phd research consultants

For many years, consulting has continued to be one of the main alternative careers for individuals with PhDs (or other advanced degrees such as JDs and MDs).

As PhDs, we have spent many years learning to problem solve effectively, think on our feet, and thrive when challenged with diverse and complex issues. The skills we acquire over the many years are highly sought-after by consulting firms all over the world, however, it can be hard for us to get our foot in the door as we often lack the desired business acumen and interview experience.

In this post, we highlight the main things to consider when exploring the transition from a PhD to consulting, along with some of the key points we would have done differently during our advanced degree application process.

What to consider during the transition? (Top)

There are a number of things to consider when thinking about making the move from a PhD into the world of consulting. First, if your advanced degree is not business focused, it is important to decide early on if you think the consulting lifestyle (and casing) is for you, even the interview process and preparation itself can be extremely different from anything you have encountered before. Talking to consultants, ex-consultants, and recruiters can provide great starting points to help make up your mind, it is also worth trying out a case or two!

Figure out your “why”

As you start to think about the transition, it's incredibly important to think about why you want to make the move into consulting and how the skills from your PhD will make you a good consultant, and ultimately a great fit for consulting firms. Down the road when you begin to network and start the application process, it's going to be crucial to have a clear and concise answer to this question as it will most definitely make an appearance during any informal or formal interview settings.

Attached below is great video where RocketBlocks Founder, Kenton Kivestu, shares three key tips on how to approach answering "why do you want to work here?" in an interview.

Identify target firms

As a science PhD, I found interviewing at Life Science firms much more natural and far less scary than the generalist firms. Additionally, it's important to think about location, along with your preferences for work travel (post pandemic, of course!), offices in places like New York and San Francisco tend to be slightly more competitive than other US locations.

Align to the recruiting cycle

For advanced degrees, most generalist and Life Science firms have a focused recruitment cycle (usually around the summer) for the following year, for example interviewing in summer 2021 would lead to a 2022 job start.

However, it is good to note that some of the smaller firms will review applications and interview 'off-cycle' throughout the year - so keep your eye out for individual firm updates. Due to these specific timelines, it's essential to think about the amount of time you have around your PhD or postdoc for networking, building up that resume, writing applications, and acing those interviews.

Here's some more information on what the recruitment process for advanced degrees looks like at MBB firms:

McKinsey advanced degree

Advanced degree candidates at McKinsey are considered for a business analyst position or an associate position depedning on their relevant career and educational experiences. More information on the requirements and the types of roles available can be found here .

BCG advanced degree

BCG regularly recruits advanced degree candidates pursuing a JD, Ph.D, or Md. Click here for more information on hiring oppotunities and upcoming events.

Bain advanced degree

Like McKinsey and BCG, Bain has a focused recruiting cycle for advanced degree candidates. More information can be found here . In addition, Bain has an Advanced Analytics Group (AAG) which consists of members holding advanced degrees in statistics, mathematics, computer sciences and other quantitative disciplines. More information on the application process and open positions for the AAG can be found here .

Best practices for PhDs (Top)

Everyone applying and interviewing for a consulting job, both advanced degree candidates and regular hires, will have their own adventure and along the way learn things they wish they had done differently. Here are a few hard-earned tips from PhDs who've already gone through the consulting recruitment process:

Start the process early

Remember it's a marathon, not a sprint particularly if you are from a non-business background, the whole process is going to be very new. Along with juggling a PhD or postdoc, the recruitment process can be long and time consuming; try to be organised from the start with dates and deadlines, so you know what you are working towards and reduce any potential elements of surprise.

Preparing for the case interview as a PhD is potentially the most daunting part of the recruitment process, but it's really helpful to find consistent casing partners, friends, and people you don't know with different backgrounds and casing abilities early on. I personally learnt a lot by casing with MBAs and experienced hires. It's also important to spend time personalising and tailoring cover letters and resumes for specific firms of interest so you stand out to recruiters from the beginning. RocketBlocks, and other online sources, have a number of free guides to help you get started with the consulting application preparation and case interviews.

