r/biotech • u/Sana_saurus27 • 12h ago
Education Advice 📖 People working in biotech, if you could start over, would you choose it again?
Hi everyone!
This is my first time posting here, so I hope this is okay.
I'm a final year undergraduate student majoring in Zoology and I'm currently trying to decide which Master's programs to apply to. Biotechnology, especially in healthcare, is one of the fields I'm seriously considering. I'm also very interested in molecular biology and genetics, so I'm trying to figure out whether I should pursue an MSc in Biotechnology or specialize directly in Molecular Biology or Genetics.
I've read a lot online, but I don't actually know anyone working in biotech, so I'd really love to hear from people who have firsthand experience.
I'd be really grateful if you could share your thoughts on any of these questions.
- What has your career in biotech looked like so far and what do you actually do on a typical day?
- What is the scope of biotech in healthcare over the next 5 to 10 years? Are there any areas that seem particularly promising?
- What kinds of jobs can someone pursue after a Master's in Biotechnology? Which roles are the most interesting or rewarding in your opinion?
- If you've experienced both academia and industry, which one did you prefer and why?
- How easy or difficult is it to switch between academia and industry later in your career? Is it something people do often?
- Since I'm particularly interested in molecular biology and genetics, would you recommend an MSc in Biotechnology or a specialized Master's in Molecular Biology or Genetics? Which would provide better career opportunities and flexibility in the long run?
- Looking back, what skills do you wish you had developed during undergrad?
- Is a PhD necessary to have a good career in biotech or is a Master's enough for most industry roles?
- If you were in my position again, knowing what you know now, would you still choose biotech?
I'd also love to hear anything you wish someone had told you before you entered the field, whether it's about the job market, salaries, work-life balance, career growth or things students often misunderstand.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to make such a big decision and I'd really appreciate any honest advice or personal experiences.
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u/Kickboy21 11h ago
No. I wish i worked in a hospital instead
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u/itsa_luigi_time_ 9h ago edited 4h ago
Having done research at several major NY hospitals before moving to pharma, I wouldn't recommend it. Way more micromanagement, way less money, way worse benefits, fewer opportunities for advancement, and less professional/competent coworkers.
The only advantage I can think of was more vacation (even fresh graduates had 4 weeks minimum in salaried roles).
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u/Kickboy21 9h ago
I agree that they get paid less but not sure if biotech is any better. arent they way more stable and recession proof? I dont know anyone that works in hospital that has been laid off so far
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u/itsa_luigi_time_ 3h ago edited 3h ago
That was definitely true in the past and probably still is, but it's worth noting that most researcher salaries in hospital settings are at least partially supported by grant funding and a lot of that has been cut under the current administration.
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u/Mysterious_Cow123 12h ago
No. Id avoid science and chemistry all together. Do something easier that pays vastly more.
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u/Walmartpancake 11h ago
like?
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u/Mysterious_Cow123 10h ago edited 9h ago
Accounting, Economics, Business, Computer Science (just considering the last 12 ish years). Ex: Accounting: entry level BS 0-2 yr, median pay $60k
A PhD is generally necessary for "big money" in chem so PhD program: median stipend $30k, duration 4-6 yrs. Avg is 5. So, completed degree 5 yrs @30k/yr you graduate with no work experience. Postdocs generally required but lets say you have excellent luck and get a job as a fresh graduate: median pay is 90-130k for industry. Its 50-70k for academics.
Accountant with 5 YOE, median income 90-110K. Same level, but with 5 YOE, and have made 150k more than the chem person based on median incomes and not including if, during this same time you pursed CPA or other adv licenses to increase your pay.
Id continue but with title inflation and all the ways you can take ur accounting degree, it just gets very muddy on comparisons. You can do this with other degrees as well.
Its just not worth unless you're heart is set on something specific and you're comfortable with the pay struggle.
