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Molecular biologist Catherine Vrentas had never considered a career in government, and didn’t know much about positions available in her particular field—microbiology. “The usual accepted academic track is where your mind is,” she says. After attending a conference about opportunities at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Vrentas took a look at the postdoc positions advertised on the USDA’s website. One specifically referenced protein biochemistry and mentioned methods Vrentas was familiar with from her graduate-student days. Now a postdoc with the USDA, Vrentas spends her time analyzing prion proteins, and earns a significantly higher salary with a better work schedule than she had while working in academia.
Vrentas also values the fact that her work directly affects critical issues facing the nation. For example, ...