💡 Shameless plug: Our consulting interview prep can help build your skills

Focus on those 'soft skills'

As advanced degrees, consulting firms know you are smart which means competition is about way more than just your grades. Be sure to get involved in extracurriculars and use your application to demonstrate interests, skills, and passions away from your PhD. Leading a consulting club, participating in student/postdoc councils, or being involved in sporting activities will help you to stand out to recruiters and give you things to talk about during interviews (but make sure you actually do those things, don't make it up!).

Build your business acumen

It may seem silly, but learn some of the essential business concepts and brush up on current affairs around the world, particularly if you are lacking a business background! Knowing some of the lingo and having some general knowledge can be a powerful tool when networking and further down the line during the interview process. There are some great podcasts out there for quick and current business news! Also, if you plan on interviewing for Life Science firms, it's good to have a working knowledge of recent healthcare/pharma news.

Build your network and learn about the firms

Due to the yearly timelines for advanced degrees, once springtime hits 'Information Sessions' (organised through your school or local consulting club) and 'Coffee Chats' are usually held by many consulting firms. These are great places to start learning about the general overview of firms and network with current employees – take advantage of these easy opportunities to meet people! Another huge advantage of building a network with consultants at these firms is the chance of getting a formal, or informal referral. A referral from someone within the firm can give your application a massive boost in front of recruiters, which could lead to an interview invite instead of a rejection.

It's important to research the firms you are applying to, it seems easy to just throw your resume out everywhere, but it's not always the most successful method. Spend some time understanding the values and goals of each firm and make sure they align with your own. Think about what you are looking for in an employer, and how the firm aligns with your future career goals. Some firms are going to be a better fit for your needs than others, and that's OK!

Apply for the advanced degree summer programs

Many of the firms, both generalist and Life Science, hold summer programs for advanced degree candidates (including McKinsey Insights , Bridge to BCG , ADvantage Bain , Connect to ClearView , Clarion PROPEL ) which usually last for 1-3 days in a local office or online. Applications go live in February, and they are typically due in March. These programs are a great way to learn about the firms, work in case teams, and network with lots of different people (at various stages of their career). These programs tend to be highly competitive but often lead directly to a first-, or even second-round interview.

Don't forget about the rest of the interview

It's so easy to get hung up on the casing part of the interview, particularly because it feels like the scariest bit, but often this may only make up half of the interview. Remember to use the interview to sell yourself; for the fit component of the interview make sure to prepare engaging and interesting stories and practice them out loud with other people.

The video below focuses on finding the right stories for the fit portion of your consulting interviews.

Finally, try and enjoy the process as much as possible!

Although it can definitely feel intimidating to start with, consulting can be a great move for PhDs that want to develop in a more business focused environment. Finding ways to sell the many skills you have developed during your advanced degree and giving yourself enough preparation time can be a massive help in being successful in the application process.

Read this next:

• Consulting Getting Started Guide
• Full cases from RocketBlocks
• Consulting career path, compensation and responsibilities
• Partner compensation at MBB
• Applying from a non-target school
• Experienced hire recruiting process
• Recruiting: office selection considerations
• Consulting internships at MBB
• Consulting re-application
• Consulting exit opportunities
• Associate Consultant salaries
• Consulting cover letter
• Consulting international recruiting
• Consulting resume
• McKinsey consultant salary

See all RocketBlocks posts .

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From PhD to consulting, from one medical device to the entire healthcare industry

June 22, 2020 In the summer of 2019, after completing my PhD in biochemical engineering, I joined McKinsey in Shanghai . If you’re working toward a PhD, master’s, MD or JD you may have the same questions I did when I was in your shoes: is consulting right for me? Can the skills I learned during my PhD studies be applied to consulting? Will there be engagements worth long-term research? Now, I hope I can help answer these questions from my own experience.

1. Is consulting the right choice for me?

What is it like moving from academia to consulting? For me, it was moving from researching a medical device to potentially impacting the entire healthcare industry. During my PhD, my research topic was the cochlear implant. The cochlea is an organ that contributes to audition; the device I studied was designed for the cochlea of people with a hearing impairment. It's quite a niche industry, I devoted myself to research on this pea-sized organ.

In the second half of my PhD studies, I realized that research is only the first step in bringing new technologies to patients. There are clinical trials, FDA approvals and routes to market. Only by achieving all those steps can the real value be delivered to patients.