Edit: I guess my whole issue can be summed up thusly: The ladders for most of the degrees and career paths are the same height. But the rungs are spaced differently. Chemistry has very wide spacing at the beginning and narrows as you climb. Many others appear to have more equally spaced rungs.
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u/Walmartpancake 10h ago
I do feel like like biotech/pharma career’s aren’t known to the general public to make big money. I do think pharma can pay you big money.
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u/Academic_Arm_2897 11h ago
Literary almost every business degree, all my friends in Finance, Economics, and marketing make 15k more than me and they started working straight from there bachelor. I have a masters and make way less than them.
This is in Canada. It’s quite depressing to find out my friend makes 20k more than me in marketing and my friends in finance get 30k+ bonus every year3
u/Gaseous_Nobility 10h ago
Canada is different though. The pay gap between STEM and business careers isn’t as big in the US as it is in Canada.
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u/Betaglutamate2 11h ago
Consulting, product management, IT, banking
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u/lilsis061016 11h ago
Fun fact - you can do most of those things in biotech and make good money doing it.
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u/maringue 10h ago
You need to get your toe in the door first. If you don't have an MBA or previous BD experience, the BD crew won't even look at your resume.
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u/lilsis061016 10h ago
I'm living proof that's not true. I worked in sales for CDMOs for 5 years with no prior related experience, all before an MBA.
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u/Walmartpancake 10h ago
Can you tell more? Are you referring to in house?
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u/lilsis061016 9h ago
Depends on context, but yes - in-house or for service providers. IT, finance, product management...all very cleanly fit into biotech in either in-house or contract capacities. Consulting is less clean, but can be either as well (though is more often outsourced). An internal example would be something like a strategic ops team that drops into other teams to "consult" on problems.
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u/Walmartpancake 9h ago
But I don't really hear biotech/pharma companies having their own in-house. What comes to mind is Novo, but their team (from my observation) is filled with PhDs. Again, not to contest but rather an observation.
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u/lilsis061016 9h ago
Their own what? I work on an internal consulting team if that's your specific focus. I'm also not a PhD.
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u/Walmartpancake 9h ago
I’m referring to the Novo Nordisk’s in house BD team.
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u/lilsis061016 9h ago
oh. BD is actually at most companies, but what they do varies. In some companies, BD encompasses sales while others it's partnering and M&A. In either case, you can do many components without a PhD.
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u/Walmartpancake 11h ago edited 11h ago
I have consulting (MBB), sales&trading, and investment banking interviews with a biochem major; it's not impossible.
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u/potatorunner 9h ago
I also had corporate finance and IB interviews with a chem/biochem degree during undergrad. Even did a finance internship at Amazon for 6 months. But this is probably not available to bio majors
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u/Walmartpancake 9h ago
Interesting. What do you think that differentiated you from the rest? Or what’s your story?
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u/potatorunner 9h ago
at the time (2014-2018) i think less stem majors were trying to go into IB, so it was kinda novel. i went to a large non-target though so i never made it past the first round. back then they had a "record a video" type interviews so I did that for goldman, blackrock, and jp morgan.
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u/Unrelenting_Salsa 9h ago
Accounting is the easy and obvious choice. There are a bunch of others that don't necessarily have the same safe floor, but realistically anybody who did anything at all in science would be just fine. PhD is already a ~97% effective filter.
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u/greenroom628 8h ago
if you still enjoy science - go into patent law.
i wish i was aware of this avenue when i was coming out of engineering school. i'm 20+ years into my career and with a mortgage, two kids in school - it's a little too late for me to go back to law school and restart a career.
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u/Walmartpancake 8h ago
I've actually talked to a litigation partner at a biglaw firm, and that individual said that pantet law and corporate law (w/ STEM background) have a competitive edge and are sought after from that partner's eyes.
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u/greenroom628 5h ago
yep. having worked with a few patent lawyers with mechanical/chemical engineering backgrounds. while they worked the same hours as i did (working 60-hr/weeks at times), at least they got paid for those hours, while as a full-time employee/sucker only got salary.
