What can i do with B.S. in biotech, need advice

[A D]

Hello everyone, Sorry to go a little off topic but I am seeking for an advice. I ve got a B.S. in Biotech ( cuny nyc) with over 2 years of academic lab experience, projects presentations etc.  Currently I am I live in NYC and looking for work in nyc jersey even looking at Boston area. Anyways after couple of months I only got couple of interviews at genetics companies in NJ and wasnt accepted probably since ive asked over 40k as salary. 

I am planing on lowering the salary req. not sure how im gonna survive though, What im asking is maybe there are more possibilities where i can find something ? I am currently looking for entry level lab tech etc. with key words of molecular/biology/laboratory/lab

if anyone got any ideas or advice  besides the general knowledge or suggestions please help, thanks in advance

[Dakota Hamill]

I don't think 40k for a BS is outrageous in NYC or Boston at all, if anything its a little low.  45 to 50k is starting Research Associate I 30 minutes out of Boston with 0 experience.  Don't know how you'd live in the bigger cities unless in a closet or with 6 ppl.

Granted a lot of the big citties also get top tier talent from world renown schools, so your competition on paper is high.

Best bet is to make yourself stand out.  You're probably one of 500+ applicants all with the same resume.  Crazy cover letters can help.  

That said I think smaller biotech are more fun to work at.  It's all about being passionate about what you do and going above and beyond to land an interview.  Find a smaller company, read up on the scientists running it, read their papers, email them directly.  

I don't know NY or NJ well at all, but NJ still has a lot of big pharma present.  

What exactly are you interested in?  I could recommend a few Boston places but that's about it.  

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[Skyler Gordon]

I wouldn’t get his hopes up. Starting at 17-19$ an hour would be fine for most people.

-SG

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[Dakota Hamill]

Ya I suppose.  I started at 30k out of college but at a 4 person company so it was worth it because of all the stuff I got to learn.  Bumped to 35k 6 months later which is about $17 an hour I think.  I had friends go to work at NEB and Cell Signalling and all started at 40 or 45k ended up at 55 or 60k 3 years later.  

Tough racket out there for Research Associates without an internship during undergrad for an easy foot in the door.

If English isn't your primary language I'd recommend someone proof read your letters for grammatical errors.  I knew HR ppl that would throw out resumes for the smallest mistake because it was the only way to triage down to a reasonable number of applications.

Outside of industry schools themselves usually hire techs or RAs.  Some PIs will fund positions in their labs for perhaps less than industry but it could be an in for grad school or a job recommendation from the PIs network.  

It ain't easy!  I had a couple friends go into car sales because they couldnt get anything but temp work in bio.  Sad to see their money and time spent on degree go down the drain.

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[Matt Lawes]

Good luck in your job search!

Now the reality. It's not the salary, so don't cut that. Equally don't list it.

I suspect it's your resume, which sets out to emphasize your education and how smart you are. 

This is the wrong direction. You will be hired at a biotech because you already know how to do exactly the technique they want you to do. The company is already full of educated smart people. They want someone who is the king of western blots, or the goddess of PCR. So talk about what you know what to DO. 

I would also consider applying for Lab Tech positions for a year to build your resume in this regard. 

Best wishes >Matt

Sent from my iPhone

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[Matt Lawes]

Clarification: Lab aTech position in Academia

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 5, 2018, at 6:14 PM, Dakota Hamill <dko...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Nathan McCorkle]

Move to a better city, seriously. It is hard to do when it comes to
leaving friends and family, but it seems otherwise the easiest
practical choice. There are plenty of cities with thriving biotech job
markets. Research Triangle Park, NC... Boston, MA... SF Bay Area,
CA... San Diego, CA... Seattle, WA... that's a quick list off the top
of my head, there are others I'm forgetting, and other places with
solid markets but less number of businesses hiring (i.e. St. Louis,
MO, probably).

I lived in NYC when I first left school with a B.S. in Biotech, and
after 3 months ran for greener pastures out west. I've been working as
a software engineer instead, but using the experience working with
electrical and microelectronics engineers to funnel into DIY projects
and entrepreneurial ventures (slowly).

When I was in NYC, people were over-applying to jobs offering
$28k/year fulltime for entry-level tech positions, which were mostly
medically focused. Just not what excited me.

[Cabalen sciences]

https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/subscriber-only/2014/04/25/biotech.html

https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/04/25/top-of-the-list-biotech-companies.html

https://www.ssfconf.com/biotechnology-in-south-sf

Try getting a biotech job in the Sacramento or Bay Area though.

https://www.kellyservices.com

Try applying through job placement agencies for a jobs in the lab.

https://www.aerotek.com/en?ecid=ps_aero_brndnt_160304_383322&vendor_id=3831&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkovKl5jX3AIVBdRkCh14IQAAEAAYASAAEgINOPD_BwE

https://www.apexlifesciences.com

https://harvtech.com

[Cabalen sciences]

http://www.solano.edu/biomanufacturing/

https://bme.ucdavis.edu

In some cases if you want to get into a biotech company the job descriptions demands that you have a biomanufacturing or biomedical engineering degree.

[Todd Kuiken]

To build off what Nathan said, BASF is in a hiring mode as they just merged their research operations here in North Carolina.  Here is a recent news story about it: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article215902945.html

[Cabalen sciences]

https://indiebio.co/careers/

In some areas the Startup seed accelerators like Indiebio will show careers like Scientists and Engineers in some areas.

[Cabalen sciences]

https://rockhealth.com/job-board/

Here's some job postings for Rock Health.

[Jonathan Cline]

NYC?  NJ?  Or near DC Area?  Consider going into politics.  Really.  Toooo little scientist representation in government.  And the incumbents?  Lets not get started on the levels of cluelessness going on this past decade.  Salary of an council person's aide might be $35k+. 

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[Cabalen sciences]

http://bioeng.berkeley.edu/about-us

I forgot to mention that a major in Bioengineering might be needed to get a job in some areas.

[Brian Degger]

Work for a bit at a local microbrewery. Pay will be not great.. But free beer and a chance to see practical use of science..get on the job bioprocess expeeience.. Come to terms with iso9000 and other compliance standards. 

Plus get to geek about hops... A very interesting plant. 

In the next 10years i see them going from alcoholbproducing yeast to comodity pharmaceuticals like morphine and insulin. 

On Tue, 7 Aug 2018, 22:38 Cabalen sciences, <ryangav...@gmail.com> wrote:

http://bioeng.berkeley.edu/about-us

I forgot to mention that a major in Bioengineering might be needed to get a job in some areas.

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