From Scientist to Illustrator: Alternative Science Career Path

My interest in science started with a strong desire to understand how living things work. This interest led me to become a scientist who worked to discover more about how our nervous system develops from single cells to complicated nerve networks. Although I loved discovering new molecular details as a researcher, I did not love spending entire years transferring tiny amounts of liquid from one tube to another. When these two truths collided during the second year of my Neuroscience graduate training, I began to think creatively about how I would pursue an alternative science career. 

I started by asking myself questions about what I enjoy most about science and where I saw myself in five years. The honest answer was that even though I felt excited by the creativity and dedication required to design effective experiments, I was more interested in designing engaging scientific figures and presentations. 

After I realized that my long-term goal was not to stay in academic research, I began to focus on increasing my graphic design, project management, and scientific communication skills. My goal was to plan a loose path toward a scientific communication and design career and I hoped that building skills would expand my opportunities..

The scariest step of my career was graduating with a PhD in Neuroscience without a job. My first break came six months after I graduated when I was asked to help a former colleague at my graduate school create figures that would meet the criteria for the journal Science Translational Medicine. The success of this first project led me to create the company Simplified Science Publishing so that I could be paid formally. From that point on, I was officially open for business as a freelance illustrator.

My career path has evolved in unexpected and joyful ways since my first scientific publication design project. I still work part-time as a scientific illustrator for Simplified Science Publishing, but working in website design also led me to pursue a full-time career as a search engine optimization (SEO) analyst and strategist. This has resulted in an extremely rewarding alternative science career that combines my analytical, scientific, and creative interests. 

One of the common questions my friends and colleagues in academic research have asked me is "how can I learn more about pursing an alternative science career?" Aside from learning more about career options from networking events, I strongly suggest that you outline your own strengths and interests. If your talents and interests align with a more creative and art-focused career then you should consider learning more about becoming a scientific illustrator and watch the course on scientific communication careers. If your talents and interests point you toward being an excellent project manager and analyst, then I suggest you learn more about options in administrative, communications, and marketing careers.

Researchers often believe that scientific training doesn't easily translate into other career paths. I strongly disagree. The critical thinking, presentation, and project management skills that one develops by working in a research lab are highly applicable to many different types of careers. If you are interested in pursuing an alternative science careers, don't hesitate to brainstorm how your strengths and interests can apply to jobs outside of academia.The scariest step of my career was graduating with a PhD in Neuroscience without a job. My first break came six months after I graduated when I was asked to help a former colleague at my graduate school create figures that would meet the criteria for the journal Science Translational Medicine. The success of this first project led me to create the company Simplified Science Publishing so that I could be paid formally. From that point on, I was officially open for business as a freelance illustrator.