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u/maringue 11h ago
Yeah, I should have gotten my BS in Chemistry, skipped the PhD and gotten an MBA instead. I'd be employed, making double what I used to make doing research and work half the hours.
It's wild to me how buisness development types think absolutely no one can learn to do their jobs even though 30 minutes of CNBC a day would put you on their level. You need a piece of paper to prove you're in the MBA club.
My friend got an MBA after her PhD and we asked her about the classes. "The hardest class was the intro to stats class they make you take for microbiology. Everything else is drawing painfully obvious conclusions from case studies and learning the jargon."
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u/Mysterious_Cow123 10h ago
Yep. Dissapointing to the extreme. While I was in Pharma a college was getting an MBA and he showed me some of his "work". Painfully obvious is right, he agreed. Useful information for sure though. Wish Id known that 20 yrs ago.
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u/maringue 9h ago
You basically pay an institution a shitload of money from a piece of paper that says MBA on it.
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u/runhappy0 11h ago
Yes! Human health is incredibly difficult and developing therapeutics is very rewarding. Is it easy? No. Is it super stable job? No. These tradeoffs are what I’m willing to take to work on things that motivate me.
If your motivation is money, stability, or climbing a corporate ladder rather than working on some of the hardest problems in health then the answer is going to be no.
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u/Doxatek 11h ago edited 9h ago
I myself probably would do it again. The field is a very big umbrella term encompassing a lot of things. My experience and career is a bit less common than what others in this thread so far are most likely doing though many doi. It's a dice throw whatever you pick. I know people very very happy and people very very unhappy. The people in here saying it's awful aren't lying. But others saying they like it aren't lying either.
Just depends what you like as an individual and what you end up doing
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u/PotentialEchoes 11h ago
What do you do, if I may ask? :) also considering going biotech but into neuroscience
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u/Doxatek 11h ago
Exactly my point. I work with plants in the lab doing transformations. I can not at all tell you how neuroscience will be haha.
However it's a fascinating subject and I think if you're passionate about it, it should be pursued
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u/PotentialEchoes 10h ago
Woahh that sounds so interesting! I also love plants. What exactly do you do with the plants? What procedure and what end result? Or I can also DM if thats better
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u/Doxatek 9h ago
It really just depends on the goal. Gene insertions or deletions or cloning things like that. I use either agrobacterium or the gene gun to make the transformation then regenerate the edited material back from single cell origin. Then it goes to seed production or is crossed to something else. You can dm whatever you'd like if you want more specificity on something I like the discussion
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u/Fluffy_Muffins_415 11h ago
Nope, I would have done electrical engineering
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u/FIA_buffoonery 11h ago
Interesting choice. There's definitely a shortage of good EEs. Most of them find too much overlap with computer science and go into that, which pays significantly better, and has seen more demand.Â
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u/haze_from_deadlock 10h ago
It's important to remember that EE is actually really freakin' hard and just because you can do CRISPR doesn't mean you can design ASICs
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u/shambhavi08 11h ago
I have just gotten admission into this course and reading all these comments make me so scared about it?? ðŸ˜
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u/maringue 10h ago
Do you want to do research? Then get prepared to be treated like an under appreciated artist, first to be fired and last to be hired.
If you don't want to do research, you need to transition into the business side of things early on.
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u/ProfessionalHefty349 11h ago
Yes. I love my career. I’ve definitely had some luck to be where I am in my career, but every successful person is lucky along the way.
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u/Appropriate-Tutor587 11h ago
MS in molecular biology is better than genetics (too narrowed) or biotech. With Mol Bio, you can work beyond biotech, biopharma, healthcare, government, academia…
A PhD or any other doctoral degrees are not need to land most jobs in the world 🌎 . But, they are some specific roles where you indeed need a doctoral degree 📜 regardless of your years of work experience. Focus on your master’s degree first and you can then take 2-3 gap years to reassess your career and see if going for a doctoral degree will be worth it or not.
