to sacrifice certain activities. For some, this might be sleep; for others, it might be an extracurricular activity or a few seminars they were hoping to attend. In short, don't panic when things don't go according to plan; anticipate possible delays and be ready to adapt.

8. Expect to learn research skills on the fly – or take advantage of the training your department or career center offers.

This may be the first time you will have to write fellowship or grant proposals, write scientific papers, attend conferences, present your research to others, or even peer-review scientific manuscripts. From my experience, very few college students or even PhD students receive formal training on how to perform any of these tasks. Usually people follow by example. But this is not always easy and can be quite aggravating sometimes. So seek out talks or interactive programs offered by your department or career center. The effort will be well worth it when you realize you've become quite adept at quickly and clearly explaining your research to others and at outlining scientific papers and grant proposals. Alternatively, ask a more experienced graduate student or your advisor for advice on these topics. In addition, be prepared for a learning curve when learning all the procedures and processes of the group you end up working in. There may be many new protocols to master, whether they involve synthesizing chemicals, growing bacterial cells, or aligning mirrors on an optical table. In addition, the group may use programming languages or data analysis software you are unfamiliar with. Don't get discouraged but plan to spend extra effort getting used to these procedures and systems. After working with them regularly, they will soon become second nature. When I first started my job at Johns Hopkins, I felt overwhelmed by all the intricacies of the experiment and definitely made a few mistakes, including breaking a number of optical elements. But by the end of my year there, I had written an updated protocol manual for the modifications I had made to the experimental procedures and was the "master" passing on my knowledge to the next person taking the job.

9. There are no real breaks.

In a stereotypical "9-to-5" job, when the workday is over or the weekend arrives, you can generally forget about your work. And a vacation provides an even longer respite. But in a PhD program, your schedule becomes "whenever you find time to get your work done." You might be in the lab during regular work hours or you might be working until 10 p.m. or later to finish an experiment. And the only time you might have available to analyze data might be at 1 a.m. Expect to work during part of the weekend, too. Graduate students do go on vacations but might still have to do some data analysis or a literature search while away.

As a PhD student, it might be hard to stop thinking about the next step in an experiment or that data sitting on your computer or that paper you were meaning to start. While I imagine some students can bifurcate their mind between graduate school life and everything else, that's quite hard for many of us to do. No matter what, my research lies somewhere in the back of my head. In short, your schedule is much more flexible as a PhD student, but as a result, you never truly take a break from your work.

While this may seem like a downer, remember that you should have passion for the research you work on (most of the time), so you should be excited to think up new experiments or different ways to consider that data you have collected. Even when I'm lying in bed about to fall asleep, I am sometimes ruminating about aspects of my experiment I could modify or what information I could do a literature search on to gain new insights. A PhD program is quite the commitment and rarely lives up to expectations – but it is well worth the time and effort you will spend for something that truly excites you.

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Andy greenspon.

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Is it worth doing a PhD while working?

Pursuing a PhD is a big commitment that requires time, work, and attention. For many working professionals, the question arises: is it worthwhile to pursue a PhD while working? Balancing work and PhD studies can be difficult, but it can also provide unique benefits and opportunities.

Those who want to pursue PhD studies while working, those can opt for the PhD for Working professional program. This blog discusses the benefits and drawbacks of getting a PhD while working, as well as strategies for navigating this rigorous dual route.

What is a PhD for a Working Professional Program?

A PhD for Working Professional Program is meant to assist professionals in obtaining a doctoral degree while continuing to work. It provides flexible scheduling and online components to fit hectic work schedules.

The program emphasizes advanced research and practical applications relevant to the professional sector. Individuals can improve their skills and professional possibilities without taking a break from their jobs.

Here are the types of PhD for working professional  programs that are specially designed by considering working professionals:

• Part-Time Ph.D: It allows you to work while earning your degree.
• Executive Ph.D: It is intended for senior professionals with extensive job experience.
• Online/Distance Ph.D: They provide the option to study remotely.

What are the benefits of a PhD Program?

Here are the few benefits of pursuing a PhD for working professionals program are listed below:

What are the tips for Successfully Balancing Work and PhD Studies?

Here are a few tips for successfully balancing work and PhD Studies are mentioned below:

• Effective time management: Time management is essential for balancing work and PhD study. Make a precise calendar that sets aside certain periods for work, study, and personal activities. Use calendars, planners, and time-tracking applications to stay organized and manage your responsibilities successfully.
• Communicate with employers and advisors: Open communication with your workplace and academic advisors is critical. Similarly, advise your academic counselors about your professional responsibilities. They can offer assistance and flexibility to help you manage both tasks.
• Set boundaries: Set clear limits for work, education, and leisure time. Avoid multitasking and concentrate on one work at a time to boost productivity and reduce stress. Set aside discrete places for work and study to create a comfortable setting for each activity.
• Seek Support: Don’t be afraid to seek help from coworkers, family, and friends. Their encouragement and understanding can make a major difference in balancing work and school responsibilities. Sharing experiences and recommendations can lead to great insights and motivation.
• Care for Your Health: Maintaining your physical and emotional health is critical when juggling a job and a PhD program. Taking care of your health can boost your overall well-being and ability to handle many duties.
• Be flexible: Flexibility is essential for managing the unpredictability of work and academic demands. Prepare to change your schedule and plans as needed.

How College Vidya Helps:

College Vidya is an online web platform with over 100 reputable online institutions that are UGC-DEB, AICTE, and NAAC-approved. Furthermore, the website is user-friendly. All you need to do is visit the website once and complete a few questions about your selected course, credentials, and budget. Based on your response, College Vidya will only propose institutions that meet these requirements. Furthermore, you may evaluate different colleges based on accreditations, pricing, and other factors to find the perfect fit for you.

Furthermore, there is no need to worry about fraud because College Vidya only displays institutions that are government-approved and have all of the necessary approvals to provide an excellent education.

Conclusion:

Pursuing a PhD while working is a difficult but rewarding flexibility. Its financial security, real-world experience, professional development, and networking opportunities can all help you further your career and academic goals. The PhD for working professional program holds the same recognition as the regular PhD program and this program is specially designed for working professionals.

However, it is fraught with difficulties such as time limits, limited focus, personal sacrifices, and a lengthy period of study. Successful balance necessitates excellent time management, open communication, clear limits, support from others, health considerations, and flexibility. By carefully weighing the benefits and drawbacks and applying ways to balance job and academic duties, you may make an informed decision about whether pursuing a PhD while working is the appropriate option for you.

Finally, the worth of this flexibility is dependent on your unique aims, circumstances, and ability to negotiate the demands of both.

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Can I do a PhD while working?

Study tips Published 31 Mar, 2022  ·  4-minute read

Completing a Doctor of Philosophy requires some serious dedication. But committing all your time to research can leave a significant gap in your income. So, can you work and do a PhD at the same time? Let’s find out.

