(92b) What I Learned in My Industrial Postdoc: Project Management Skills for Academia

For many, a postdoctoral position is the next major career step in their career path after obtaining a Ph.D. A large majority of postdocs, 89%, will be in academic labs. The rest receive their training in industry, national laboratories or other government entities. While industrial postdocs are relatively rare, the experience offers a variety of benefits, including the opportunity to participate in project and grant management. Here, we specifically discuss the benefits of industrial postdocs in gaining project management experience. The hands-on training can provide strategies for assembling and managing a team, project goals, budgets, and collaborations. How those skills can be translated to successful academic grant management will be highlighted.