I began to wonder whether there was a profession that would enable me to work with every part of the healthcare industry and do something meaningful. I participated in campus recruiting events and joined one of McKinsey's webinars. It was the first time I learned about consulting: consultants help solve clients’ most imperative problems and they can apply the skills learned they during their PhD studies. It sounded like a perfect job for me, but I was still a little suspicious. After reaching out to a few McKinsey alumni  to understand their experiences, however, I had few doubts. They told me they had exposure to the medical device industry, hospitals, and public health organizations, which really excited me. Since I joined, I have worked on studies in pharmaceuticals, MedTech, life science, hospitals and public utilities. I am getting to know the entire healthcare industry.

2. Can the skills learned during my PhD studies be applied to the consulting profession?

In my first client project related to medical devices, we helped the client develop their five-year strategy in China, and I was responsible for product analysis. If you are a PhD student like I was, you may understand that even with some R&D experience in one device, it’s impossible to be an expert in every medical device. When joining the client engagement, I was overwhelmed by the thousands of products the client had. Under the guidance of our engagement manager, I learned to quickly develop a hypothesis and define analytical focus. Then, I categorized the products to understand key features and strengths in each category by conducting due diligence and expert interviews. This process was much like targeted learning and collation and consulting professors when dealing with vast literature resources during my PhD studies. During recruiting, I often heard problem-solving skills developed through scientific research are the core skills of consulting and I can’t agree more. Soon I became the product expert on the team, including being able to answer all of a McKinsey partner’s questions about the products. It was as exciting as the discussions I used to have with my PhD advisor.

3. What will be my long-term research topic at McKinsey?

Since joining McKinsey last year, I have worked on many interesting topics, each worth deep exploration. I helped a hospital provide better online and offline medical services to patients. I helped a MedTech company drive production localization. I participated in an internal research team during COVID-19, analyzing the impact of the outbreak on China's pharmaceutical industry and MedTech companies and worked on helping healthcare players take short-term actions and make long-term decisions ( click here if you are interested in reading more).

Reflecting on the past eleven months, I joined McKinsey to focus on broad topics within healthcare. The core skills I acquired during my PhD have been useful in my role as a consultant. I have enjoyed exploring and am in the process of refining my own path in the firm and looking for a new topics of specialization. If you are interested in doing something interesting and meaningful, McKinsey is a good choice outside the lab.

To learn more about McKinsey in Greater China (Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen & Taipei offices), view our Greater China webinar here .

If you’re a PhD, Postdoc, JD, MD or non-MBA Masters student interested in joining us as a full-time associate, apply here by July 12.

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• 1 . 19 . 20
• Entrepreneur

Consulting With a PhD – 8 VITAL Steps (2023)

• Posted by: Chris

Updated May 15, 2023.

Six months into my post-PhD career, I left a job at a think tank to do consulting with a PhD.

I was watching the money the think tank was taking in to do these research projects. It was a lot of money. And they’d pay me by the hour. And when I sold a $50k project that took me 4 months to do, I confess I started to wonder why I needed the middleman.

Why couldn’t I just sell that project and do it myself?

It turns out it was harder than I thought. People paid the think tank because of their name and reputation, and I didn’t have that yet.

So I struggled to sell, and eventually failed miserably and ran back into a job.

Why do I tell you this at the beginning of a post on consulting with a PhD?

Because it’s possible to make a lot of money consulting. And I do consult successfully now. But it’s not easy.

Here are 8 things you should do to build a career in consulting with a PhD. (NB this post is about building your own business as a consultant rather than getting hired as a consultant with a big firm. You can read about that here. )

–post continues below —

And if you’re ready to launch your consulting business, check out my step by step guide here (opens in a new window).

This post contains links to affiliate products, which–if you choose to purchase–pay us a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps to support our work. We only promote products we’ve used and love . We love partnering with FreshBooks, which is dead simple to use and perfect for consultants!

1. Build your network

2. define what you offer, 3. consider working a job first, 4. learn business basics, 5. figure out how much to charge for consulting, 6. build your personal brand, 7. get professional help, 8. get ready to battle yourself.

Networking is everything. Your network will create wealth and opportunities for you. The bigger and better it gets, the more you’ll have.

If you aren’t willing to build a network constantly, don’t go into consulting. Consulting with a PhD can require near-constant selling, especially if your contracts are small.

