Scientific researchers in private industry tend to have higher incomes, work fewer hours, and have greater job security than academic researchers who must rely on funding to pursue their work. Furthermore, they do not have the additional burden of teaching hours or academic advising. If you gained your qualifications in order to work in an area you are interested in and be paid well for it, consider operations research jobs. It is possible for young researchers to carve out a career while still having a life if they opt for the private sector.
If you are unsure of the skills, experience, and qualifications you will need to qualify for operations research analyst jobs or similar positions, take the time to browse online job sites. You will be able to read job descriptions and look at selection criteria which will give you a good idea of what is required. Should you discover that you lack essential skills or experience, you will be able to work towards filling those holes. If you already meet the common selection criteria, online job sites can make applying for operations research jobs easy by allowing you to apply online. You can upload both your application letter and your resume. However, do not be tempted to rush just because you can get your application off so easily. Your application letter must carefully address each of the selection criteria. If you do not do this, you may not even get an interview.
For research director jobs, you will need more than scientific research experience and scientific qualifications. Management skills and experience are essential, and often tertiary qualifications in management are also required. This means that if your career goal is to move from hands-on research to directing research you will need to deliberately prepare for this role. Such preparation includes not only further studies, but also accepting additional responsibilities including team leadership, supervision, training, and administrative duties.
Those already working in private industry will find it easier to obtain operations research jobs than academic researchers or recent graduates. For these individuals, postdoctoral positions in industry can provide the necessary bridge to these opportunities. Often a twelve-month investment in a postdoctoral job is enough to open the doors to the sorts of operations research analyst jobs that offer great pay and excellent work environments. Internships during college can also open up employment opportunities to college graduates. By interning for companies you would like to work for when you graduate, you have the opportunity to prove yourself and also to make valuable contacts and gain experience. If you can make and maintain friendships in the company as an intern, you will have built-in advocates trying to get you work. Internships that offer genuine work experience can also provide the necessary references and proof of experience that most jobs require, even for new graduates.
You can find research jobs advertised on specialist research jobs Web sites, on large job sites, and on the job boards of relevant professional associations. They are also advertised in professional and industry journals and on company Web sites themselves. So if you know what corporations you would like to work for, keep an eye on their Web sites; they usually list their own job vacancies. These jobs are often advertised in newspapers as well, so do not forget them.
Specialist recruitment companies can also be a source of operations research jobs. It can pay to check out the Web sites of these companies to see if they are advertising any suitable positions. However, it would probably be more beneficial to actually make an appointment to speak to a consultant, even if there are no suitable positions available at the moment. These people have contacts in the industry who may well be interested in what you have to offer. If you can sell yourself to the recruitment specialist, he or she may be prepared to make some calls on your behalf.
It is important to remember that many jobs are not even advertised. This means that having direct contact with potential employers, building relationships within the research community, and creating a name for yourself in your area of expertise are all important to improve your chances of being offered employment. Take every opportunity to give presentations and talks to interested groups, to write articles and books, and to be interviewed by the media. You will bring added value to a corporation if you are considered an expert by the media. This can give increased media exposure to a company and their products, which is likely to be very attractive to them. In other words, by being proactive about your own career and developing a distinctive personal brand you can actually attract job opportunities.
Operations research jobs can provide excellent career possibilities for the serious research scientist. If you create a sensible career plan and work towards it, you can create a balanced and happy future in private enterprise.
