career.uh.edu
713-743-5100
ucs@uh.edu
Location:
Student Service Center 1
Room 106 (First Floor)
#524 on the UH campus map
P: (713) 743-5100
W: www.uh.edu/ucs
E: ucs@uh.edu
Hours:
Fall & Spring Semesters
 Monday & Tuesday: 8:00am—6:00pm
 Wednesday—Friday: 8:00am—5:00pm
Summer Semester & During “No Class Periods”
 Monday—Friday: 8:00am—5:00pm
Industry Careers for PhD Graduates
Obtaining your Ph.D. requires an immense amount of time, effort, and resources. Earning
entrance to a doctorate programs is often a highly competitive, complex, and time consuming
process that many students fail to accomplish. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that
unemployment rates among individuals holding a Ph.D. are significantly lower than those who
hold only a Bachelor’s degree. The data also reveals that students with a Doctoral degree make
significantly more in terms of median weekly earnings, as well as overall lifetime earnings,
compared to people holding only a Bachelor’s Degree.
According to the 2013 US Census, only 1.68 % of the population 25 and over holds a Doctoral Degree, compared to
31.66% who hold a Bachelor’s Degree only. Due to the amount of research experience, educational experience, and
applicable skills Ph. D graduates hold, the employment prospects for these individuals are quite varied and can be found
across many industries.
Quick Tip for Job Seekers!
Though doctoral coursework and
dissertations are meant to be
specialized in one particular area
within a field of study, gaining
experiences in other industry/
academic areas though volunteer
work and organizations can help
diversify your resume/CV.
The job market has changed significantly
since the economic recession, especially
effecting the world of academia. Statistics
show that tenure-track positions at
university have been decreasing in the
wake of the economic downturn, resulting
in an increasing number of Ph.D..
recipients working as part-time lecturers or
postdoctoral researchers. The average
salary for a postdoctoral researcher was
found to be only $39,000 in 2011.
Due to the changes in academia, seeking
out positions in the corporate world is a
growing trend for Ph.D. graduates. As the
job market becomes more specialized and
more technologically driven, employers are
looking for candidates who have
specialized training and skills.
**Be sure to express your interest, enthusiasm, and
passion for your field! Employers want to see this
same passion in the workplace**
Industry Careers for PhD Graduates
Research has shown that skills sought by employers from Ph.D. graduates include “the ability to formulate and
solve interdisciplinary problems, to communicate, to manage and lead projects, acting as independent researches,
and applying their discipline based research expertise flexibly to other contexts” (Manthunga et al., 2009).
However, many employers and commentators feel as though traditional Ph.D. programs lack broad professional
development opportunities and produce overly specialized graduates who have issues with adapting to positions outside
academia.
Skill Employers seek from Ph.D. Grads
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analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities
ability to bring new ideas, curiosity & innovation
ability to solve complex problems
project management and organization skills
leadership potential
ability to work independently and in a team
excellent communication and client-facing skills
motivation and the ability to meet deadlines
Assistance may be necessary for graduates to translate the skills learnt across diverse experiences into those
required by employers. It would be valuable for Ph.D. programs to include both experiential and active learning
experiences into the academic program to assist students in developing employment-related skills. Doctoral
programs should “expose students more to the possibilities of working with industry and encourage more
students...to choose this career
path” (The Allen Consulting Group,
2005). Kentish et al. (2005) found that
only 22% of Ph.D. graduates reported
employment in the private sector and
they were predominantly in nonresearch positions.
Primary Skills Developed during
PhD.
1) In-depth knowledge (83%)
2) Critical judgment & analytical skills
(72%)
3) Effective Communication (56%)
4) Independence & Creativity (46%)
5) Leadership (33%)
Adapted from Figure 1. Proportion of participants reporting the
development of graduate attributes prior to Phd. (Manathunga et
al., 2009)
Occupational Titles for
PhD Graduates
Science & Technology
Humanities
· Architect
· Geologist
· Allergist
· Immunologists
· Astronomer
· Mathematicians
· Archivists
· Audiologists
· Microbiologists
· Behaviorist
· Biochemist
· Nanoscientist
· Biologist
· Neuroscientist
· Biophysicists
· Nutritionists
· Biostatisticians
· Pharmacologist
· Chemist
· Physicist
· Computational Biolo- ·
gist
·
· Dietitians
·
· Epidemiologists
·
· Geneticists
·
· Anthropologists
· Archeologist
· Curators
Physiologist
Statistician
Soil & Plant Scientists
Theoretical Physicist
Toxicologist
· Zoologists & Wildlife Biologists
· Economists
· Librarian
· Geographers
· Historians
· Philosophers
· Political Scientists
· Psychologists
· Sociologists
· Survey Researchers
Job Titles for
PhD Graduates by Industry
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Bioinformation Data Manager
Research
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· Institute Research Scientist
Artificial Intelligence Research
Scientist
· Postdoctoral Researcher
· Clinical Researcher
· Research Scientist
· Director of Research
· Research Technician
· Intelligence Research Specialist
· Scientific Manager
· Operations Research Analyst
· Senior Data Scientist
· Performance Improvement
Analyst
· Senior Researcher
· Senior Research Scientist
· Postdoctoral Associate
· Supervisory Research
Entomologist
· Process Development Scientist
· Quantitative Research Analyst
· Senior Advising Scientist
· Research Engineer
· Technology Development
Specialist
· Statistical Genetic Analyst
Engineering