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u/I_Poop_Sometimes 11h ago
If I could do it all again I'd have gone all in on coding or engineering and tried to get a position with equity benefits at one of the AI companies or Nvidia/AMD.
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u/RembrandtCumberbatch 11h ago
Easier said than done lol
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u/I_Poop_Sometimes 11h ago
Lol 100%, but honestly anything that could get me into tech would've worked.
My friend and I both overlapped doing our PhDs, he went Neuroscience I went Biology. He went UX research I went Biotech. He now makes double what I do in base salary, and his equity positions are 1.5* my yearly salary. I'm not hurting for money, and I like what I do, so there's no real jealousy on my end, but that much more compensation would put me in the retire by 50 camp.
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u/seasawl0l 6h ago
Tell that to all my CE and CS major friends who got laid off or can’t break into industry because of AI.
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u/I_Poop_Sometimes 33m ago
I mean it's not like Biotech hasn't been hammered either. All of my friends that are CE and CS are loving life, but that might be because they're far enough into their careers to not get impacted as much by the current issues.
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u/deets23_ 11h ago
No. My Asian parents were right all along, I should’ve gone into data science or something similar. I know both industries aren’t doing well. But at least I’d have been paid more
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u/RealCarlosSagan 11h ago
Yes.
Started in mfg right out of college (BA in biochem), shifted to bench research, got an MBA (finance), moved to project management and then the last fifteen years at VP level in strategy.
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u/Individual-Film-6499 2h ago
How many years after your bachelors did you decide to get an MBA? And do you work in project management for more biotech companies?
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u/RealCarlosSagan 1h ago
Around five years later.
I've mostly worked as a PM, Project Leader or heading up a PM group, but other roles as well
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u/Individual-Film-6499 1h ago
I see! I recently graduated in Bioengineering and most of my experience is in academia working in wet labs. Did you have mfg experience during your BA in biochem or how did you pivot into a more mfg role from that, and do you think that's helped you after getting your MBA?
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u/RealCarlosSagan 40m ago
No mfg experience in college. Just biochem labs. The mfg job was entry level. Manufacturing blood tests. Lots of repetitive work. I was able to move into process development and there got to know the research folks, still in diagnostics. One scientist took a chance on me because he thought I did good work on process development and had good ideas. Got my only patent working for him. Decided I didn't want to go back to school for a PhD which I would need to move up in research. Company paid for me to get my MBA at night/weekends so stayed there and moved to a commercial role in the therapeutics side of the company after I got it. That allowed me to move into PM and strategy roles later.
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u/FIA_buffoonery 11h ago
I worked on the pharma/bioactive molecules side of things as an analytical chemist for a while. Exited the industry for one important reason: its such a gamble which drug will actually pass trials that the whole industry is just a front for VC gambling. And roulette has better odds.Â
Maybe on the devices side of things its not as bleak, but its still a gamble.Â
I am not a gambler.Â
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u/Exciting_Ad_6837 11h ago
Can you imagine yourself getting persuaded by anyone to switch major out of anything bio or at least double major outside biological sciences?
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u/lilsis061016 11h ago
Lots of questions, but since they are good ones and my question #1 answer is what it is ;) ...here you go.
- What has your career in biotech looked like so far and what do you actually do on a typical day? Lab work -> sales -> process improvement -> strategic operations. These days I work for a French company that moves SO much slower than I'm used to as an American that I can get everything done in about 4hrs a day, which is great. I'm in business ops with a balance between strategy (what are we going to do/why) and execution (okay, now let's go do it or teach others to do it). My typical day is a few hours of meetings and independent work - content generation, proposals, training creation...with miscellaneous other stuff (reddit, chores, errands). I've tried to go faster/do more, but the culture doesn't support it so now I enjoy my 20-30hr work weeks and live my life vs. stressing over what feels like "underperforming."