We spoke with two UQ PhD candidates, Chelsea Janke and Sarah Kendall, to get some insights into whether you can get a PhD while working – and how to balance your work with your research.

Can you get a PhD while working?

The simple answer is yes, but we wouldn't exactly recommend it. There’s nothing technically stopping you from continuing to work (at least, to some extent) while you pursue a PhD, but doing a higher degree by research is a big commitment. So, you need to think carefully before you attempt to juggle both.

The more complex answer is that it depends heavily on the type of work you’re doing and how quickly you want to complete your research.

PhD candidates can continue working part time while completing their research. Of course, this depends on the nature of their research and other work.

Keep in mind : some PhD scholarships are only available to full-time candidates and may not allow you to earn more than a certain amount to remain eligible. If you’ve applied or plan to apply for a scholarship, make sure to check the relevant terms.

For  international students , some extra restrictions apply. You can work up to 40 hours per fortnight, but this must not interfere with your full-time study load or your academic performance. Further limitations may apply if you're on an RTP scholarship (maximum 270 working hours per year) or being sponsored by your government.

Doing a PhD while working: full time, part time or casual?

Chelsea is quick to warn us that both working and researching full time is a recipe for disaster.

“A full-time PhD could not be done whilst working full time,” she says.

Doing both part time is feasible, but only if you’re happy to wait a few extra years to see the fruits of your labour.

“I know people who have worked part time and done their PhD part time – usually in the same research group or field,” says Chelsea.

“But keep in mind it took them 7-8 years to finish their PhD; it’s not the most efficient strategy.”

Committing to a full-time PhD while doing some incidental work on the side seems like the most popular approach for candidates, in Chelsea’s experience.

“Most full-time PhD students will pick up some casual work tutoring, marking, helping the lab manager, or assisting other researchers with their work,” she says.

“This means they can do a few hours here and there without their own PhD work being too disrupted.”

Sarah’s circumstances allow her to maintain a part-time job while completing her PhD, though she acknowledges you have to be lucky to be in a position to do so.

“PhD candidates can continue working part time while completing their research; of course, this depends on the nature of their research and other work,” says Sarah.

“Both my research and work are very flexible, and I can complete them whenever suits me.”

Learn about Sarah’s research or read her series about becoming an academic in law .

How to balance work with your PhD

If you plan to work whilst doing your PhD, you will need to manage your time well.

It’s one thing to ask can I do a PhD while working – actually managing to juggle the two is a whole other challenge. Sarah and Chelsea agree that time management is the most important part of making this work.

Sarah suggests keeping a strict schedule to divide your time evenly between your commitments, as this is what works for her.

“I find that I maintain a balance best by setting specific hours to work on my PhD (usually from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday) and then on my other work commitments (usually Saturdays and sometimes a couple of hours before dinner),” she says.

“The hours you set to work on your PhD and other commitments will depend on whether your other work has set hours though, as well as when you work best – you might get some of your best research and writing done at 5am!”

Top tips for working while doing your PhD

• Only do so if you really want/need to and if you know you can manage the dual workloads.
• Tell your boss. Make sure your employer knows about your plans to juggle a PhD with your workload. See if there’s anything they can do to make the journey easier for you. For example, just like Sarah, your employer may be able to provide you the flexibility to complete your work on a schedule that accommodates your research hours.
• Consider a part-time PhD if cutting your hours or quitting your job isn’t a viable option. Yes, it might take longer. But if it means maintaining a comfortable balance between your research and your current career, it might be the best choice for you.
• Chat with your PhD supervisor. They’ve been there and done that, making them a great source of wisdom when it comes to pursuing a PhD while also balancing your other life commitments. You may also have peers currently doing a PhD who can provide some advice.

Haven’t chosen your supervisor yet? Read these tips for finding a suitable academic. It’s also a good idea to be upfront with your supervisor about your intention to work/research part time, as some supervisors prefer to work with full-time PhD candidates.

• Seek casual work at your university and in your field where possible. By keeping your work and research close together (both in terms of location and mindset), you may find it less challenging to keep on top of both.
• Make sure you’re passionate about your PhD topic . If your research just feels like a second job on top of your usual work, you’ll likely burn out before long. When developing your research proposal , make sure your thesis is providing that spark of curiosity that’s going to keep you inspired to follow through with your research – even on nights when you’re drained from work.

Ready to get started? Whether you’re dedicating yourself to a full-time PhD or keeping a balance between research and work, The University of Queensland is ready to support you.

Learn more about completing your PhD at UQ

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10 Time Management Tips for Older PhD Students Who Want to Balance Work and Studies

Breaking barriers: empowering black women over 40 to excel in information systems phd programs. , the top 8 must-know tips for phd preparation: how to get started.

The Pros and Cons of Getting a PhD While Working

Can you do a PhD while working? Before you answer this question, let’s discuss the pros and cons.

Whether you should work while doing a traditional full-time PhD is an important question . No matter what others tell you, the answer is often very personal. The answer is also determined by personal factors (i.e., can you afford to live on a PhD stipend) and external factors (i.e., does the school allow working).

Nonetheless, knowing the answers before you start your PhD education will determine the schools and PhD programs to which you’ll apply. Hence, saving you time and energy at the outset.

Before you make that decision, here are some pros and cons of doing PhD While Working.

The Pros of Getting a PhD While Working

It goes without saying that working will provide additional income.

Let’s face it. Who doesn’t want additional money in their bank account?

Career options:

Working affords you the flexibility of choice. Being on both sides, industry, and academia gives you a breath of knowledge about what’s going on in the field (that’s if your work is related to your field of PhD study).

This keeps your knowledge relevant and gives you a choice to stay in academia or go back to industry.

Research data opportunities:

One thing researchers delight in is access to good-quality data. Organizations produce and have lots of good quality data.

When you’re working for an organization, you can access the organization’s data (with permission) for your research. Studies with this kind of data are sought after.

The Cons of Getting a PhD while Working

Divided attention

Since your time, interests, and goals are split between PhD while working and your PhD education, you may find that your attention is always divided between the two interests.

This presents time management challenges, worrying about whether you’re giving enough attention to each interest.

Low research productivity.

Given the divided attention and time challenges, your research productivity may suffer.

How? You may not have enough time to dedicate to the rigor of research. You’ll almost always exert the minimum effort needed to complete a research project.

Exerting minimum effort is a human condition but can negatively impact the quality and quantity of research you produce.

Difficulty in deciding a career path after graduation.

When you have one foot in industry and the other in academia, it makes it hard to decide which to continue after graduation.

I interned twice in public institutions when I was getting my PhD, with the possibility to stay on. Even though I was only interning, it was still a difficult decision for me.

