Contracting as a career option - A Personal Viewpoint, Kathryn Worrall PhD
Having worked as a postdoctoral researcher for several years, I was looking for my next career move. Clinical research caught my eye as a fantastic way to ensure bench research is translated into the development of new medicines. The big question was - how to I get in?
While the prospect of securing a permanent role within a pharmaceutical company of a Contract Research Organisation may seem like the ideal scenario, this is not always possible. However, as I have discovered working with CSL on contract with AstraZeneca, the option of working on contract with such companies can be a great introduction into the industry.
Where other companies had been reluctant to take me on board with little clinical research experience, CSL were able to recognise my potential. They then helped me prepare for interviews with clients and were instrumental in helping me secure my role as a Clinical Research Scientist with AstraZeneca.
Working with AstraZeneca has provided me with invaluable experience as a clinical trial monitor and insight into clinical development in a large pharmaceutical company. I have been fortunate to be involved in ongoing in-house training and development opportunities throughout my contract. However, by working on behalf of CSL, I have also been encouraged to and have taken part in training opportunities geared towards the industry as a whole, i.e. not company specific. This has allowed me to see the bigger picture outside a single pharmaceutical company and to network with individuals working in different roles in different companies.
By having line management out with a client company, there is support there to discuss any development needs that you may have, even if these may not fit in directly with your client company's objectives. In this way, CSL have helped me focus on my individual career aspirations. By receiving regular updates on new roles as they become available, it is also easier to keep an eye on the job market, ready for when its time for a new challenge. If a contract should come to end, it's also reassuring to know that there are people there who have the contacts within the industry and can help direct your next move.
Working on contract has been a really positive experience for me. It has been a great way of getting into the clinical research field and accelerating my career. Although there may not be the security of a permanent role, contracting in the early stages of your career provides a great opportunity to gain experience, to develop an understanding of the field and to help identify which direction you want to move in next.