As graduate students progress from year 1, to year 2, to year n, the question is always “what do I do after I graduate?” That can be a terrifying though, venturing into a world totally different from academia. Luckily, the Huck Graduate Student Advisory Committee (HGSAC) has got your back! The Career Exposure Seminar Series is designed to not only expose students to careers they can pursue with a PhD in science, but also discusses how to get a job and succeed in that field.

This past July, the HGSAC and BMB invited Dr. Maiysha Jones, a Senior Scientist at Proctor and Gamble, to discuss what she does at her job,and how she got there.

Jones received her B.S in Biology from Xavier University in Louisiana. After deciding that a career in medicine was not the right job for her, Jones’s undergraduate advisor helped her get an internship at a summer program designed to expose students to environmental science. It was at this program that Jones discovered her love of research. After graduating from Xavier, Jones secured an internship at Proctor and Gamble (P&G), optimizing an existing assay to evaluate the effects of surfactants on biological oxygen demand removal and nitrification in wastewater discharged to surface waters.

Jones then went on to get her PhD in Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, but kept in touch with her manager at P&G. Jones’s thesis was on identifying bacteria capable of degrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in PAH-contaminated soil. After she graduated, she applied to P&G, among other companies and post-docs, and piqued the interest of two groups within P&G.

Upon her arrival at P&G, Jones assumed global responsibility for all microbiology related needs for shampoo brands. Within 1 year, she added Olay and DDF skin care brand initiative responsibilities, and began volunteering for recruiting activities. Currently, Jones is in charge of global quality and compliance for Research and Development (R&D), and in-market initiatives for cosmetic and professional shampoo, hair color, and leave-on hair treatments.

After Jones’s seminar, she sat down with the HGSAC and gave some advice on pursuing a career in industry, and tips on succeeding.

What skills have made you and others in your field successful? Were there any unexpected skills that you needed to learn?

A good scientist will clearly define the problem before proposing any solutions. This enables one to see the big picture, brainstorm approaches without bias, and determine the resources required to address the scenario. Knowing from the beginning how your work fits in and how your piece advances knowledge will facilitate the most efficient path to solving the problem be it technical or interpersonal. The PhD process builds endurance, and it teaches us how to ask questions, troubleshoot challenges, and remain calm through the process. You have the skills you need to be successful, but you may need to train yourself to apply them in a different way.

What’s the most challenging part of your career?

Expect that a career in industry will include fast-paced, externally-focused, market-driven, applied research that meets a need or solves a problem. You will likely be developing products or services to sell or influencing consumers to buy something. Each of these activities brings its own challenges from collaborating with diverse, multifunctional teams, to managing budgets, to delivering results under very compressed timings. The key to overcoming such challenges is to set clear expectations, to keep communication open, honest, and timely, and to make decisions based on the data available.

How do you think your career will change in both the near and distant future?

In the near future I will begin a role in P&G’s Global Clinical Sciences Organization where I will have responsibility for designing clinical trials to generate data to support product claims and defend our competitive advantage. In the distant future, I will continue to find innovative ways to contribute to the delivery of products that consumers crave.

What can a young scientist do to position him or herself for a career in industry? Any tips on specific ways to network in the field?

People that thrive in industry are innovative, creative thinkers that make non-obvious connections, are comfortable with frequent changes, are not afraid to take smart risks, and that thrive on seeing the tangible fruit of their work. If you are interested in a career in industry, seek to recognize and enhance these personal attributes in your professional endeavors.

The simplest approach to networking in any field is to put yourself out there! Have a professional presence on social media. Make time to submit abstracts to and to participate in conferences. Apply to internships with various companies. Look for opportunities to build collaborations with researchers at private labs. Apply, apply, apply, but have a strategy, and execute against it.

If you weren’t at Procter & Gamble where do you think or where would you like to be?

In addition to my passion for contributing to the development of young professionals in the sciences, I have a passion for cooking and sharing food and for experiencing other cultures. If I was not working for P&G, I would own a food-related business or have a career where my job would be to travel the world.

How easy/difficult is it to balance work and family life in your career as a Senior Scientist?

Research shows that happy employees are more productive at work. Because of this, work and life balance has become more and more important to employers. Many companies, including P&G have programs in place to help employees manage personal crises as well as day to day matters like finding childcare. Knowing that P&G supports having a balanced life makes it easy to manage my career and personal interests without worrying whether I am neglecting one or the other.

What advice do you have, about anything, for current graduate students?

Do what you love, and the money will come. Take that postdoc in Paris. Move your family across the country. Ask the questions no one else has the moxie to ask. As long as you grow with each experience, and as long as each experience moves you closer to your definition of personal satisfaction….take the risk, great opportunities await.

 

Stay tuned for more Career Seminars, and blog posts on them!