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Science outreach is all about creating programs that make science accessible, authentic, and engaging to non-scientific audiences. Science is everywhere, so science outreach is everywhere too, in many formats, carried out by many organizations. Often framed as “science education,” science outreach happens in science centers, museums, youth camps, and many other program-based settings. While outreach curricula commonly align with state or national educational standards, science outreach tends to be more informal than formal.

Starting points

Much science outreach is done by nonprofits, but an increasing variety of government agencies and for-profit organizations are doing science outreach as well. Even academic research institutes sometimes have an outreach arm. A STEM PhD can begin in any of these settings. AAAS has a Mass Media Fellowship that would also be a great starting point.

Advancement

You can change sectors or organizations fairly easily once you have started your career and gained a little experience, ultimately moving up to the Director level in outreach organizations. You can also become a freelancer, developing science outreach programs and offerings for various clients.

Disciplines

All STEM disciplines can do science outreach because the need for greater public understanding is immense in all areas of science.

Personality & outlook A friendly, upbeat, outgoing personality is extremely helpful here, as are teaching skills and creativity. Also important are a strong desire to share the wonders of science, and an enjoyment of informal settings. Generalists have a significant advantage too. If you love science itself more than your specific sub-discipline, and if you enjoy talking science with lay people, this might be a good career for you.

Preparation

Seek out opportunities to raise public awareness of science. Blog. Participate in science education programs on and off campus. Learn about the major local and national science outreach organizations and scour their websites to learn the details of what they do. Identify science outreach professionals and conduct informational interviews with them.

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Science Education and Outreach

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PhD Career Paths in Science Education and Beyond Faculty

There are multiple pathways for PhD scientists to pursue within science education and outreach careers. These include K-12 educational institutions, museums, nonprofits, government, and at colleges/universities (both RO1 and liberal art institutions). Check out the various opportunities and resources below curated specifically for STEM PhDs. Learn more about this career path under Career Exploration Resources and from GSAS alumni in “Community Spotlights”. Look for experiential learning opportunities and get involved with organizations at Yale that work in secondary education.

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Science Education & Outreach

• Funding Research Programs at Liberal Arts Colleges (Spring 2023)
• Careers for PhDs in Environmental Policy, Education & Outreach (Fall 2022)
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Museum scientists may also be responsible for public outreach. Volunteering at a science museum is a good way for STEM Ph.D. recipients to explore this career path. 

While earning a Ph.D. in cellular neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland, Rebecca Alvania loved the considerable amount of time she spent working in the lab with her hands to carry out experiments. But after graduating, something in her shifted.

“I did not actually want to have my own lab,” says Alvania, CEO of the American Society for Cell Biology, a Maryland-based international membership organization. “The things that I loved doing in the lab or as a scientist are not necessarily the things that meant I was going to be happy running my own lab.”

Now, she works to serve a population that reflects herself back then in many ways – doctorate of science students looking for guidance on careers outside of academia.

Academia once was the largest employer of science Ph.D. graduates, but that has changed. According to data from the U.S. National Science Foundation's NCSES Survey of Earned Doctorates , academia represented only 26% of the employment sector of research doctorate recipients in science and engineering in 2021, continuing a trend.

From industry-based jobs to career paths outside of industry and academia, experts say nonacademic careers can be just as fulfilling as working within educational institutions.

Industry-Based Careers for Scientists

Industry-based jobs can be positions within laboratories, or non-lab roles such as a business development analyst. Here are a few industry-based careers that experts say science Ph.D. recipients are also hired in.

Business Development Managers

In these careers, science Ph.D. graduates are valued for their ability to understand complex research in business, which can help in decision making, notes Kim Petrie, assistant dean for biomedical career development and associate professor of medical education and administration at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine  in Tennessee.

“Those are people that sometimes do well in their careers," Petrie says. "They can make decisions and act without all the information. Quantitative thinkers often do well in these types of roles, and scientific training often fosters that skill set.”

Key responsibilities for business development managers range from managing existing products and services to developing new ones. These positions also involve devising market strategies using scientific and analytical skills.