And the first point of sales is relationships.

People are most likely to choose you from several people they could pick because they know you. If you’re on their radar, they won’t google someone; they’ll call you.

The great thing about building your network is that it doesn’t have to happen at some magical point when your PhD is done. You can start now:

See the related posts (Links open in a new tab):

Many Students Have No Idea How to Network. Here Are 5 Tips.

6 Mistakes PhDs Make When Networking

Here’s Why Networking Will Dramatically Change Your Career

In this video, I told the story of how my network helped me land my first $40,000 consulting client!

You should know what it is you have that companies occasionally, and preferably routinely, pay for.

Consulting represents a sweet spot where employers really need to or want to get something done, but don’t have enough employees to do it and can’t justify hiring one. Enter you.

Let’s say that hiring a new research assistant would cost them $40K for a year. If you’re there and will save them the hassle of doing this, plus they get a PhD on it, they might throw $20k or $30k at you to do the project.

But define, define, define.

Be specific. Don’t just say that you’re a researcher. Be clear on what your offer is.

Some of your transferable skills CAN be really valuable here.

I can do Program Evaluation, Stakeholder Mapping, and Convening, and write policy papers in the areas of immigration, education and skills, and innovation and economic development.

If you’re on LinkedIn (which you should be), you can add certain services to your profile — making you more searchable for those things.

Here’s mine…

Pro Tip – As you meet people and build your network, ask what their specific needs are. Ask how often they hire consultants, what they usually hire consultants for, and if there’s a list you should be on. Do they need an engineer to run two months of tests to validate a concept? Do they need a policy researcher with expertise in gender studies to write a report? Figure it out! And use what you learn to adapt your offerings.

What is a science consultant?

A science or scientific consultant brings specific scientific area knowledge to a company that might need fractional help–either specialized or general. For example, here is a story of a molecular biologist who consults on grant applications for major medical projects .

What is a management consultant?

A management consultant is trained to understand corporate structures and processes, to step into a situation from the outside and offer suggestions. Many consulting companies hire PhDs because of excellent critical thinking skills, occasionally combined with specialized knowledge fields (ie. biotech, data processing, etc.).

If you can make the jump from PhD to consulting, more power to you. Even more power to you if you can do it on the side while you study . But if you don’t know the field you want or the value you offer, it might be worth getting “paid training” through working in a job.

I wish more would-be PhD consultants knew this…

When I worked at the think tank, I ran projects, won grant money, and worked with stakeholders. My next job in government taught me how much I didn’t know about how government works , how things get done, and how to use a bunch of acronyms.

When I recently told a director (a mid-level manager in the Canadian government) that I was going into consulting, he was excited—every time they hire consultants they have to teach them about how they do things.

He realized that if he hired me he wouldn’t have to do that.

If I had jumped straight into consulting from the PhD, I would have had a difficult time. I’m not sure what I would have sold (writing or editing probably) and, if I were successful, my life would look very different.

I learned so much from working every job I’ve done that makes succeeding in consulting more possible—but still far from a sure thing.

Don’t rule out working a job if your goal is to eventually do consulting.

What about PhD Consulting Jobs?

If you want to get a first-class consulting training, you might consider a consulting firm. For a PhD management consulting might be a great fit. These consultant jobs mean that you won’t be an entrepreneur per se, but you will get a fantastic introduction to the wide world of consulting. Check out McKinsey , Bain , or Boston Consulting Group (BCG). All of them have entry level consulting jobs for PhDs. And (BTW), many people who start with these companies eventually found their own.

Ok, so you’re launching a consultancy.

• Will it be a corporation, a partnership, or will you operate as a sole proprietor?
• Do your clients hire sole proprietors, or do they require incorporation?
• How will you do your bookkeeping?
• Are you keeping track of your tax write-offs?
• Do you need insurance?

You don’t need to know EVERYTHING about business , but the things I mentioned above are considered basics.

Try reading some business books. Drop by a local small business support center, or browse government websites dedicated to helping.

Learn as much as you can.

Two things that helped me:

Bookkeeping for Dummies — It wasn’t John Grisham, but I read it cover to cover. Learn these basics if you are serious about running a business.

