Gimble J.M. Academia to Biotechnology: Career Changes at any Stage

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TERMINATING

No matter how carefully you screen and train your staff, it is likely that you

will face the need to terminate someone’s contract. It is never an easy deci-

sion and is one that most managers reach reluctantly. Nevertheless, it is

imperative that you be aware of the steps involved in the termination

process. If you thought you lost sleep when deciding to terminate a posi-

tion, that is insignificant compared to the trouble you will face if you try to

terminate someone and fail.

Employees may need to leave their job for many reasons, including

incompetence, unsatisfactory performance, insubordination, inappropri-

ate relationships or contact with fellow employees, breach of confidential-

ity, dishonesty, or criminal behavior. No matter what the reason, you will

need to provide a record of any misconduct.

First, document your expectations of the employee’s performance

clearly. This document needs to be discussed directly with the employee,

and you must provide evidence that he or she has comprehended and

acknowledged the job’s responsibilities. The document should include a

series of milestones with timelines established for their completion.

Second, document the steps taken at the management level to assist

the employee in meeting these responsibilities and the goals outlined for

performance in the immediate future. You need to give a good faith effort

to provide the employee with every opportunity to improve his or her per-

formance rating.

Third, maintain a record of your employee’s success (or failure) in

achieving the goals and milestones in a timely manner. If any incidents

occur during the probationary period, you need to record these in detail

and, if possible, list any witnesses who can corroborate the event(s).

Fourth, it is wise to maintain a record of the human resource manage-

ment office’s involvement in the process. This staff can provide witnesses

to any meetings you hold with the employee and can give you guidance in

how to handle what is likely to be a difficult situation.

During this process, it is likely that the individual will look for an alter-

native position, either within your institution or elsewhere. You can try to

assist the employee in finding a new position; however, if you were termi-

nating the employee, it would be unwise to serve as a reference. This is not

in your interest or in the employee’s. Follow the institutional guidelines

concerning letters of recommendation or reference. At some companies,

there is an across-the-board policy prohibiting letters of reference for past

employees, regardless of why they left the company. These companies will

only confirm the dates of employment and salary records for their former

staff. By doing so, the companies seek to avoid any lawsuits arising from

either (1) an employee who was dissatisfied with his or her letter of

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recommendation or (2) another company that felt that an inaccurate letter

of recommendation led to its hiring of an inappropriate employee.

The process that has been outlined here is one that you are likely to

face in a university or large company. In a small company, it may be differ-

ent. In many states, contracts will reserve the company’s right to terminate

employment at will. Under such circumstances, you have the right to ter-

minate an individual’s contract on the spot. You may find yourself tempted

to do so under extreme circumstances. Remember, though, each action has

consequences. It is a small world, and nothing you do will remain a secret.

How you treat employees today is likely to influence who you can recruit

tomorrow. It is in your best interest to conduct any termination process pro-

fessionally, resolving it at the institutional level. Do not let the situation

evolve into a personal issue between yourself and the employee. While this

may seem obvious, it can be difficult to achieve. If you are lucky, you will

not have to discover this through personal experience.

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chapter

CHANGING JOBS

The scientific workforce has always been transient. In recent years, the

length of time anyone stays in a single position or institution has decreased

further. Thus, it is likely that you will make a significant change in your

career path at least once. This chapter deals with some of the mundane

affairs you should consider when making a move.

TRANSITIONING FROM ACADEMIA TO INDUSTRY (AND BACK)

Forty years ago, pharmacology departments were the only life science

graduate programs that routinely encouraged their students to enter

industry. With the growth of the biotechnology industry and the changing

economy, this is no longer the case. Now, cutting-edge research published

in Cell, Nature, and Science is just as likely to come from a company as it

is from a university. In contrast to many universities, the biotech industry

can offer investigators access to unique technology, better salaries, and

opportunities to perform high throughput experiments. Consequently, it is

more common to see graduate students planning to go directly into indus-

try to pursue their careers. Some make the move early, accepting post-

doctoral positions in pharmaceutical or biotech companies. More

commonly, people enter industry after completing at least one post-

doctoral fellowship in an academic laboratory. Moreover, faculty-level

scientists in universities are making the transition to industry later in

their careers.

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The majority of these individuals discover that the biotech or pharma-

ceutical environment meets their expectations, and they continue to pur-

sue their careers in the private sector. Nevertheless, some investigators

find that they miss aspects of the university environment, including aca-

demic freedom, student trainees, or the pleasures of writing manuscripts

(and grants!) instead of standard operating procedures (SOPs). Not too

long ago, these scientists would be unrealistic in considering a return to

academia. They entered industry on a one-way ticket and rarely had the

chance to return. Today, this is no longer the case. Many academic depart-

ments welcome and actively recruit faculty with industrial experience.