The average salary for a business development manager in the U.S. is nearly $71,000 a year, ranging as high as $128,500, according to ZipRecruiter . Experts say there are many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

Medical Science Liaisons

Medical science liaisons can be employed by pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and managed care companies. Part of their job is to make sure products are being used efficiently, along with acting as scientific experts who advise on advances in clinical treatments or provide input on relevant science and clinical data. 

The role is “very communication heavy, translating science and sometimes technical science for non-technical people and sort of management of clinical research or clinical research projects,” Petrie says.

According to the 2022 annual salary and compensation survey by the Medical Science Liaison Society, 82% of current MSLs in the U.S. across all company types and therapeutic areas had a doctorate degree, excluding M.D. , with 34% of total respondents having a Ph.D. The average annual salary nationwide for those with a Ph.D. was nearly $182,940.

Data Scientists

Data scientist is one of the fastest growing occupations in the science industry. The employment of data scientists is projected to grow 36% from 2021 to 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, much faster than the average occupation. 

“Everybody, every company and health care companies are using data science, so quite a number of our alumni have transitioned into that,” Petrie says. "Some of them have gone out pretty far from the field and are not necessarily working for scientific companies anymore, because they've been able to parlay that programming ... skill set that way.”

As data scientists , science Ph.D.s typically use their skills for gathering or identifying relevant data to make business recommendations based on their analysis. They often present their findings by using data visualizations.

“Nashville actually has a lot of health care companies, so we've had a couple of alumni transition to those organizations, working with their medical records, just doing some interesting things like looking for anything predictive, for example, in medical records that might suggest an earlier diagnosis of cancer,” Petrie says.

Careers Beyond Academia and Industry-Based Positions

Research findings that led to the Harvard University Press book “Next Gen PhD: A Guide to Career Paths in Science” – written by Melanie Sinche, assistant dean for academic affairs at the University of Saint Joseph in Connecticut – indicate that career paths for science Ph.D. graduates also exist outside of academia and industry positions. Here are some.

Science Publishing

In science communications, you must have excellent written communication skills and a strong understanding of the ethical and regulatory guidelines in the field. Science Ph.D.s develop such skills just by the nature of doctoral training and postdoctoral work , Sinche says.

“One of the key pieces for science Ph.D.s and postdocs," she says, "is to know themselves and to know their skills and to recognize that they have a concrete set of employable skills that are attractive to employers across all industries, across all sectors.”

Science publishing provides many career opportunities such as science journalist or writer, journal editor, medical writer and science illustrator.

Museum Educator

Often, scientists who work at a museum hold a science Ph.D. of some sort, according to the American Society for Cell Biology. Museum scientists may also be responsible for public outreach. Volunteering at a science museum is a good way for STEM Ph.D. recipients to explore this career path. 

“I recommend for all Ph.D.s to experiment, to develop collaborations maybe with industry partners and to go through internships and volunteer in different settings,” Sinche says. “Those activities will generate more information for them in order for them to make an informed career decision.”

Policy Analyst

In this position, science Ph.D.s observe and influence policy at the local, state and national level by working with government offices. Gaining experience through internships or fellowships, combined with the ability to learn quickly that Sinche says they’ve already developed, can help Ph.D.s prepare for a career in policymaking. 

“I think one of the most important skills that you can argue that most Ph.D.s develop over time is the ability to learn quickly, and that skill, you better believe, it's attractive to all employers,” Sinche says.

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RockEDU Science Outreach represents the collective science engagement and research education efforts at The Rockefeller University. The RockEDU team works in collaboration with scientists, students, educators, and engagement professionals to produce programs and resources to promote science engagement. From skills-building workshops to mentorship training sessions, we approach our work by supporting humanity first, science second. 

From skill-building workshops to science-themed webinars and mentorship training sessions, we approach our work by supporting humanity first, science second.  Check out our research education programs for high school juniors and seniors ( LAB Jumpstart and SSRP ). Find our content at RockEDU Online and be on the lookout for Talking Science and Science Saturday announcements.

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Beyond your ph.d.: how to break into science education, communication or outreach.

March 4, 2020

Congratulations, you’re *this close* to getting your Ph.D. and are ready to pursue a career in science education, communication or outreach! Do you know how to make your next step a reality? You have options, and each one has its own timeline, process and end goals.