FreshBooks – This is an amazing and simple bookkeeping solution, perfect for consulting. It’s simple, but lets you send pro invoices, keep track of profit and loss, and expenses.

Pricing” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener sponsored”> Click here to check the price for FreshBooks in your region.

I don’t want to discourage you. With all the weird stuff you’ve learned, you can learn the basics of business!

But go do it! Treat it as seriously as your most important academic investigation. Because the skills you grow will change your life.

It’s really hard to learn how to charge for consulting.

If you’re going to charge $15 an hour as a consultant, you might be better off working at McDonald’s. It’s tempting to bid cheap to win contracts, and sometimes you might have to do that.

But your foray into consulting can’t be a race to the bottom or you won’t make it.

Price your service high enough that some people might say no (again make sure you know what your value proposition is).  Recognize that people equate price with value, and expect to pay a little more for someone who will do a great job.

To give you a frame of reference, my own PhD consulting hourly rate was $70 an hour for most clients. For the occasional passion projects or non-profits, I’ll go lower—my lowest right now would be $55 an hour.

Now, of course, I don’t actually charge by the hour—I charge by the project.

But if a client wants to know what my hourly rate is, that’s it. And when I estimate a project, that’s the framework I use. (Update-I now charge between $100-$350 hourly. I’ve upped my rates as time goes on.)

Now let me guess. You’re sitting there as a graduate student thinking that this is an obscene amount of money.

And from a $15k stipend, it seems like it.

It’s actually a win-win. I didn’t make $70 an hour in any career job I worked. As a PhD consultant, I’m assuming all the risk. I’m personally not willing to assume a high level of risk to make the same as I made in a job.

And it’s a win for the employer too, believe it or not. It costs an employer anywhere from $70,000-$130,000+ a year to hire someone full-time to do what I can do–and it’s a headache.

So if someone hires me for $40,000 to get done what it would normally cost them $80,000 they’ve saved a lot. If I can get between 4-10 contracts a year that are between $20,000-$45,000 I’ve made some fantastic money.

Now—before you see the dollar signs rolling in front of your eyes, let’s add a caution here. If I sold 4-10 projects a year worth $1,000 each I’d be living in poverty.

Some consultants do–especially the first year. Just because you CAN make a ton of money consulting doesn’t mean you WILL.

Again, I don’t want to discourage anyone, but it’s important to have a realistic view of what might happen and prepare for anything.

Did you know? – The challenge that sinks most consultants is the balance between selling and delivering. They get their first contract and work hard at it, forgetting about finding the next one. Or they get caught up in chasing leads and their quality suffers. It’s a tough balance — you’ll have to work to figure it out.

If people are going to pay you $70 an hour to be a consultant for them, they want you to be professional. That means putting the grubby PhD student identity away (if they’re still around). Polish, polish, polish your brand.. Work on your LinkedIn and share material on it, get professional head shots. Perhaps get a website. You’re in the business of marketing YOU inc. right now, so make sure you would want to hire you.

Work on how you carry yourself. Practice your handshake so it’s firm. Study speaking and projecting confidence.

I know these things sound so ridiculous, but they seriously make a huge difference and will make you more likely to succeed. Confidence especially is critical and is easier said than done.

And get ONLINE! I get consulting clients now from my digital presence. If you want to know how to get started, I created a free email course on mastering your digital brand and making money from it!

Book Recommendation: There are two great books on building confidence: Steal the Show — a book about “performing” your roles in life, and The Confidence Code — directed towards helping women grow confidence.

5 Personal Brand Tips to Put Your Growth on Autopilot

If you’re serious about consulting, you can’t be the expert on everything.

There are two people every entrepreneur should have in their ear: a lawyer and an accountant.

• The lawyer will help you be legal and legitimate (if you decide to incorporate) but can also offer advice on contractor agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and a whole bunch of other legal processes that are vital for entrepreneurs.
• The accountant will tell you how to structure a company, and teach you how to pay only the taxes you need to (I’m not talking about setting up a shell company in Panama here—but you really don’t want to pay more taxes than necessary), and what you need to keep for bookkeeping, tax write-offs, etc.

You need both of these people.

You don’t need either of them full-time.

Chances are, once you’re running, you’ll only see your accountant once a year and your lawyer perhaps less than that.