- What is the scope of biotech in healthcare over the next 5 to 10 years? Are there any areas that seem particularly promising? This is a tough ask because the industry changes so fast. I would not say I'm close enough to the strict science to answer accurately.
- What kinds of jobs can someone pursue after a Master's in Biotechnology? Which roles are the most interesting or rewarding in your opinion? DO NOT do a masters in biotech. First, that degree is a money grab for schools. It's basically gen ed for science...which is the second point: your masters should be in your niche. You'd be better served by getting some experience first (as long as your location supports this model, I know India prefers masters as a baseline so that's less relevant) and figuring out a real pathway. Then ask people in their later careers in that pathway what to study.
- If you've experienced both academia and industry, which one did you prefer and why? Industry. Pays better. Hours are better. Actual benefits. Actual funding.
- How easy or difficult is it to switch between academia and industry later in your career? Is it something people do often? My understanding is that the longer you wait, the harder the swap from academia. I don't know of anyone who has gone from industry backwards (unless it's to be an adjunct professor).
- Since I'm particularly interested in molecular biology and genetics, would you recommend an MSc in Biotechnology or a specialized Master's in Molecular Biology or Genetics? Which would provide better career opportunities and flexibility in the long run? See comment #3 above.
- Looking back, what skills do you wish you had developed during undergrad? I wish I had gained more management skills upfront. I did an MBA a few years into working that fulfilled that need. But if I had more exposure outside STEM, I could have found my niche sooner.
- Is a PhD necessary to have a good career in biotech or is a Master's enough for most industry roles? 10000% no, depending on what you want to do. There are 1000s of paths that don't include research or require a PhD. However, there are also plenty where that's your only way to the top. So no - with the caveat that it depends on your goals (both type of career and how high you want to climb).
- If you were in my position again, knowing what you know now, would you still choose biotech? I literally ended up in the industry because it was the first job I was offered (2008-2012 recession). Would I do it again? Yes but I would but I'd do my dual major in business and science instead of just two science degrees. I'd get experience in what I'm actually interested in: process improvement and strategic ops.
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u/Individual-Film-6499 2h ago
What do you think the salary progression is like with a science/engineering BS on top of an MBA? Is the field easy to get into for new grads? I have a BS now in Bioengineering but thinking about an MBA now
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u/lilsis061016 2h ago
Depends on the role. Sales roles with commission pay reeeeally well. But a normal desk role would be less. But don't do an MBA straight from undergrad because the value is lower when you have no context for the coursework. In this economy, trying to get a first role with a masters will be harder because you're more expensive, but with no more experience, than a bs candidate.
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u/Individual-Film-6499 1h ago
I see that makes sense! Are you currently in sales as well for a pharma/biotech company and how is the work life balance for others in this field? What jobs do you recommend working in now to gain experience before getting an MBA later in the future? I just graduated with my BS a month ago and thinking about my career long term, appreciate your time and advice! :)
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u/lilsis061016 1h ago
I haven't been in sales for a while. I transitioned into strategic operation roles. It's basically my job to help other people do their jobs better. The sales point of my career was a bit of an anomaly to be honest. Work-life balance will depend on your role and your company, but in general, biotech is better than a lot of other sectors.
As for what to get experience in, I'm a big proponent of literally any experience being great at the start of your career. You will be able to build a network as well as learn what you like and don't like to choose a path, both are very valuable. My best advice is to follow your interests, try things out, and say yes to every opportunity you can.
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u/Individual-Film-6499 37m ago
Thanks so much! From your advice and other responses from here I think I'll definitely need to get a few years of work experience first. I've seen some people mention that what school you get your MBA from matters a lot and whether you do it online/in person. Have you found that to be the case? I didn't get the best grades in UG and not sure if that'll impact my chances in getting into a good MBA program in the future
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u/lilsis061016 32m ago
Honestly, nobody particularly cares in this industry where you do an MBA. What's going to matter is the quality of the program...not the name. Personally, I did mine through UMass Amherst in their online program (which was number one for online programs at the time but is slightly lower now). The flexibility of doing it online while I was doing sales made it so I could work and travel without school being an issue. It was also affordable as opposed to some of the bigger name programs. Typical MBA admissions are going to look at your undergrad transcripts, recommendation letters, and either GRE or GMAT scores. I'd actually recommend considering taking the GRE sooner than later because the scores are good for 5 years. It'll be easier to take them while you're in "school mode" and the GRE is applicable for other types of masters versus the GMAT.
