Grow In Industrial R&D Labs Author: Neeraja Sankaran

At a time when increasing numbers of Ph.D. researchers are facing a shortage of job opportunities, some scientists are finding productive and fulfilling careers before they ever reach that level -- in the pharmaceutical industry.

Wlater Darbonne MASTER OF MANY TRADES: As a senior research assistant, Walter Darbonne works independently on research projects. Drug companies "provide a great opportunity for people who want to do research," even without a doctorate, attests Walter Darbonne, a senior research associate in immunology with Genentech Inc. in South San Francisco, Calif. Darbonne -- who joined the company in 1985, upon graduation with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry from California Polytechnic State University -- maintains that at present "there are more jobs available" for those with bachelor's- or master's-level qualifications than for Ph.D.'s.

Scientists with bachelor's or master's degrees form an integral part of any major drug company, according...

Interested in reading more?

Become a Member of

Receive full access to digital editions of The Scientist, as well as TS Digest, feature stories, more than 35 years of archives, and much more!
Already a member?