But do find someone with the heart of a teacher that you can call with little questions as you have them. If your lawyer or accountant makes you feel like an idiot or won’t explain things to you, fire them.

Pro Tip: Don’t spend tons of money upfront. Lawyers and accountants have tons of things they can charge you for—monthly check-ins, extra paperwork, etc. I chose to do the bare minimum UNTIL I had cashflow. You should absolutely make sure you’re going to have some money coming in, perhaps even have your first few clients tentatively signed, before you drop a ton of money on lawyers and accountants. It’s too easy to get in way over your head up front.

Just like in academia, imposter syndrome among entrepreneurs is rampant. So you may never feel good enough. And in the end, it’s one more place you’ll have to #fakeittillyoumakeit.

If you’re making the leap, make sure to prepare for this. Find a good mentor–a BUSINESS mentor (not your PI). Look for mastermind groups or meetups of business people, and surround yourself with people who think like entrepreneurs.

Deal with your money blocks before they bite you in the ass.

This is a very minimal guide to consulting. I’m still learning lots about it, so I’ll post more as I learn. What do you think? Are you planning to make the jump? Have you thought it through? Have I missed anything?

If you’re ready, follow my 7 Easy Steps To Launch Your Consulting Business This Week. And good luck!

Now Read- What My $40,000 Client Taught Me About Starting a Consulting Business (Video)

Book Recommendation

If you’re looking for a fantastic book that will give you some great advice on building a consulting practice, this is a great book to start with.

Consulting Secrets 3 – Landing Clients

Photo by Christian Sterk on Unsplash There’s a new type of post buzzing around LinkedIn. I confess, I’ve even made a few.  The post is

You’re Not Good Enough… Yet

Last year, I spent $7k on a business coach. She was fantastic. She helped me through sessions of crafting my ideas to become a “thought

$200/hr Expert? Here’s the Secret!

Photo by David Monje on Unsplash I was listening to Tony Robbins this week. He was talking about being the best.  Tony asks the audience,

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• Find Your Perfect PhD
• Finding a PhD

Find Your PhD, Fast Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest. Search Now

• When looking for PhD research projects, a great place to start is with our comprehensive and up-to-date database .
• Speak with lecturers within your area of interest about potential PhD opportunities they may have.
• Attend Postgraduate Events . Whilst there, speak to current PhD students and career advisors to get an awareness of what PhD projects are on offer.
• Visit the postgraduate section of university websites and the PhD Research Council section of the GOV.UK website

Finding A PhD

Searching for PhD research projects can sometimes feel like daunting process. Often, it’s difficult to know where to find a PhD position or where to even start.

To make this searching process as easy as possible for you, we’ve curated a collection of the best places to search for PhD projects. By using our recommended collection, you should hopefully gain a greater insight into where your interests lie and which programme is best suited for you.

Our Comprehensive and Up-To-Date Directory

We can’t create a list of great resources and not include ourselves! At DiscoverPhDs, our primary aim is to connect great students to great PhD projects. To enable this, we provide a comprehensive database of PhD projects offered from universities all across the UK.

We regularly add to our database to ensure you’re getting the latest opportunities and the most relevant information and programme details. On top of this, we’ve created our database to be as easy to use as possible; all our PhD listings provide a direct ‘apply’ link or contact email address of the lead supervisor. This enables you to:

• Request further information about any aspect of the position,
• Enquire about the specific applications process,
• Connect directly with the supervisor

Universities Websites

Search on the website of the universities you are interested in as some many only be listing PhD research projects internally or may link you to other opportunities such as Professional Doctorate Programmes. As examples, have a look at the research pages of The University of Cambridge , Cardiff University , University of Leicester , Sheffield University and The University of Glasgow .

Your Current Supervisor

If you’re currently undertaking a research project or dissertation as part of your undergraduate or master’s degree, it would be a good idea to speak to your current supervisor. Not only would you have already built a good rapport with them, but having worked with you they will have a good idea on what PhD positions would utilise your strengths or best interest you. In fact, a noticeable percentage of past and current PhD students came into their PhD programme because of being recommended by their undergraduate supervisor. Your supervisor will be well-connected – make sure you take advantage of these opportunities.

Tip: Don’t just limit your discussion to your own personal supervisor. All supervisors are within their field of work because they have a natural passion for research and teaching. As such, most supervisors will be more than happy to help any student who wishes to follow in their footsteps and make their own impact.