Universities recognize that industry offers scientists unique business and

intellectual property experience that adds value to its faculty. Professors

who have been in biotech or large pharmaceutical companies can develop

classroom curricula to train and prepare undergraduate and graduate stu-

dents for industry and entrepreneurial experiences.

NETWORKING

You may be reading this and thinking that it does not apply to your situa-

tion. You are committed to remaining in academia (or industry) and have

no desire to change. Regardless, you should develop a network of col-

leagues, friends, and collaborators in your field who are located in both

academia and industry. These individuals can provide you with insights

and advice about the two different scientific arenas. More than anyone

else, they can help you make a career transition if you choose to do so.

Even if you are a tenured faculty member at a university, networks in

industry are important. You will have students who desire industry experi-

ence. You will be better prepared to mentor these members of your labo-

ratory if you can steer them to scientists you know and respect in

companies. Likewise, if you are well established in industry, your networks

in academia can provide a pipeline for new employees, new ideas, and

potential intellectual property.

INTERVIEWING

If you do investigate a transition from academia to industry, you will face

a rigorous interview process. While biotech and pharmaceutical compa-

nies are impressed by individuals with strong scientific credentials at all

levels, they are looking for employees who can adapt to the unique chal-

lenges of industry. This is particularly true if you have been a principal

investigator in academia for many years. Industry interviewers want to

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know if you can relinquish the autonomy you exercised in your university

laboratory and become a member of their team. Any company that hires

you is making a significant financial investment in your future, and they do

not want to lose any money in the process. Table 21.1 presents a partial list

of the questions you will face during an industry interview.

No matter what your experience level is, you should view the inter-

view process as a two-way street. Just as you will need to provide infor-

mation to the company, you should be asking questions as well. Of course,

you will want to know about the scientific capabilities of the company.

Recognize that there may be features of their research that are proprietary

and cannot be divulged unless you have signed a confidentiality agreement

with the company.

Interviewing 137

Table 21.1 Common Questions Industry Interviewers Will Pose to Academic

Investigators

Are you prepared to:

1. Accept decisions from senior management in a productive way?

2. Drop a promising scientific project for economic or intellectual property

reasons?

3. Work outside your current area of scientific interest and expertise if your

project is changed?

4. Accept the possibility that you may not be able to report your scientific

research at meetings and in publications?

5. Relinquish all your future intellectual property developments to the

company?

6. Restrict your employment options for a period of time if you ever leave the

company (i.e., agree to not work for any competitors for a period of 1 year

or more)?

Do you understand and appreciate:

1. The need to develop a product from your research?

2. The importance of regulatory agencies in your research?

3. The importance of documenting your research in accordance with com-

pany policy and forms?

4. The need to interface your research with development programs in the

company?

Can you:

1. Become a contributing member of a team?

2. Handle administrative responsibilities within your own program?

3. Develop and pursue patents together with the company’s intellectual prop-

erty attorneys?

4. Accept criticism constructively?

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Table 21.2 outlines practical questions that you may not have consid-

ered. While these questions may not come up during your first visit with the

company, they will need to be addressed before you sign on the dotted line.

Job Title

Job title may appear trivial; it is not. Your title makes a public statement on

how you fit into the company’s hierarchy. You will discover that this has

significant impact on how others perceive you, both internally and exter-

nally to the company’s environment. Make sure you determine that the title

reflects a level of responsibility and seniority that satisfies your expecta-

tions. In the best of all worlds, you want to move up as a result of your

career transition. While you might accept a lateral move for personal or

financial reasons, you should avoid a move backward at all costs. Even if

you are in circumstances in which any move seems better than your cur-

rent situation, avoid the temptation to take any job that comes along.

Within a few months, you are probably going to regret the decision.

Resources

The company’s scientific resources are critical to your success. Many

people discover that they had access to a far richer infrastructure in aca-

demia than they can ever obtain in industry. Few companies can rival the

technical expertise and equipment available in a major university medical

center. Even in those companies that maintain equivalent facilities, their

use may be limited due to product-related obligations. Find out specifi-

cally what capabilities you will be able to use. If there are techniques or

equipment that are missing, find out if you can subcontract these experi-

ments to fee-for-service laboratories in contract research organizations or

in university-based core facilities. Do not sabotage yourself by accepting

a position in a company where the infrastructure cannot support your

project.

Salary

Your salary level means more than just what you will bring home in your

paycheck. It is a tangible measure of your value in the marketplace and in

your new company. Make sure it is a competitive salary for equivalent posi-

tions within the industry. If it is not, you should be asking why. Has the

company undervalued your services? Is it trying to obtain your services

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Interviewing 139

Table 21.2 What You Need to Learn During an Industry Interview

Job title What will be your position title?