To make that final decision, I asked myself whether the reasons I wanted to pursue a PhD/be an academic had changed. In other words, I went back to my WHY. The answer was No. So I’m still in academia.

I’m familiar with a PhD while working student in their final year who is finding it hard to make that decision. I can tell you that it’s not a simple decision.

High Quit Rate

Getting a PhD education at any age is not easy; how much more doing so in your 40s and 50s.

People do quit or drop out of their PhD education. They quit for many reasons, including a lack of support from the PhD program and the quality of relationship with an advisor .

However, it isn’t a stretch of the imagination to say that stretching yourself between work and the rigor of a PhD could lead to quitting intentions. You could tackle that research study: “ Does working increase the intention to quit in PhD students ?

Now that you’ve seen some of the pros and cons of working while getting a PhD, think carefully about your decision.

Everyone’s situation is different, so make this decision based on yours. If you do decide that you’ll work while doing a PhD, consider all the different types of doctorate degrees : traditional, DBA, executive, etc. A DBA or Executive PhD allows work and might fit you better.

However, you’ll have to fund your own education (self-funding).  If you want external funding and still want to work, you need to seek out traditional PhD programs that might allow  doing a PhD While Working.

There are a few. They do not advertise it that but I have seen some traditional programs where their students PhD While Working. 

See more information on the difference between the different types of doctorate degrees . Send me a message if you have more questions on this topic.

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Experiential PhD

Have the Experience You Want. Pursue Your PhD While Working.

WPI is well-positioned to bring together industry partners, faculty experts, and talented PhD candidates in a new model for an experiential doctoral program. From identifying emerging trends in the industry to supplying supportive frameworks for the duration of a project, WPI can facilitate the professional growth of the next generation of industry innovators and leaders, enable important research projects that move the industry forward into emerging areas, and foster mutually beneficial relationships that maximize return on investment.

WPI is well-known for its flexible and nimble approach to working with organizations around the world to solve complex global problems. With more than 50 years of experience doing so, WPI is a trusted partner with a proven ability––over and over, again––to work with industry partners to address real-world issues, craft sustainable and viable solutions, and prepare a highly capable future workforce.

The Experiential PhD Program at WPI

WPI brings together industry partners, faculty experts, and talented PhD candidates for an experiential doctoral program. Learn more about how WPI works to facilitate the professional growth of the next generation of industry innovators and leaders in the video with Alex Wyglinski.

What Graduates Are Saying

• Travis Collins, '16, PhD, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Senior Software Engineering Manager, Analog Devices

• Bengi Aygun Green, '16
• OTA Software Updates Engineer & C-V2X Engineer, Ford-Werke GmbH

• Victor K. Champagne, Jr., '18 PhD, Manufacturing Engineering, PhD, FASM International
• Team Lead, U.S. Army CCDC Army Research Laboratory

Highlighted Programs

Below is a list of programs organizations and individuals have found particularly interesting. Browse each page to learn more and find one that fits you!

• Biochemistry
• Biology & Biotechnology
• Systems Engineering

Learn how WPI can enhance workforce development and help you attract the best and brightest future employees.

Contact the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies,  Alex Wyglinski , for more info and to discuss how WPI can set up an experiential PhD collaboration that benefits your organization.

You Don't Need to Quit Your Job to Earn a PhD

Alex Wyglinski, assistant dean of Graduate & Professional Studies at WPI, recently penned an op-ed on earning your PhD while working. In his article, he discusses how PhD programs have evolved and cites WPI's Experiential PhD as a supportive program for industry professionals.

Meet Our Faculty

As a systems engineer I view optimizing engineering endeavors as going beyond algorithmic optimization to include a humanitarian mission, using systems engineering tools, patterns, techniques, methods, themes, and philosophies to do policy modeling, all with the common goal of mission success. While engineering tools have brought about much excellence and productivity, we haven't always applied these powerful tools to goals such as human diversity in engineering, or looking at the full human as a participant in the human workforce.

My research is in the broad, interdisciplinary field of synthetic biology, which applies engineering principles to biology. Within this field, we apply chemical engineering tenets to reprogram the DNA of yeasts, bacteria, and fungi so their metabolism produces interesting molecules. By treating these cells as "chemical factories," we can approach and solve problems in biofuels, biomaterials, and biosensors from a chemical engineer's point of view.

• Danielle Cote, PhD
• Assistant Professor in Materials Science & Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

PhD students can perform research either on campus or remotely at your place of employment.

Experimental PhD can help setup an environment where you can leverage equipment and infrastructure at your employer’s location to help conduct your research.

Yes, Experiential PhD can help setup an environment where both your work activities and PhD activities can overlap.

An ideal scenario is pre-competitive research at your place of employment, where you are exploring a topic that has not be extensively studied nor developed. However, with discussions between your employer and your WPI faculty advisor there are multiple opportunities to craft a PhD dissertation topic based on your work activities.

WPI’s Experiential PhD employs a location-based approach for intellectual property ownership depending on where the research is conducted (at WPI or the employer’s location). However, there is flexibility to develop an intellectual property ownership model that meets everyone’s requirements and needs.

As part of the Experiential PhD framework, the employer will cover the cost of tuition as well as the support of the faculty advisor and the department to make sure the student has the necessary resources to successfully pursue their PhD degree.

The student, faculty advisor, and a mentor from the employer will work together throughout the PhD degree regarding the formulation and evolution of the PhD dissertation topic. The PhD dissertation research that will be conducted will be of mutual interest to the student, the employer, and the WPI faculty advisor.

Absolutely! There is no difference in quality and rigor between PhD degrees obtained with support of an Experiential PhD framework and one obtained full-time on campus.

Yes, there are no restrictions on publication.

The WPI faculty advisor is responsible for determining quality of PhD research and its suitability of becoming a dissertation.

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How Do I Sort Out If Getting a PhD is a Good Career Move?

"A PhD in chemistry can open the door to seemingly non-chemistry related jobs"

If you are aiming for a career in academia, especially one involving research, then a PhD is mandatory. If you have a passion for bench work or aren’t ready to commit to a PhD, then going straight into the workforce might be preferable. You can always return for a PhD later, and the industry experience will improve your time management and interpersonal skills. Keep in mind also that many schools offer an MS graduate degree if the candidate decides to stop 2-3 years into their PhD coursework.  Several corporations offer growth opportunities for BS-level scientists, but it could take several years to match the level of responsibility and salary of an entry-level PhD.

A PhD in chemistry can open the door to seemingly non-chemistry related jobs: consultant, data analyst, etc. Many recruiters nowadays are not looking for specific chemistry skills, but for candidates who have demonstrated broader skills such as problem solving, creativity, dedication, resilience, etc.

"Think about how bad you want that PhD."