Get a ‘Real’ Job

If you have never been in the job market, the idea of finding a ‘real’ job can be daunting. Where do you even start? Since graduate students know when they will graduate a few months beforehand, use this lead time to not only craft a resume and cover letter you can easily tailor to postings (hint: make them modular!), but to also set up your job search. A little bit of legwork up front can save you hours combing through listings when the crunch is on.

One of the easiest strategies is to set up job site filters based on a search like “science education and outreach.” Although there are numerous science-specific sites, be aware that they typically focus on academic and industry research jobs, and aren’t the best resource for science education, outreach or communication jobs. Instead, use broad sites like LinkedIn, Indeed and Idealist. Experiment with various search terms and parameters, like filtering by state or city, to find the combination that yields the most promising results. Then, have the sites email you a daily digest of new postings that match your search parameters. Many of the postings may not be relevant (‘outreach’ means many things, for example), but casting a wide net ensures that you don’t miss jobs that are relevant. Plus, you’ll be able to see what’s out there that you aren’t even aware of.

Another strategy is to target specific organizations that have science education, communication or outreach staff. Find the job openings section of each organization’s website (usually in the footer or under “About Us”), bookmark it and check it for new postings every week or so. Jobs in science education, communication or outreach are niche, but exist in a wide variety of organizations:

• Scientific societies ( ASM , Society for Neuroscience, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, American Association for the Advancement of Science).
• Science, natural history and technology centers and museums.
• Universities and research institutions, particularly those with Centers for Teaching and Learning or Broader Impacts offices.
• Non-profits (Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Society for Science & the Public, Carnegie Science, National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine).
• Government agencies (National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation).
• For-profit companies (Bio-Rad, Discovery, National Geographic).

If you’ve done all the right things during your time in graduate school, you likely have contacts in the world of science education, communication or outreach as well. These could be staff who managed programs you volunteered for, speakers from career seminars or people you sought out for informational interviews. Reach out to them to let them know that you’re in the market. Don’t be too forward about it (for example, don’t send your resume unsolicited), but ask that they keep you in mind if anything comes across their desk.

One word of caution: don’t start applying to jobs until you’re within a month or so of graduating. Unlike postdoc or fellowship positions, if you get an offer, the organization likely will want you to start within 2-3 weeks, so you have to be prepared to wrap up what you’re doing quickly.

Do a Fellowship

Fellowships are a great way to get in-depth, paid experience in science education, communication or outreach, and are designed to boost you into your new field. As with setting up a postdoc, it usually takes a few months to find, apply and interview for fellowship positions. You are also beholden to the sponsoring organization’s timeline for the fellowship, and the start date may or may not work for your circumstances. Fellowships tend to be highly competitive, so even if you decide to apply, you should have a solid back-up plan.

Here are a few fellowships in the science education, communication or outreach space (if you have an opportunity to add to the list, send it to [email protected] ).

Do a Postdoc in Science Education Research

Since AAAS published Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education in 2011, biology departments across the country have hired faculty whose research focuses on biology education. Like ‘typical’ biology faculty, these discipline-based education research (DBER) faculty manage research groups, complete with graduate students and postdocs. If you’re interested in how people learn biological concepts, probing active learning techniques and improving pedagogy and assessment, a postdoc in biology education might be for you. These positions set you up to become DBER faculty yourself.

Finding a DBER postdoc is much like finding a bench research postdoc. You have to seek out faculty with open positions, apply and interview, then negotiate your start date. Generally, the process takes several months. For more on how these positions work, see “ A Guide for Graduate Students Interested in Postdoctoral Positions in Biology Education Research ” by Melissa L. Aikens, et al. The Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research also has a job board dedicated to DBER positions at all levels.

One final piece of advice: if at all possible, do not default to doing a bench research postdoc if you know the career you’d like to pursue doesn’t require one. Why not? For one thing, you end up wasting prime years of earning potential. We all know that postdoc wages are not exactly competitive, so why relegate yourself to meager pay and benefits for a position that gets you no closer to your goal? Yes, straying from the default path is scary and unpredictable. Yes, you might feel like you’re ‘not ready.’ But remember, you just completed an original scientific research project for which there was no blueprint—you figured it out. You got this!

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