How does this compare to the title of the position you

are leaving?

How does it compare to the title of the people within

the company you will report to and supervise?

Resources What kind of research facilities will you have?

How does this compare to the space you are leaving?

What additional company resources will you have

access to?

Will you have access to research resources outside the

company?

Salary What will be your salary?

Is it calculated on an hourly basis?

Will there be an opportunity to earn bonuses?

How does this compare to your current salary?

How does this compare to the salary of equivalent

positions in other companies?

Will you face a cost of living increase by moving to the

company?

Benefits Will you receive health insurance coverage?

Will your family receive health insurance coverage?

Will you receive disability and life insurance?

Will you have a retirement plan?

Will you receive paid vacation and sick leave?

Will you be reimbursed for all travel and business

expenses?

Moving expenses Will you be reimbursed for moving costs?

Will you need to obtain multiple bids for your move?

Will you need to use a specific contractor for your move?

Will you receive any housing relocation costs, such as

reimbursement for realtor fees?

Will you receive short-term housing at your new

position?

Will you be reimbursed for travel and expenses for

yourself and your family while house hunting at the

new job site?

Will you be reimbursed for the storage of your property

while waiting to move into a new home? If so, for

how long?

Stock options Will you receive stock options in the new company?

What will be the vesting period?

What form of stock will you receive?

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with the minimum investment possible? Does the offer reflect a weakness

in the company’s financial resources? Make sure that the salary will com-

pensate you for the risk you are taking by leaving an academic center.

Biotech companies depend on venture capital for their financing, and this

can be fickle (even in a good economic climate). Will the salary be suffi-

cient to allow you to set aside funds in the event of unemployment?

Benefits

Do not take your benefits package for granted. Small companies with less

than 20 employees may not have the resources to provide health insur-

ance, life insurance, or retirement plans to their employees. You should

investigate the specifics of your vacation and sick leave policies as well.

Moving Expenses

As a postdoctoral fellow, you may not have received compensation for

your move. Do not let that happen again. You should be reimbursed for the

cost of moving your personal goods to a new position. If the company does

not offer this minimum level of support, you should seriously question its

financial stability and/or its corporate policies. In larger companies, you

may obtain additional relocation support. Some companies will purchase

your existing home and/or reimburse you for realtor fees in the sale of your

home. This will help you avoid the logistical problems of holding a mort-

gage on two properties as you juggle the closing dates on your old and new

homes with buyers and sellers. Clearly define with the company’s human

resource office how many trips they will subsidize for you and your family

to look for a new home. If your family will not move with you immediately,

determine if the company will reimburse you for expenses while visiting

with your family. Find out if there is a limit on the frequency, number,

and/or length of such trips. By defining these details in advance with both

the company’s human resource office and your new supervisor, you will

avoid any misunderstandings.

Stock Options

Stock options are one way that companies can compensate you for the risk

you face in industry. In a new start-up company, the size of your stock

option package should be significantly greater than that of an established

company. After all, a new company has no record of success and, without

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existing products, is unlikely to have a revenue stream. The stock options

offered are likely to be based on your salary or your position title. For

example, you may receive an offer for half a share to a share of stock for

each dollar of your base annual salary. It is likely that the company’s board

of directors has set aside a specific number of shares and authorized a

range of stock options that can be offered to potential employees. Keep

this in mind as you negotiate your salary and stock option deal. You will

probably reach these discussions in the final stages of your interview.

Remember, you can be firm and flexible. Salary is something you will real-

ize immediately, whereas stock options are a longer-term and riskier form

of compensation. If the company cannot meet your request for one, you

can ask for an increase in the other. Good luck!

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chapter

PERSONAL LIFE

Nearly last, but by no means least, is life outside the job. This book is not so

presumptuous to tell you how to lead your personal life; however, it is impor-

tant to emphasize that this aspect of your life deserves the same attention

and care as everything else that has been presented here. You may discover

that many of the tools you have used on the job can help you with situations

at home and with friends. And the opposite is true as well. Do not be sur-

prised to discover that your 6-year-old child will teach you more about man-

agement and supervision than anyone in your workplace ever can. The only

question you may have is identifying whether you are managing up or man-

aging down with your child. It will probably be a combination of the two.

CHILD CARE

Children and child care are particularly important issues in the laboratory

because of the nature of this type of work. Academia and the biotechnol-

ogy industry require scientists to be flexible in terms of where they live,

causing them to move around the country or the world as frequently as

every 2 to 3 years. Often this occurs during an individual’s early years of

family life and childrearing. Even for individuals who have the good for-

tune to remain settled in one place, business travel to scientific confer-

ences, meetings with collaborators, and fundraising activities will require

them to frequently leave their families for periods of days to weeks. For

many families, this presents a significant source of stress.

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