Think about how bad you want that PhD. If you know without a doubt that it will open doors for you and allow you to have the kinds of career options you desire, you should absolutely go to grad school. If you are doing it because you are not sure what to do next, or are feeling “stuck” in a current role, it is going to be extremely difficult to motivate yourself during the hard parts that will undoubtedly come at some point. In those situations, I encourage you to explore options given your current educational background. Only if you find that you really need the degree to pursue your career goals should you head back to school for your PhD. Informational interviews with people in roles that you aspire to are good ways of learning various routes to their roles—and determining if a PhD will help you get there. Informational interviews are also great if you are exploring options and just want to learn about different kinds of roles. Be sure to talk with people from different sized companies as there may be different sets of guidelines in job level responsibilities in large and small companies.

The decision to get a PhD can certainly be a tricky question and often involves a lot more than just your career goals. While not often discussed, family and financial situations can play a role in making the decision, particularly if the decision involves leaving a job to go back to school or trying to complete a PhD while working.

"You may not yet know where your career is headed, but that's okay."

This question alone has prompted books full of advice! The decision is highly personal, but I can provide a couple rules of thumb as long as you remember that this is one person's humble opinion. Here, I will focus on careers in the research/technical side of a company, not the commercial side (that's a whole different can of worms!). I will also focus on job gratification, not salary impact (that's very easy to look up).

First, I'll speak to the perspective of an undergraduate student. You may not yet know where your career is headed, but that's okay. A great question to ask yourself is "do I enjoy doing research?" Was your time in the lab gratifying? Even if you haven't had the opportunity to work in a research lab (that's okay), did you enjoy your classroom labs? In both situations, were you asking yourself "What's the next experiment I could run?" That probably means you have a curious personality, which is imperative if you want to go to graduate school. It also means that you might not be satisfied with the work assigned to you as a bachelor-level technician. Having a Ph.D. will fast-track your career journey to project leadership, experimental design, and broader thinking around the commercial impact of your work.

Perhaps you're already working in industry and trying to decide if you should return to school for a Ph.D. Be assured that it's not an uncommon move. Many companies still have (unwritten) education level ceilings on career progression within a scientific track. Unfortunate, but true. If your goal is to "climb the ladder", you should work to understand the politics at your place of work as soon as possible. Learn from your peers and your manager. No decent manager will shy away from a career development discussion focused on long-term goal setting. Similarly to above, if your passion is to shape the direction of scientific research, a detour back to academia could end up being the faster route toward that goal. In any of these cases, draw confidence from the fact that having industrial research experience looks fantastic on a graduate school application!

"Getting an advanced degree shouldn’t be a default move of a chemist."

Getting an advanced degree shouldn’t be a default move of a chemist. Determine the jobs in which you are interested, then find out the degree(s) required. In some fields/companies, a Ph.D. may move you out of the position you really want.  Every degree level of a chemist is a ‘working degree’, so only pursue an advanced degree if it’s right for you, not just to appease an advisor, your friends, or your ego.

This article has been edited for length and clarity. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the view of their employer or the American Chemical Society.

ACS Career Consultants are experts and leaders working in the field of chemistry who have volunteered to support other ACS members’ career development through one-on-one career counselling. They can stimulate your thinking, ask important career planning questions to help clarify goals, provide encouragement, teach strategies for making meaningful career decisions, and aid you in your job search.  Connect with an ACS Career Consultant today!

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The best of both worlds: a PhD in industry

Valentina Cassinelli is about to finish her PhD in industry. She works on DNA nanostructures at  baseclick , a small biotech company in the Munich area. She shared with us why she picked a PhD in industry and what her experiences are.

Why a PhD in i ndustry? And, why in Germany?

Actually, it wasn’t an active decision to do a PhD in industry. After obtaining my Masters degree in industrial biotechnology, I worked as a researcher at a university in Italy for 1.5 years. My temporary contract ended and as everyone knows the labour market in Italy is a very tough one at the moment, hence I had little job prospects there. Instead of sitting at home dreaming about a career I was not having, I decided to try my luck in one of the largest biotech parks of Europe, namely Munich. I moved to Germany and started sending open applications for researcher jobs to several biotech companies. Then, I was invited for a job interview at the small biotech company baseclick who just happened to have had a positive feedback from the Marie Curie research fellowship they applied for. They told me during the interview that they were looking for a PhD student and asked if I would be up for it.

Was it easy for you, as a foreigner, to find a position in Munich?

I wouldn’t say it way super easy. I quickly realised after arrival that it would be hard to find a position outside of academia without speaking the local language. I think that as I just happened to have sent an unsolicited application to baseclick, and coincidentally had the background they were looking for, I have been very lucky. In total it took me only three months between arrival in Germany and getting the offer. There were another few months between the offer and the actual start of the PhD, which I used to study German.

Being invited based on an unsolicited application… Does that mean you did not have any competition for the same position?

No, I did have competition. They told me afterwards that they had many more applications coming once they wrote the PhD position out. But lucky me, I coincidently had the background they were looking for.

You signed up for a PhD position but were actually looking for a “normal job”. Why did you go for it?

My main aim was to transition from academia to industry. I therefore did not really consider doing a PhD. But once I got the opportunity presented to me in a company I really liked, I got very excited about it.

You are the end of your PhD. Are you still excited about it?

Definitely! I think it is a very good way to do your PhD. I learned a lot about industry; product preparation, shipping, customer contact, etc. At the same time, I have still been very much attached to academia; doing research, publishing, conferences and participation in research group meetings. I really had the best of both worlds!

Publishing, conferences and participation in research group meetings… how does it all go together?

My PhD is part of the  EscoDNA  (European School of DNA Nanotechnology) network. This is a network of researchers from industry and academia funded funded by the European Commission under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), as part of the Marie Curie Initial Training Network. Within this network there are certain requirement. For example, I need to attend one international conference a year. We agreed as well that I could publish my research, and I did. I have three publications already and am currently writing the fourth. Furthermore, I am enrolled at the university so I can participate at activities around their PhD programme as well.

You need to have a supervisor within academia. Did you have to search yourself or was it set up beforehand?

My academic supervisor I had to “search” for myself. Now that might sound like a challenge, but as the company baseclick has been founded by Prof. Thomas Carell, a well-known scientist at the LMU University, and my day-to-day industrial supervisor Dr. Antonio Manetto did his PhD with him, it was obvious to ask him to be my supervisor. And, he accepted me.

What role does your academic supervisor play in your PhD?

I am participating in the weekly group meetings of  Prof. Thomas Carell´s research group . I know the PhD students there and they know me. I present my work once a year and get feedback and input on my research.

Can you speak freely about your work during the academic group meetings?

Generally, yes. If I would really be working on a new product that  baseclick  wants to bring to the market this might be different, but I mostly work on existing products and use methods that have been IP protected by baseclick.

What distinguishes an industry PhD from an academic one?

