I would like to pursue computational biophysics for PhD but I know for sure that the path of academia being a professor is NOT for me. I love modelling and simulating biological systems (even human brains are very interesting). So what are the possible jobs for me?
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2Why do you insist on it being IN academia? What I would do (before you start the PhD) is look into places OUTSIDE of academia where this degree could be useful.– Peter FlomCommented Jun 27, 2023 at 10:50
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2I acknowledge the validity of @PeterFlom's point, but on the other hand, can I once again lament the prejudice that exists against people building a career out of successive postdoc contracts. Not everyone who has an aptitude for research also has an aptitude for teaching and/or leadership.– user128581Commented Jun 27, 2023 at 11:21
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3@DanielHatton - well, the prejudice against many successive postdoc contracts is valid - there are other non-tenure track research staff positions, often soft money, that are appropriate for long term employment at a university. Then there are all the positions outside of a university setting to consider as well...– Jon CusterCommented Jun 27, 2023 at 12:35
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5What are the specific aspects of being a professor that you don't like?– lighthouse keeperCommented Jun 27, 2023 at 13:22
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1@DanielHatton OK, I admit I am not too familiar with computational biology. My own PhD is in psychometrics, and I spent my career working with social and behavioral sciences. In those fields, a career from successive postdocs would not pay a livable wage. Is it different in some fields? In any case, I didn't say that the OP should NOT go into academia, I just asked a question.– Peter FlomCommented Jun 27, 2023 at 15:34
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3 Answers
University research hospitals could be a good place for your work. Computational biologists can work with physicians and their high-throughput data. Often comes with a secondary appointment as a faculty member at the affiliated university. The teaching is maybe a quarterly workshop for residents.
Within academia, per se, there are some top schools that have "Research Professor" positions that minimize teaching, if that is your concern. The teaching that is done is mostly guiding doctoral students.
But these positions are few and mostly open only to the very top candidates, I'll guess. Perhaps that is you, or not.
But a number of research labs, say in the pharmaceutical industry, have "academic-like" atmospheres. I know people in my own field (CS) that hold such positions at large multi-national corporations. Their environment is a lot like academia, but only focused on research. We go to the same conferences, and such, and read one-another's papers. Collaboration is also there.
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Yes also university hospitals for those in computational biology. No tenure, but comes with a sort-of-honorary faculty position and let’s you partner with physicians on research.– DawnCommented Jun 27, 2023 at 23:51
This question would be easier to answer if we knew the country in which you reside or in which you wish to get an academic job. In some parts of the world, a professor is someone who teaches, so there your question would be interpreted as "can I get a job in academia without having to teach?" In other countries there is a strict hierarchy of who is called what, eg in Germany both Universitätsprofessor and Lehrprofessor have the word "professor" in them, but they are distinctly different jobs in terms of their daily work schedule. In the US, it's a word salad of Permanent/Temp Assistant/Associate Full-Time/Part-Time Adjunct/Visiting/Tenure-Track/Non-Tenure-Track Research/Teaching, etc., so you end up with people working under titles such as Visiting Assistant Research Professor (ie a semi-permanent, non-tenure track, non-teaching, soft money position.) So, if you don't like teaching, there are research-only positions. If you don't like writing grants, there are teaching-only positions. And everything in between.
If you are looking for a position that has all of the benefits of academia, e.g. job stability (for those tenured), intellectual challenges, freedom of choosing your research topic etc., but does not include the usual burdens of teaching (prep, grading), grant writing and administration, and administrative work, well that's true for you and me buddy, and for every other researcher out there. Those jobs don't exist in the universe I've inhabited so far.