Design Verification Engineers
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· Environmental Engineers
Aerospace Engineer
· Application Engineer
· Instrument & Electrical Engineer
· Biomedical Engineer
· Mechanical Design Engineer
· Chemical Engineer
· Network Engineer
· City Engineer
· Process Engineer
· Civil Engineer
· Reservoir Engineer
Clinical Engineer
· Human Factor Engineer
· Product Engineer
· Lead Process Engineer
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· Senior Engineer
· Senior Software Engineer
· SR Staff Engineer
· Supervising Structural Engineer
Specialist
· Systems Deployment Engineer
· Systems Development &
Implementation Engineer
· Technical Expert
· Equipment Engineer
· Commissioning Engineer
· Fuel Cell Engineer
· Automotive Engineer
· Construction Analyst
· Consulting Engineer
· Chief of Propulsion Research & Technology
· Stress Analyst
· Principal Engineer
· Product Optimization
Engineer
· Project Engineer
· Research Hydraulic Engineer
· Reliability Engineer
· Subsea Systems Engineer
· Urban Planners & Engineers
Job Titles for
PhD Graduates by Industry
Administration
Mathematics
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Risk Modeler

Federal Reserve Board of
Governors
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Quantitative Financial
Analyst
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Charities, NonProfits, & Public
Sector
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Social Worker
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Psychologist
Quantitative Research
Analyst
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Charity Fundraising Director
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Charity Officer
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Community Development
Worker
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Community Education
Officer
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Information Officer
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International aid/
development officer
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Marketing Executive
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Public relations officer
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Volunteer coordinating
supervisor
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Agricultural Administrator
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Behavioral Sciences
Supervisor
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Statistician
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Clinical Administrator
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Mathematician
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Consultant
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Senior Data Scientist
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Department Chair
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Lead Mathematician
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Director of Research
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Economist
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Education Administrator
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Executive Staff
Research Mathematical
Statistician

Institute Group Leader
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Master Medical Scientific
Liaison

Natural Science Managers
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President/CEO/COO/CFO

Principle Editor

Product Manager
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Program Specialist

Project Manager

Regional Director

Rehabilitation Director

Service Specialist III
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Creative Arts
& Culture

Actor

Civil Service Administrator

Arts Administrator

Local Government Officer

Commercial Art Gallery
Administrator

Intelligence Analyst

Government Social Research
Officer

Trading Standards Officer

Ceramics Designer

Dancer

Fashion Designer

Fine Artist

Graphic Designer
System Administrator Technologist

Illustrator
Vice President of
Administration

Museum/Gallery Curator

Musician

Photographer

Textile designer
Energy
Agriculture &
Environment
Media &
Publishing

Energy engineer

Researcher Reservoir
Geosciences

Broadcast Journalist

Agricultural consultant
International Unconventional
Exploration Geologist
Meteorologist
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Arboriculturist
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Commissioning Editor

Commercial horticulturist

Structures Integrity Team Lead

Creative Director

Ecologist

Research Scientist of Reservoir
Modeling

Editorial assistant
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Energy Engineer

Editor-in-Chief

Environmental Consultant

Carbonate Digenesis Researcher

Film/video editor

Environmental Manager

Exploration Geologist

Media Planner

Farm Manager

Fuels Technologist

Newspaper journalist

Forest/Woodland Manager

Senior Specials of Heavy Oil
Technology

Press sub-editor

Land-based Engineer

Chief production planner

Marine Scientist

Program researcher

Nature Conservation officer

Radio Produce

Soil Scientist

Runner, broadcasting/
film/video

Sound technician

Television/film/video
producer

Career Adviser

Senior Petrophysics Researchers

Frac Fluids Specialists

Specialty Chemicals Chemist

Quantitative Computational
HPC Developer
Recruitment
& HR

Drilling Engineer

Energy Manager

Engineering geologist

Television Floor Manager

Human Resources Officer

Environmental Consultant

Writer

IT trainer

Geophysicists/field seismologist

Management Consultant

Hydorgeologist

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Mudlogger
Organizational/Industrial
Psychologist

Petroleum Engineer

Office Manager

Water quality scientist

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Wellsite geologist
Recruitment & Talent Acquisition
Specialist

Sales Executive

Trading & Development Officer