The research itself is more applied, which I really liked. I have less academic freedom but can still, as long as the budget allows, follow my scientific interests.

The work environment is totally different from academia. I was the first PhD student at baseclick, and for a long time I have been the only one. The other people are employees and might not all share the same research background. Of course, I could have daily scientific discussions with my industrial supervisors Dr. Antonio Manetto and Dr. Thomas Frischmuth, but it is different than in academia where your whole environment is in the same boat. At the beginning I was struggling with that, but as I got to know the PhD students in the group of Prof. Thomas Carell and some bachelor and master students arrived at baseclick, I dealt with it better. Today we even have a second PhD student at baseclick, so it is not an issue anymore at all.

For safety reasons, no one is allowed to work alone in the lab at baseclick. That means that in contrast to academic PhD students I had much less flexibility in my lab hours. Again, by having a second PhD student now, these time restrictions are less of a challenge as we can now work late together. On the positive, by having this inflexibility to start with, I gained great time-management skills!

Would you recommend others to choose a PhD in industry?

Yes! It is ideal if you think about transferring from academia to industry. You get the industry experience employers are wishing for and at the same time you can still go back to academia if you decide for an academic career. And, finally I will get a Dr. title, which might play a decisive role in my future career.

You are about to finish. What’s next? Back to academia?

I don’t know what will come next, I still have a few months to find something. Probably not academia, my passion is in industry. But hey, three years ago I also did not think about doing a PhD! There is always something happening on one´s path!

Interested to learn more about this topic? You might be interested in another interview we did with a scientist who did his PhD in industry: My industry PhD . 

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PhD in Leadership vs DBA: Choosing the Right Path for Advanced Leadership Roles

• August 13, 2024

Table of Contents

Professional landscapes change fast, and so do the qualifications they demand. Thus, advanced, impactful degrees are a big draw for those aspiring to leadership roles and beyond. Among the most prestigious and impactful degrees for such positions are the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) and the Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership (PhD). 

This article will analyze the differences between the two and help guide you towards the best choice for your future.

Bottom Line: Go DBA for Industry, Go PhD in Leadership for Academics

• Both degrees equip you with credibility , expertise , and skills like problem-solving and analytical thinking .
• They’re also excellent networking opportunities.
• DBAs have a practical focus on applied research and professional development.
• PhDs are much more about theory, research, and academia. They add to the body of knowledge that already exists. 
• DBA programs are more flexible , while PhDs tend to be full-time commitments

First off, while both degrees aim to enhance leadership capabilities , each caters to different career paths and personal aspirations. You need to understand where you are and clearly envision where you want to be. Only then can you figure out the path to get there.

Advanced Degrees and Leadership Roles Depend on Each Other

Whether with a DBA or a PhD in Leadership, you’ll equally advance toward the knowledge and skills required for leadership roles . They’re both good paths forward if you consider moving upward in your career. 

It’s not just about having that nice “Dr.” before your name, but it sure is a big part of it. Doctoral programs grant you credibility and expertise in your field of choice.

You’ll improve at thinking critically and strategically about complex problems – undoubtedly a significant requirement for managers and directors everywhere.

Both types of programs involve research . That means you’ll spend considerable time with data, analyzing it, and drawing conclusions from it. 

And then there’s the networking. If you want to move upward toward a leadership role, you’ll be happy to rub shoulders with a network of professionals, academics, and industry experts . 

Let’s discuss the DBA in Global Leadership

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Global Leadership is designed for those who wish to apply research to practical business challenges,issues, and problems. Its main qualities include:

• Practical Focus : The DBA is heavily oriented towards practical, real-world business issues. It aims to develop leaders who can implement effective organizational strategies and solutions.
• Applied Research : DBA candidates often work on research projects that directly apply to their workplace or industry, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
• Flexibility : Many DBA programs, such as those offered by California Intercontinental University (CIU), are designed to be flexible and accommodate business professionals and working executives. These programs often offer online courses and part-time options, allowing students to balance their studies and professional responsibilities.
• Professional Development : DBA programs emphasize professional growth, leadership skills, problem-solving skills, analytical skills, and executive decision-making, preparing graduates for high-level leadership roles in various industries.

PhD in Leadership: Key Characteristics

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Leadership is more academically inclined, focusing on theoretical foundations and research. Key characteristics include:

• Theoretical Focus : PhD programs in Leadership delve deeply into theories of leadership, organizational behavior, and management. They aim to advance the field through original research and scholarly contributions by adding more to the body of knowledge.
• Academic Research : PhD candidates conduct rigorous research, often contributing new knowledge. Their work is typically published in academic journals and presented at conferences.
• Full-Time Commitment : PhD programs are usually full-time and require a significant time commitment. They often involve teaching responsibilities, research assistantships, and comprehensive exams, and are often more expensive.
• Career in Academia : A PhD in Leadership is ideal for those who wish to pursue a career in academia, teaching at universities, and conducting high-level research.

Choosing the Right Path for You

Deciding between a DBA and a PhD boils down to three main factors:

• Industry vs Academia
• Professional Focus vs Academic Focus
• Flexibility vs Commitment

If you work in an industry and want to keep it that way, go with the DBA. Learn everything there is to learn and go apply it to practical problems in your area. However, if your goal is to continue doing research for a living while teaching at a university, a PhD might be a better choice.

The next question is whether you want a program emphasizing practical application or theoretical knowledge . DBA for the former, PhD for the latter.

So good so far. What about flexibility and commitment ? DBAs are better suited if you want to keep your job while working toward earning your degree. PhDs tend to be full-time commitments that demand the better part of your life for a few years. Oh, and DBAs tend to be better for online programs .

Meet Stevens Bonhomme

Before finishing the article, let’s highlight the story of Stevens Bonhomme and how a DBA propelled him to new heights. 

Stevens graduated from CIU in 2019, with a shiny new Doctor of Business Administration in Global Business and Leadership . He kept an impressive CGPA of 3.78 and made the President’s List for high academic achievement.

One of Stevens’ top goals was to receive a doctorate by the age of 30. He achieved this at 28 while working full-time at Microsoft. Remarkably, he completed the program in just one year by doubling up on classes each term. His dissertation, titled “Adaptation of Business Strategies in Haiti and the United States – The Case of Five Culturally Diversified Small Business Owners,” spanned 150 pages and highlighted his dedication and ambition.

Stevens has held various leadership roles at Microsoft, served as an Adjunct Professor of Business at Northwest University, and is the Founder & CEO of Feedcoyote, a robust social productivity network. His journey illustrates how a DBA can open doors to diverse leadership opportunities and drive impactful change.

Both DBA and PhD in Leadership programs provide distinct benefits for aspiring leaders. Your ideal choice depends on whether your career goals are in industry or academia. Pursuing an advanced degree not only deepens your expertise and enhances your credibility but also equips you with the essential skills to navigate leadership challenges in a complex environment. For professionals managing other commitments, flexible online DBA programs , such as those at CIU, offer a practical route to achieving your leadership ambitions.

