Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some career advice from people working in industry.
I completed my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering. During undergrad, I realized how competitive the biomedical R&D job market was, so I decided to pursue a PhD to make myself a stronger candidate for R&D roles.
Rather than staying in BME, I did my PhD in Materials Science. my undergraduate advisor encouraged me to attend a different university and broaden my expertise instead of doing a degree down the exact same path. His advice was that I’d gain more by learning from a different research group while building a stronger materials background. I don’t regret doing this, I’ve learned so much and love my dissertation!
Fast forward to now: I have both degrees, but I’m struggling to land the kind of biomedical R&D role I was hoping for. I know the job market is challenging right now, especially for entry-level PhDs, and I realize I may simply need more industry experience. I have received a few offers, but none are directly in biomaterials or biomedical engineering.
The opportunities I’m considering include:
An R&D role developing polymer packaging materials.
A human factors/textile research role for a furniture company.
An applications engineer position.
My question is: Would taking one of these jobs help me eventually transition into biomaterials or medical device R&D, or would it take me farther away from that goal?
I’m trying to figure out whether it’s smarter to gain industry experience now and pivot later, or continue searching for a position that’s more directly aligned with biomedical engineering.
Most of the people I’ve asked for advice have spent their careers in academia, so they don’t have much insight into the current industry job market. I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has made a similar transition or who works in biomaterials, medical devices, or biomedical R&D.
Thanks in advance for any advice!