Postgraduate Events

Nearly all universities hold regular Postgraduate Fairs and Open Days. As part of these events, current postgraduate students may be on hand to share their experiences of their projects and university. This is a fantastic opportunity to not only find out what PhDs the university is offering but to find out more about their facilities, research labs and library collection, etc. Given that you will be heavily relying on these resources during your PhD, it’s important that you know what’s provided by each university. Hearing student stories about what PhD life is really like, what to expect from supervisors and some of the challenges that current students have encountered can be really useful in your decision making process.

Besides the above, career advisers may also be available at these events. Speaking to them will help you understand what you can do with a PhD, whether a PhD is right for you, what degree class you’re expected to hold and how best to prepare for research projects. Seeing as they would have helped many PhD candidates through the decision-making process before, they will provide you with some invaluable insight that you would otherwise be oblivious to.

To help bring all Postgraduate Fairs and Open Days offered across all universities together, we’ve created a helpful Postgraduate Events page which we highly recommend you check out.

Research Councils

Research councils are nationally funded agencies which offer sponsored PhD research projects (also known as a PhD studentship). Different research councils cover different areas of research, these include:

• The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC),
• The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council ( BBSRC ),
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC),
• The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council ( EPSRC ),
• Natural Environment Research Council ( NERC ).

The GOV.UK website has a full list of nationally-funded research councils available online. You can find further details on these councils on the GOV.UK website.

Although our database includes PhD programmes offered by these research councils, it would be a good idea to regularly browse the website of the ones you are particularly interested in case they list some internal only. These councils play an important role in supporting and encouraging doctoral researchers and they regularly hold calls for applications for PhD funding. If you or your potential supervisor have a PhD project proposal defined but need funding, then applying to these calls may become a key first milestone in your postgraduate research journey.

For example, the EPSRC offers a Doctoral Training Partnership programme in which a research student is given funding to pursue postgraduate study with a research question that aligns with the Councils core engineering and physical sciences themes. These awards often have eligibility criteria linked to them, impacting which postgraduate research students can apply; an international student, for example, may not be able to apply to a certain UK based scholarship scheme but there are several other options that can still help you fund your doctoral research; this may involve taking out a postgraduate loan (or more specifically a postgraduate doctoral loan).

To make this searching process as easy as possible for you, we’ve curated a collection of the best places to search for a PhD. By using our recommended collection, you should hopefully gain a greater insight into where your interests lie and which programme is best suited for you.

Further Resources

As you continue your search of PhD research projects, be sure to check our our PhD advice articles, including how to prepare for your PhD application, and interviews with current and past doctoral students. Many of the people we’ve interviewed have completed degrees within a STEM discipline; they offer a wide range of advice on their individual approaches to applied research and independent study, as well as sharing some the impact their work has had. Many have continued the research of their projects within academia after finishing, whilst some have developed successful careers in industry and business sectors.

It’s worth noting that when you apply to undertake doctoral study, you may first be registered as an MPhil researcher, depending on the specific doctoral programme you apply for, officially become a full PhD student after passing an upgrade viva. At the upgrade stage, some students do decide to graduate with an MPhil research degree rather than pursuing further PhD study however this is less common.

We hope the above list will help you find the perfect PhD position and earn your doctoral degree.

If you have any recommendations besides these resources, please let us know at [email protected] so we can look to add it.

If you’re ready to start your search for your PhD, start now with our  PhD database .

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How to become an environmental consultant - A New Scientist Careers Guide

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How to become an environmental consultant

What does an environmental consultant do?

Environmental consultancy is a field of work that focuses on using up-to-date knowledge and research in environmental sciences to advise on environmental issues. 

There are several types of environmental consultants, depending on their area of work. These include those dealing with air , land and water quality consulting, waste management and recycling , environmental policy consulting or even work with renewable energy.

You will carry out different tasks depending on which of these fields you work in, but all environmental consultants share the broad aim of helping to protect the natural environment and minimise environmental damage.

Environmental consultants can conduct their work in a variety of different ways. For example, air or water pollution consultants/surveyors will spend time in the field surveying and auditing, and subsequently carrying out data analysis .