Start at CIU Now!

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Going into PhD after being in industry

For those of you who pursued PhD after spending some years in the industry, do you feel different (be it in a good or bad way) compared to fellow academics who went straight to PhD? How so?

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Mechanical Engineering

• Graduate study in Mechanical Engineering
• Ph.D. programs

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering

The Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering prepares students for careers in research and academia. Our collaborative faculty are investigating a diverse range of research areas like additive manufacturing, air quality, cellular biomechanics, computational design, DNA origami, energy conversion and storage, nanoscale manufacturing, soft robotics, transdermal drug delivery, transport phenomena, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Interested? Visit our research pages for more information, including faculty areas of expertise and research videos.

• Other Ph.D. programs

I’d like more information.

View the  degree requirements  in the handbook.

Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering

Students typically complete the Ph.D. degree requirements in three to five years. Early in the program, students focus on course-work that enhances their knowledge as they prepare to conduct research.

Within one year, students must pass the departmental qualifying exam, an oral exam that tests research skills and knowledge of a core mechanical engineering subject area.

Student research forms the core of the Ph.D. program. Research involves active student-directed inquiry into an engineering problem, culminating in a written thesis and oral defense.

Ph.D. Financial Support

The majority of full-time Ph.D. students accepted through the standard application process receive fellowships that cover full tuition, the technology fee, and a stipend for living expenses for up to five years, as long as sufficient progress is made toward degree completion. These awards are sufficient to cover all expenses for the year (including summers). Students are required to pay for health insurance, the transportation fee, the activity fee, books, and course supplies. Off-campus housing is available within walking distance of campus. At least one year of residency is required for the Ph.D. We offer two ways to enter the Ph.D. program.

Advanced entry Ph.D.

The advanced entry Ph.D. is for students with an M.S. in an engineering discipline or equivalent field.

Direct Ph.D.

The direct Ph.D. is for students entering the program with a B.S. in an engineering discipline or equivalent field.

For a comprehensive overview of the programs, including degree requirements, please consult the most recent handbook

Ph.D. candidate Remesh Shrestha, co-advised by Professors Sheng Shen and Maarten de Boer, explains his research to create polymer nanowires that have high thermal conductivity:

Other Ph.D. programs and partnerships

Apply here (by these deadlines).

For spring 2023

For fall 2022

The application for fall entry opens in October.

More information

Ph.D. employment stats

Ph.D. enrollment and completion stats [pdf]

Amgen PhD fellows gain industry experience while completing dissertations

University of Arizona Amgen Fellows clockwise from left: Danielle Johnson (’22), Marc Zempare (’23), Lauren Reyes (’22), Selina Kindelay (’23)

—Tucson, AZ—

University of Arizona PhD students Selina Kindelay and Marc Zempare hope more of their peers will benefit from the Amgen PhD Fellowship program, which enabled them to work in the company's world-class research laboratories while finishing their doctoral degrees. They agreed that the opportunity provided by Amgen, one of the early pioneers of the biotech industry, is helping to diversify and strengthen the nation's biotechnology workforce.

Internship opens doors to new fields for Selina Kindelay .

A PhD student in the Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program (GIDP) , Selina Kindelay joined a lab studying targeted protein degradation at Amgen's Thousand Oaks campus in October 2023. Her six-month project used mass spectrometry-based proteomics to study how proteins change when exposed to small molecule degraders.

The project required Kindelay to delve into computational biology and proteomics, fields she says she probably wouldn't have explored otherwise. "Coming in with no background in proteomics, or even computational biology, was a real stretch," she said, "but I wanted to challenge myself, and Amgen seemed happy to help me do that!" She described the experience as "a whole new education" that inspired her to pursue postdoctoral studies in precision medicine, focusing on using bioinformatics to understand disease variability and improve therapeutic design.

The structure of the Amgen PhD fellowship program compelled Kindelay to develop new skills and receive professional mentorship. Her Amgen mentor, Bo Zhou, a Senior Principal Scientist and Proteomics Group Leader, met with her weekly, offering invaluable input and career advice. Kindelay, who grew up on the San Carlos Apache reservation in southeastern Arizona, said many Indigenous young people would thrive with better access to resources and opportunities to interact with individuals who can broaden their horizons and introduce them to diverse career paths. "The mentoring I've received at the University of Arizona and now with Amgen has changed everything for me," she said.

In May 2024, Kindelay successfully defended her dissertation on developmental genetics in Drosophila , particularly the dynamics of ribosomal DNA.

Amgen welcomes Marc Zempare's passion for serving others.

Marc Zempare discovered neuroscience as an undergrad at the University of Arizona. "I took an animal behavior class in my junior year and loved everything about it," he said. Following graduation, he worked on campus as a technician for Carol Barnes , Regent's Professor, Psychology, Neurology & Neuroscience. Dr. Barnes's mentorship was invaluable, he said. "She pushed me to challenge myself and grow as a scientist." Barnes's guidance solidified his interest in research and led him to pursue his PhD in neuroscience through the University's Graduate Interdisciplinary Program (GIDP).

Zempare's doctoral work centers on the cognitive processes of learning and memory in normative aging and Alzheimer's disease. From January to July 2024, at Amgen's facilities in San Francisco, Zempare is complementing his campus research by using human pluripotent stem cells to screen interactions of various genes using CRISPR technology.

Like Kindelay, Zempare is thriving with the mentorship Amgen provides its fellows. Wilford Wang, PhD, Senior Scientist, Kaylee Choi, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist, and Peter Hodder, PhD, Executive Director and Head of Lead Discovery and Characterization, have all been generous in their time, said Zempare, meeting with him one-on-one regularly.  "I feel extremely lucky to be part of this team, learning from such amazing scientists and incredible leaders," he said.

Zempare's internship has taken him out of the lab and into the community. For example, he was invited to speak to master's students from Cal State East Bay to encourage their pursuit of careers in STEM fields. "It's good to know that companies like Amgen will allow me to pursue my passion for service," he said. "Whatever I do and wherever I work, I want to be mentoring and helping others."

Zempare is already seeing results from Amgen's program to support members of communities underrepresented in STEM. "When I first started going to neuroscience conferences, I wouldn't see a lot of African-American men like me," he said. "Nowadays, I see so many young scientists of African-American background and different backgrounds at those events. The field is changing, and it's exciting and encouraging."

The synergy of industry-academia partnerships. 