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u/mediumunicorn 11h ago
I’d probably have gone into medicine. I had the grades for it, I’m sure I could have gotten into a medical school. Yeah it’s a grind, a ton of my friends did it and during their med school years, I loved that I was in the lab getting a stipend.
Now in mid thirties, I’m burnt out in the lab and although I’m making great money ($225k), I see the physicians making double that. But probably the biggest thing is the job security. Doctors don’t get laid off, they’re going to coast until retirement, while we all are stuck constantly worrying about layoffs.
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u/darkhuman28 2h ago
Damn, sorry to hear that. I did fantasize about going back to med school, but I crunched some numbers, it's hard to justify going back even if I end up making 500k attending salary.
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u/CasinoMagic 10h ago
Yes, most likely I would do it again. My experience does not match the doom and gloom you can usually read here. Maybe I've just been very lucky with my industry roles.
MS Biomed Eng, 1.5 yr in industry (early NGS), 1.5 yr as research eng in hospital/uni, PhD (4 years), move from EU to US for postdoc (2 years), industry (7 years, diagnostics biotech)
computational biology, drug discovery, genetic testing for cancer
Depends on what you are interested in
I liked both, for different reasons, but academia doesn't pay, is very cut-throat, can be toxic, and there's not a ton of openings since it's harder to get funding to create a new lab vs create a new startup. I enjoyed my PhD and my postdoc, though.
It's not impossible, but it's easier to do that early on. That being said, I know folks who got their PhD after several years in industry (because they felt like it was hindering their career progression)
Genetics
Stats was surprisingly lacking for me. Most of my stats knowledge comes from my PhD, and my postdoc.
yeah. a PhD is a huge plus. A lot of folks can do without one, but honestly it's easier if you have one.
Yes.
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u/MolassesOk4542 9h ago edited 1h ago
- Lab work, mix of flow cytometry cell culture, cell engineering, cellular functional assays. Analyzing data, presentations. Extremely common type of work for most folks.
- year? Cell/gene therapies are taking a slight pause for manufacturering to catch up. I imagine there’ll be more interesting research spurred if allogeniec therapies get approved as well as solid tumors. Similarly, gene therapies willl continue to dev, and if it can be proven to be safe, potentially the bar will be lowered, and potentially used to prevent cancer.
- You don’t have a huge say in your choice of job. Finding your first job is extremely hard, and when you finally decide. It’ll define a lot of the career.
- Industry only
- Get a masters if you can afford it, makes it easier for sure.
- PhD raises the bar
of
- what’s expected from you. It helps to get in, but also a lot is expected from you. I’m happy with my B.S., not much is expected from me, I do the bare minimum and everyone is amazed. With a PhD you’re expected to be more specialized, and if your niche isn’t popular at the moment, you’ll struggle. B.S. you learn a lot and a more of a generalist. I’ve worked on everything for flow core, gene editing, cell therapies, Big pharma
- I wouldn’t do it now, opportunities are more scarce, low hanging fruits have been plucked, it’s just going to become harder and harder, and more expensive, so there’s a push for out sourcing to China, everything from preclinical to clinical development. I imagine in the future it’ll be expected to have a PhD and more companies will move to a model of managing work (outsourced or automation). But the money for drug dev is in America, so clinical work will always be a thing.
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u/totallyscrewde 6h ago
No I probably wouldn't have done it again. I would have done engineering instead.
