Rita Ferreira
18.11.2014
Disclaimer: This is my personal opinion and does not reflect that of Pfizer
My career
 “Licenciatura” (4 year) in Biology - University of Aveiro, Portugal
 MSc in Biotechnology - De Montfort University, UK
 6 month placement at the Immunology Department, Erasmus University,
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
 PhD in Transcription Regulation – Cell Biology Department, Erasmus
University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
 Post Doc (1 Year) – Cell Biology Department, Erasmus Medical Centre,
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
 Post Doc (6 years) – Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, UK
 Senior Scientist, Pfizer Neusentis, Cambridge UK
Why leave academia and go to industry?
 Limited career opportunities in academia.
Post Doc
Post Doc
forever?
Senior
Post Doc
Rare
positions
PI
Dependent on grants and
publications
What I want to do: continue to work in the lab
One option left: Industry
Academia vs Industry – Pros and Cons
Academia
Industry

Academic environment
 Limited access to conferences and talks

Freedom of research
 Research dependent of portfolio requirements

Unrestricted sharing of data

Availability of funds for research can be
restrictive
 Publication restrictions due to IP concerns
 Funds for research not restrictive
 More structured work – pre set goals and
timelines

Your results dictates your future work

Achievements based on publications

Long working hours and weekend work
 A lot more paperwork and meetings

Short term contracts and uncertain future
 More stable working hours and no weekend
 Achievement based on accomplishment of
pre-set yearly objectives
work
 Permanent positions and job stability
 Better pay, extra benefits and yearly bonuses.
Pfizer Research & Development in Europe
Pfizer’s R&D presence in the EU
Worldwide R&D
 Neusentis
 The Clinical Research Unit in Brussels is
Pfizer’s site for Phase 1 studies in Europe
 Grange Castle has a Biotherapeutics
Technologies Team
 Sandwich’s Pharmaceutical Sciences group
supports the mid and late-stage portfolio
 Rare diseases and Centre for Therapeutic
Innovation (London)
 Pfizer’s Business Units (headquartered in
Walton Oaks, UK) also support R&D activities in
Europe through clinical trials and external
collaborations
Source: European Sites Database
5
About Neusentis

Launched in April 2011,as the consolidation and development of Pain
& Sensory Disorders and the Regenerative Medicine portfolios

~130 people with ~100 lab based scientists

Location:

UK: 7 miles south of Cambridge. 40,000 square feet of office &
lab space

US: Durham, North Carolina (former Icagen – specialized in ion
channel drug discovery)
1. Pain, Sensory Disorders and Channelopathies
2. Regenerative medicine
3. Expertise in Ion Channels and Solute Transporters
http://www.neusentis.com/
How Neusentis operates
Early target investigation
Pharmacology
Genetics
Exploratory
Bionformatics
 Each scientist has allocated projects.
 A lot of collaboration with scientists from other areas.
 Parts of the work are outsourced.
Cell
Biology
Portfolio-driven investigation
Molecular
Biology
Pharmaceutical
Sciences
Clinical
Pharmac
ology
PKPD,
ADME
Clinical
Research
Drug
Safety &
Toxicology
Electrophysiology
Chemistry
Project Team
In vivo
Pharmacology
Clinical
Statistics
Informatics
PharmacoMetrics
Plate based
pharmacology
Molecular
Biology
Cell
Biology
Human
cell
platform
Ex-vivo
biology
The day to day life as a senior scientist




Working on several projects at the same time.
You expected to manage your project independently.
Your intellectual input is indispensable for the progression of the project.
You may have managerial roles: supervision of students, junior scientists and post-docs
Exploratory lab work
Project lab work
Lab support work
Meetings
Mentoring
Others
Career paths in industry
The Research Career Ladder
Associate
Scientist
Principal
Scientist
Senior
Associate
Scientist
Senior
Principal
Scientist
Entry level for PhD
Scientist
Associate
Research
Fellow)
Senior
Scientist
Senior
Research
Fellow
 Parallel career ladders available for other areas (Development, Managerial, etc).
 Possibility of forward and lateral career progression.
 Continuous career development encouraged.
How is my performance rated
January : Objectives/Goals setting
Objectives/Goals for the year written down
Achievements based on quarterly deadlines
July: Mid Year review
Objectives/Goals reviewed and adjusted as required
Feedback obtained from relevant co-workers
December: End of Year Review
Objectives/Goals reviewed
Feedback obtained from relevant co-workers
Performance rated
Impact of bonus calculation and pay rise
for next financial year
Career progression
Career development
career development plan set up when starting job.
What you want to achieve?
What you need to do?
What your manager can do to facilitate it?
Career development plan reviewed every year.
Promotion
Requires nomination from your manager.
All nominations reviewed every 6 month by committee
Transition from academia to industry
 1 year searching for a position
 2 interviews; no response for most of my applications (not even an automated email!)
 1 offer (almost 2 month after my first interview)
Interviews for industry positions:
1. Phone interview
2. Face to face interview
My advice:




Apply for jobs that are relevant to your skills.
Tailor you CV and cover letter for the position you are applying for.
Write you CV in a clear way, with the most important information easy to see.
Include you publication in your CV and highlight the transferable skills relevant for
the job you are applying for.
 Don’t get desperate if you don’t receive a timely response after each of the
interviews. The process takes much longer than in academia.