Frans Tax , University of Arizona Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Professor of Molecular & Cellular Biology, is familiar with the generous returns that come when institutions collaborate to help underrepresented students with robust funding and wise mentoring. As director for the  Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD) program , dozens of IMSD students are now among the leading ranks of industry, government and academia. “The relationship with Amgen has been everything we might have asked for, and then some! Amgen has been a great partner in giving our students a taste of conducting cutting-edge biotech research, and the mentorship experience for the students has been amazing. Our students receive training, advice and connections that will benefit them for the rest of their professional careers.” 

Brian Adair , Executive Director for Industry Engagement in U of A’s Research Development Services unit, said, “I’m pleased to announce that Amgen recently funded a third year of the fellowship program. U of A PhD student Hannah Ortiz will join Amgen’s state-of-the-art R&D site in South San Francisco for a six-month fellowship starting in September 2024. We couldn’t be more pleased that Arizona students get access to world-class mentors, resources, and training from an industry leader as they prepare for careers in biotech.”

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German doctorate (Phd) in industry; Working in a company or University?

I have just read about "German Phd in industry" in the site, "Research-in-Germany". It says that even if I get a phd position in industry, I need a university professor to supervise my research and award the doctor degree.

*So, I wonder if a company accept me, I should work in the company or University (Physically, I often need to go to the company (or not), and no need to go to University).

• 1 Can you give an actual reference to the site? It would surprise me if anyone but a university could award a doctorate, especially in Germany. I worry that you may have misinterpreted something. –  Buffy Commented Jul 17, 2018 at 21:52
• Perhaps this site: research-in-germany.org/en –  Buffy Commented Jul 17, 2018 at 21:53
• 1 I won't give a formal answer here since I'm not sure of details. I assume that this is just a situation in which some companies have formed partnerships with some universities to host student research. It looks like the "student" is a full-time employee and a part-time student. The professor guides and approves the research and the degree is awarded by the university. As a part time student the degree may take a while (but it will anyway). I assume the funding is from the company. Some US companies likely also do this, if less formally. –  Buffy Commented Jul 17, 2018 at 22:17

3 Answers 3

In many German universities, traditionally the PhD process is only concerned with what happens once you show up with your completed thesis manuscript in triplicate. Before that moment, there are little to no requirements - where I was, the only thing required was a letter from a Professor of this university saying "I agree to supervise X", submitted at least a year before the actual thesis. Therefore, it is trivial from an administrative standpoint to do a PhD in a company: you, Prof, and Boss agree on how to handle things among yourselves. This could be working all day in the company, and then writing it up on the weekends with the advice of Prof, it could be doing half time in the company and half time in the lab, it could be whatever seems good as long as it results in work of an adequate level (and earns you enough money to survive). The university only cares that at the end, you wrote a tome that a jury of three professors agrees is worth a PhD.

Of course, the devil is in the details. This might depend a lot on the field, but my previous lab had a collaboration with a Fraunhofer research institute, and I heard that even for employees of such a research-oriented company, where the possibility to acquire a PhD at the same time is baked into the contract and part of the attraction, the pressures of work life were such that many did not manage to make sufficient research contributions, and left without a degree when their time was up.

• 1 I cannot agree with your answer as it is not correct in general. For example, the TU Munich requires additional coursework throughout your PhD as well as being registered in their graduate school for at least two years. I think there is a trend towards such a PhD procedure now. –  J-Kun Commented Jul 19, 2018 at 10:17
• @J-Kun: That is possible, it's been 4 years since I left Germany. But I can't believe that this trend is so sweeping that no university remains that does it this way - no way are administrations moving that quickly! I've edited my answer to hedge my statements some more... –  nengel Commented Jul 19, 2018 at 10:25

I'm from Austria but the system is the same.

Only universities can award PhDs, so no matter where or how you do your PhD you need a supervisor at a university and you need to hand the thesis in at your university, get reviews like every other student has to and defend your thesis at that university. This is always the same.

In principle you can do your thesis wherever you want or got a position, as long as it's research based and your supervisor (and the dean of studies) approves the topic. The actual details on how everything works depend on the industry partner and the university, but there are two main cases.

1) You are doing your research directly at the company, in that case you don't need to be at the university except maybe for some courses you have to take and of course meetings with your supervisor. Usually you enter some kind of "PhD contract" that says you should meet your supervisor every X months or something like that. In this case you are usually paid by the company to do research and the university might not be involved.

2) The university is working together with a company on a research project, in that case you will work wherever you are needed. This is often the case if (smaller) companies need help in projects they cannot or don't want to do in house. In that case you might be paid by either the university or the company.

Be aware that in both cases you have to write a thesis which will be publicly available, which can be a problem when working with companies. There's usually the possibility to "lock" the thesis for a certain amount of time (some years) to get patents for example, but all of this is something you need to clarify beforehand! This is extremly important!

There was enough and correct said about the situation with thesis submission and formalia of the PhD awarding. I am tackling this question from a different viewpoint.

Basically, if you work at the university, you work directly under your supervisor, the university professor. Either, you are paid from state funds (which you are not), or you are paid from a third-party funding.

Most third-party fundings are basically "your supervisor get a sack of money". So, while your research topic might be shaped by the third party, your boss is still the supervisor, you work for him.

Now, I would imagine that many companies would not like this. So, in most cases of an industry-based PhD project, you work for the company. The company might be nice enough to allow you to collaborate with your supervisor on your job results academically. But this is not a given. (In this case you basically do your PhD on weekends.)

The only exception to this view is when the company plays the role of a third-party fund. So, it's basically, "here is a ton of money" for your supervisor, there is an interest for the research in the company, and there are capabilities to do it at your supervisor's lab. Where do you work depends now on some agreements between to sides, but you might have a choice.

In most cases, however, you cannot choose. You are either bounded to your supervisor (because the money for your position are with him and your university). Or you are chained to your company's chair (because they pay you and your PhD is at best a byproduct and at worst your own problem entirely).

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Master of Business Administration - Healthcare Management Emphasis

Earn your MBA while diving deeper into the healthcare industry and shaping yourself into an effective leader.

Prepare for the Leadership Role of Your Dreams

Combine your business skills and passion for healthcare with the business administration - healthcare management emphasis program at UW-Eau Claire, offered through the University of Wisconsin MBA Consortium . Pairing MBA coursework with healthcare focused content will create the healthcare leaders needed to move the industry forward, filling a need for managers who can identify creative solutions to challenges. The need for skilled healthcare managers is skyrocketing as the industry becomes more complex, demand for care increases, technology advances, and industry regulations constantly change.

Gain expertise that directly relates to healthcare while still benefiting from being part of a cohort that includes professionals from many industries. After completing the program, you'll have the knowledge and confidence to lead a diverse and inclusive organization, use critical thinking and analytical reasoning to make informed business decisions, and manage resources required for organizations to be at the forefront of innovation in healthcare.

Program Details

While some MBA programs only offer preselected courses, here you can choose electives that align with your personal ambitions and interests. Choose from courses oriented around communication, leadership, marketing, finance, and more.