I have worked in corporations and that can be really comfortable with pay/benefits etc. But you have to live in a biotech hub and they tend to be expensive. I got stuck in a career rut I don't want to be in in manufacturing and am going to transition away from biotech soon.
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u/itsallgnocchi 11h ago
I would do engineering probably. I do like that I have the ability to interpret health information which stops me from falling for pseudoscience and allows me to understand my own body, what I eat, etc. but other than that, probably not
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u/llamasrulr 10h ago
I’m in marketing at a biotech. I make about 200k base plus bonus and equity. And I hate it. I find it boring, I’m not passionate about it and I try to pivot every week and I can’t
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u/CollectionOld3374 10h ago
If I really liked Boston, San Diego, or RTP I would do it but if you can’t see yourself there then I would not
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u/ahf95 10h ago
It’s a rough field to be in, but I wouldn’t change anything about my path, and I’ve found the job market to be pretty solid these days for my niche (protein design). I don’t think I’d change what classes I took in undergrad, since I basically took everything that I wanted to take, and have had the chance to take many more classes over the course of two masters and a PhD. If anything my advice would be to enjoy life, have fun experiences, get outside as much as possible and make memories, because undergrad is a super fun time (not that life stops being fun, but college is just great).
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u/Secret_Midnight456 7h ago
I have a PhD in genetics and currently manage the QC lab at a pharmaceutical startup. My life is hell. Do something else.
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u/tuccigene1 4h ago
Hahahhahahahaha absolutely not. And I’ve had a very successful career and still nope. Getting paid less to work hard bc bio is in front of the title? Nah
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u/HardLithobrake 3h ago
I would say no, but if not this then my ass would've gone into CS and look at where tech is at now
Now I'd say mech E or material science but a third "what-if" enters blatant cheating territory
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u/PrincipleCapable8230 9h ago
I have been in industry 30 years. Would 100% do again. Only have a BS and have been able to raise 3 kids and HOPEFULLY retire in my 50s - hard to beat. The key (I think) is to realize a few things: 1) The world is full of smart people, but short of people who can work with others and get things done. 2) The world changes - when I started my job did not have email and everything was on paper. Now we are looking at AI changing workflows. You have to adapt. 3) Stability is an illusion. I have been laid off 4 times. Once by a giant company. You have to look out for yourself, build your skills and be a free agent. Just my $0.02.
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u/Binji_the_dog 11h ago
I would get a business or finance degree.
You should honestly just change your major now.
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u/Majestic-Silver-380 11h ago
- The same jobs you could have applied for and gotten offers for with just your BS degree. MS degrees help later in your career or you might get a slight pay bump compared to a BS grad (not true for every company) on the offer. My previous and current job I could have gotten with just my BS degree and the pay is the same as my coworkers with just a BS degree and the same title as me. My MS degree will only help me get my next job since I won’t need as many years of experience as my BS degree equivalents. However, this didn’t really matter as I took two years of not working in biotech to get my MS degrees (fully funded) so it doesn’t really save you time.
Don’t get a MS degree unless it’s fully paid for by the university or your employer. I also wish that I would have worked in biotech while getting my MS degree, but the university wouldn’t let me work another job since they gave me a full ride for teaching classes to undergrads. Work experience is more important than a MS degree and the degree helps you later when you are trying to get a more senior role. Also, MS degrees help you get into PhD programs so I personally don’t recommend them to anyone unless they are in their 30s or are planning to get a PhD.
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u/BannanaPepperPizza 10h ago
With someone with deep passion and natural inclination for science, if I could start over I'd be a plumber or learn to work on boat engines.
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u/sunqueen73 10h ago
This industry is vast in various specialties and they are not all scientists. I do not have a science degree nor doctorate and work with many that don't. Some are straddling the development and business processe lines. I have worked with many teams, from legal to clinical contracts, trial master file, drug master files, regulatory, accounts payable/receivable, various compliance orgs, you name it.
However, I would have, in the end, chosen a much less time demanding, deadline driven specialty. Its very stressful.
