Master Energy Science and Technology MEST - ETH Zurich’s Post

Being able to simulate the behavior of batteries even at the fine scale and in a multiphysics framework is an extremely interesting and important area. The division of applied mechanics Chalmers Industrial and Materials Science has done a lot of pioneering work in this area for many years so don’t miss the chance to join the team. #batteries #multiscale #multiphysics

This very interesting article discusses different careers outside the lab. If you are currently considering what your next career steps may be, definitely give it a read.🤓👇

The largest downward revision of job "growth" in history. The biggest, specific downward revision was in the sector PhDs are hired in the most: "professional and business services", which include research and development, engineering, technology, architecture, consulting, legal, marketing and administrative segments. If you have a PhD, has the job market felt tougher than what you've been reading about? #phd #jobsearch

A discussion we had at one of our Early Career Researcher days recently surprised me a bit 😲   The topic was the transition from academia to industry and how challenging this can be for researchers, particularly at PhD/Post-Doc level, who do not have "industry experience".   The researchers demonstrated the resilience, the problem solving, the scientific brilliance and in-depth knowledge of the area needed to be a huge success for a particular role, but were "poo-pooed" because they had "only" ever been in academia.   To my industry peers, what's going on? 🤯   Are we really rejecting candidates JUST because they haven't worked in industry before?   In my opinion, this is a huge shame, and a way to miss out on brilliant talent, but I'm very happy to hear the argument from the other side!   & if you're an employer that does hire straight from academia, make yourself known below, I know there are academics out there would love to see you do exist! 🤗   Similarly, I know there are people out there who support researchers in this transition, please share your insights! ⬇️ #academiatoindustry #jobsearch #tips

Only do PhD if you have a passion for something. Any other reason will disappoint you in the long run: 1. There is no reason for employers to hire a PhD if they can make do with bare minimums. 2. University jobs especially tenured ones are harder to come by simply because there are more PhD holders now. 3. Economically, PhD is not a wise decision. The returns for PhD vs return for other certificates is simply not worth the time and money. Eg., you will definitely be hired as contract lecturer in any university (in Malaysia) if you have degree+PE/PEPC, because there is a severe shortage of lecturers with PE qualification in Malaysia to fulfill the minimum quota set by BEM. On the other hand, a PhD title is indeed a status enhancer. It is something nice to have. PhD tells people you are: 1. Good in research & data gathering, data integrity 2. Good in individual work 3. Good in consistency and perseverance 4. Can work with minimal if not zero supervision. 5. Good in defending your opinions

The worst kind of opinion/advice you can give to anyone is "It depends on what you want" and then not add anything after that. These days it has become very common for people to use this line and be politically correct. The problem is - it is trivial that everything is relative and it depends. But when someone is asking for your view on something, say "it depends" by all means, but then add your own experience. You being politically correct doesn't help at all. A graduating Phd student asks me "What should I pursue - academic career or industry job"? - Of course the answer starts with "It depends on what you want". I wanted a more balanced work life and time to pursue my other interests, that is why I joined industry. But at the same time, I must say, I used to get more intellectual satisfaction when I was doing academic research. So you have to choose what you want.

💡 An interesting read about a question that a lot of postdocs will ask as well: "Should I become a manager or will I regret leaving the lab bench behind?" In this Nature Career Feature, three scientists were approached for guidance and advice on this kind of career crossroads. 📖 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/etG6U6H7 #postdoc

Hiring is the most important factor in the success of any endeavor - academic, government, or business.

I don't like the term "early career researcher". Many "early career" researchers are postdocs with several years of professional experience in/out academia, have a good publication record and have worked in different research teams or institutions, often in different countries. They are not unexperienced people that need further training, they just haven't secured a permanent position yet. Although there are benefits in the form of grants and fellowships only available to early career researchers, the term "early career" also contributes to the infantilization of researchers and to classify them as unfit for higher level positions. If you do research, you are a Researcher and should be called just that. This is an opinion based on my own academic journey and previous experiences. What are your thoughts?

It can be hard to look for a job outside of research if you've worked at the bench for most of your career and think of bench work as your only skill. Here are some transferable skills most bench scientists gain during their PhD that you can use in future jobs, even if you never pick up a pipette again!