Many of our students work full-time jobs, juggling busy schedules and families. With this in mind, all of our courses are offered completely online, with no campus visits required. In addition, you have seven years from the date of enrollment to complete your degree, allowing you to complete the program at your own pace.

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Just the facts.

100% Online This program can be completed entirely online.

Our online MBA curriculum with a concentration in healthcare management combines four credits of business essentials courses, 22 credits of core courses, six credits of required healthcare management courses, and four credits of electives from an approved set of courses.

Here are a few courses in Master of Business Administration - Healthcare Management Emphasis at UW-Eau Claire.

Leading the Healthcare Workforce

This course explores challenges and opportunities that leaders in healthcare face. Students will learn how to maximize human resources and other organizational resources to improve organizational efficiencies and the quality of healthcare. Topics include motivation, EDIB (equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging), managing change, and other concepts related to leadership.

Addressing Contemporary Issues and Trends in Healthcare

Students will examine current topics in healthcare in the United States. Topics may include, but are not limited to, healthcare costs; impacts of technology such as electronic records management, telehealth, and artificial intelligence; insurance and reimbursement; staffing; government and other regulatory requirements; equity and access to care; and burnout and stress management. Students will identify trends and issues relevant to their experiences, in particular, and explore strategies for addressing them.

Health Care Finance & Economics

This course will help students understand how factors such as government intervention in health care, the organization of health insurance markets, and health care reform influence financial decision making in the health care area.

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Related Programs

Thinking about studying master of business administration - healthcare management emphasis? You might also be interested in exploring these related programs.

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715-836-4636

Tim Walz career timeline: From high school teacher to Kamala Harris' vice-presidential pick

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate on Tuesday.

The Minnesota governor was selected by Harris to join the ticket over a short list of other contenders, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro , Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly , Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg .

A former teacher, coach, veteran and member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Walz was elected as Minnesota's governor in 2018.

He is expected to be introduced as Harris' running mate at a campaign rally Tuesday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Here's what to know about Tim Walz.

Tim Walz is Kamala Harris' VP pick: Minnesota governor named running mate: Live updates

April 1964: Tim Walz born in West Point, Nebraska

Walz was born April 6, 1964 in West Point, Nebraska. The 60-year-old Minnesota governor grew up in Nebraska, graduating from Butte High School in 1982.

After high school, Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard, according to his Minnesota Governor bio.

He graduated with a bachelor of science in social science education from Chadron State College in 1989. He spent a year teaching abroad before he returned to the U.S. to serve full time in the National Guard, and worked as a high school social studies teacher and football coach.

He graduated with a Master of Science in educational leadership from Minnesota State University, Mankato in 2001.

1994: Tim and Gwen Walz marry

Walz married his wife, Gwen , in 1994. The couple has two children, Hope and Gus. The family lived in Mankato, Minnesota for nearly 20 years before moving to Saint Paul when he was elected governor.

Gwen Walz, whose maiden name is Whipple, was born in Glencoe, Minnesota and grew up in western Minnesota, according to her Minnesota First Lady website. She met Walz when she was an English teacher in Nebraska, and the couple moved to Mankato, Minnesota in 1996, where they both worked at Mankato West High School .

As teachers, the Walzs established a summer trip to China for their students, traveling there nearly every summer through 2003.

2004: Tim Walz gets involved in politics

Walz began his political career in by volunteering for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in 2007, beating the incumbent, Republican Gil Gutknecht.

He was reelected in 2008, again in 2010, and in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

2018: Tim Walz elected Minnesota Governor

Walz was elected as Minnesota's governor in 2018, running after former Gov. Mark Dayton announced he would not seek a third term. He won reelection in 2022.

Associate Director for Career Development

• Madison, Wisconsin
• GRADUATE SCHOOL/ADMINISTRATION
• Academic Services and Student Experience
• Partially Remote
• Staff-Full Time
• Opening at: Aug 14 2024 at 14:50 CDT
• Closing at: Sep 8 2024 at 23:55 CDT

Job Summary:

The Graduate School at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is seeking an Associate Director for Career Development to lead career development programming and enhance career advising and referral services for graduate students. In this reimagined role, you will support graduate students in achieving their professional goals, coordinate with colleagues across the university, and engage with industry partners. You will also contribute knowledge and insight into the career-related needs of graduate students within UW-Madison's decentralized career services landscape, working to identify and strategically address gaps. This position is part of the Graduate School's Office of Professional Development and Communications, which includes the Delta Program. The professional development team coordinates, develops, and promotes learning opportunities to foster the academic and professional skills of UW-Madison's 11,000+ master's and doctoral students. To learn more about the school's mission and opportunities for graduate students, visit the Graduate School's website at grad.wisc.edu.

Responsibilities:

• 25% Educates or advises students and recent alumni individually, or in groups through various mediums about career exploration, self-assessment, skills, materials development, and career decisions
• 25% Develops and delivers career development programming and resource materials across various mediums to provide education to students
• 5% Responds to questions and provides information regarding student services, policies, procedures, and employment preparation
• 10% May identify and maintain a professional network of employers or other stakeholders to facilitate career exploration and employment opportunities for students
• 10% Participates in campus-wide career services community providing input to leadership regarding the development of advising, recruitment, and co/curricular programs offered by the school/college/unit
• 5% Supervises unit staff and/or plans, organizes, allocates resources, assesses performance, and leads the operational activities for a significant portion of the unit's career services portfolio
• 20% Using knowledge of graduate education and the professional development needs of graduate students, as well as events management skills, work collaboratively to plan, promote, implement, and evaluate programs.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Required Bachelor's Degree Preferred Master's Degree or Doctoral degree

Qualifications:

Required: - Minimum 2 years of experience working (professionally and/or as a graduate student employee) with master's or doctoral students in graduate education career advising, services, or development. - Minimum 2 years of experience (professionally and/or as a graduate student employee) implementing programming or developing and managing events.

Full Time: 100% This is a hybrid position that requires some work be performed in-person on campus, with the flexibility for some remote work. In-person vs. remote work expectations will be discussed during the interview process.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Minimum $70,000 ANNUAL (12 months) Depending on Qualifications This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced insurance plans, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see: https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/quickguidefasl.pdf  

How to Apply:

Please click the 'Apply Now' button above to begin. Once you have created a UW Jobs profile, you will be asked to upload a cover letter and resume which highlight your experience, knowledge, and skills as they relate to the listed qualifications. In addition, you will be asked to provide a list of three (3) professional references.

Kory Breuer [email protected] Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Official Title:

Career Development Manager(AE079)

Department(s):

A35-GRADUATE SCHOOL/GRAD SCH/PROF DEV & COMMS

Employment Class:

Academic Staff-Renewable

Job Number:

The university of wisconsin-madison is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer..

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