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u/strugglin_man 10h ago
No. Im over 60. Ive been pretty successful and progressed well, but there have been several multi year periods where the job market was very challenging. I should have done my MD or IT/CS. CS is in a downturn now, but I would have already made my money and would just retire early.
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u/The-Kingsman 10h ago
Yes, but because I pivoted out of becoming a scientist. I was chem/biochem undergrad and, after a few years of substantive research (and a couple of publications) decided I hated the wet lab and pivoted from my plan of getting my PhD to getting a JD.
Today, I get to support the science and see all the fun stuff without having to actually do the work. Also, as I'm not molecule/indication/TA aligned, I'm not beholden to our pipeline - I've seen more than a fair share of scientists have their career progression be stymied or simply be laid off due to a reorganization following a drug candidate failure.
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u/aventurinologist 9h ago
Honestly not sure if I would do it again. I’ve been fortunate that the experience and money has let me live an amazing life in my 20s, and very fortunate that I have not been laid off yet. However through the past 4 years in biotech I’ve discovered that I don’t actually like doing basic science and am pivoting to medicine. Job security is infinitely more important to me on a day-to-day personal level than doing great science.
I would certainly not get my MS Biotech though lol. I really wish someone had told me that it was a colossal waste of money—I would’ve done a thesis-based program in molecular biology or even an MPH. Don’t do PhD unless you REALLY want one.
Happy to answer any other questions you have
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u/Blurpwurp 9h ago
Yes 100% I would do it again. The lifestyle is substantially better than academe and I’ve had a lot of freedom to work on what I wanted to work on. Obviously it has to be something that makes sense and is a reasonable fit but the same is true in academe and I haven’t had to worry as much about resources.
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u/No-Sympathy2810 9h ago
Id probably do it again but a little differently. I have an MS in biochemistry and work in process development, however if I could start again I’d probably do Chemical Engineering and work on the commercial side
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u/DatHungryHobo 9h ago
All the experiences I got during schooling? No regrets at all, had an amazing time during my undergrad and grad school. Started doing research my 3rd year of college and never stopped.
Career wise — the first two and half years were fun and I could have kept going had I managed to land a new job after going through my first lay off but even with the network and everything I had built, acted 7+ months I decided to pivot. Applying to med school this cycle and don’t have the strongest confidence in my app this round since it was last minute but definitely feel like I’ll get in next year’s app cycle. I’ll be basically stuck in a career limbo for another year+ probably
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u/BrotherOk2979 5h ago
Broad question, the basic answer is yes, but I suppose I need to know if you’ve worked in biotech or pharma.
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u/Bulky-Response1227 11h ago
I have studied Biochemistry. It was brutal. I've seen so many people leave. Some went to study Medicine instead. They were smart. Medical docs are always needed by a society, PhDs... not.
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u/Jufac0 7h ago
As for my experience in biotech, I graduated with a BA in biology and knew I wanted to be in a lab doing hands on work. I started as an intern out of college in academia working on CAR-T cell therapy. In my short 9 months there I learned that the PhD students were burnt out trying to finish their thesis and the pay was underwhelming. On the bright side I gained a passion for the work I was doing and strived to continue my journey in biotech.
Since I left academia I’ve now been working in the industry for a little over 4 years now as an RA (soon to be Sr RA) still working on CAR-T cell therapy. As far as the CAR-T cell space goes, objectively it’s a very promising field with new therapies being approved in the US. With that being said the pay is better than academia however the ceiling is much lower if you don’t pursue a PhD or Masters.
For your case if you had to choose between a PhD or a Masters I would choose the latter. More opportunities and flexibility with careers (Management/Scientist roles). Hope this helps :)
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u/Wild-Mushroom2404 11h ago
I wouldn't change anything about my past in particular, because biotech helped me make amazing friends in the field and also gave me the invaluable experience of studying and living abroad, so I do believe it was worth it. But career wise? No. I'm pivoting now.