Meanwhile, others might directly advise businesses and other organisations on their energy usage, their management of waste and recycling responsibilities or on wildlife conservation. 

Environmental consultancy thus offers a wide range of directions your career can take, as well as a large variety of working environments and responsibilities.

To become an environmental consultant, the minimum you need is an honours degree in a relevant degree subject. Such subjects include:

• Environmental and earth science
• Environmental management
• Environmental or geoenvironmental engineering
• Geology or geophysics
• Hydrogeology
• Sustainability and environmental management
• Other subjects relevant to climate change or environmental sciences

During your degree, if you develop a preference for which field you would like to work in, it can be beneficial for your future career to choose a relevant dissertation topic.

There is also the option of undertaking a degree apprenticeship to become an environmental practitioner. While a degree apprenticeship is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree qualification, the scope of the apprenticeship often isn’t the same.

Entry into the profession at a consultancy position with an apprenticeship degree only is quite unlikely, and you may need to gain extra work-based experience or additional qualifications to apply for environmental consultant jobs.

It is generally recommended to obtain a work-based placement in environmental consultancy during your studies. This is useful to develop skills and competencies within the job, as well as to build contacts and establish a network in the field. 

Some universities may offer courses that have a built-in placement year or semester, while others may help to organise summer internships. In some cases, students may need to organise their own placements.

Additionally, students can enrol in graduate schemes offered by different companies, which will provide on-the-job training and education and will often result in full-time employment after a training period.

Many applicants for environmental consultancy positions have a relevant postgraduate classification in addition to their undergraduate degree, although this isn’t always required.

Once you become an environmental consultant, you have the option of obtaining a chartered environmentalist (CEnv) qualification (UK). This confirms your expertise in the field of environmental science and consultancy. 

To obtain your CEnv, you must be registered with a professional body licensed by the Society for the Environment (SocEnv), for example the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA). You will then go through an application process, including a written application and an interview. 

If your application is accepted, you will need to sign the SocEnv’s code of professional conduct and agree to undertake and evidence continuing professional development throughout your future career.

How long does it take to become an environmental consultant?

The time it takes to become an environmental consultant will depend on your chosen route.

If you opt for undergraduate education only, this will take three to four years depending on where you complete your degree. If you are studying in England, a bachelor’s degree takes three years, while in Scotland most degree programmes are four years long.

There may also be the option of undertaking a foundation year prior to starting your undergraduate degree, for instance if the qualifications you have aren’t satisfactory to start the course directly.

Within your undergraduate studies, you should aim to spend some time doing work experience. This may be built into some curriculums, while you may need to organise your own in some degree programmes.

If you choose to do a master’s degree on top of your undergraduate education, this can add one to two years to your studies depending on where you do it. If you opt for a PhD, this will take an additional three to five years to obtain, but most PhD candidates receive a salary.

If you choose the apprenticeship route, this will take three to six years to complete depending on the apprenticeship and achievement level you choose. On top of this, you are likely to need to undertake additional training and gain further qualifications to get a consultancy position later on.

A day in the life of an environmental consultant

Most environmental consultants work 9am to 5pm, so around 40 hours a week. It is unlikely that there will be a regular requirement to work antisocial hours or for on-call commitment, although the hours may sometimes be irregular, for instance if completing a field study.

Environmental consultants spend most of their time working in an office, although some proportion of their time may involve visiting clients. Some environmental consultants may also spend time in the field, conducting surveys and assessments, or making sure construction sites comply with policies etc.

Since some time may be spent out of your workplace to speak with clients or work in the field, you might have to travel between sites. As a result, some jobs require a full driving licence.

The work will generally be quite varied and will depend on what field you work in, the projects you are involved with and what stages those projects are at. Some of the things you may do include:

• Ensuring client companies are compliant with environmental regulations
• Managing legislation for clients and stakeholders
• Conducting field surveys and analysing the results
• Interpreting survey data and writing reports
• Communicating with clients and stakeholders

Within any of these jobs, you will need to make use of the communication, team-working and problem-solving skills you acquired during your studies and work experience, as well as the knowledge acquired in your training.

E nvironmental consultant: career options

There are a wide variety of subspecialties within environmental consultancy, allowing for a large amount of choice in what you would like to do. Some of the areas you could work in include:

• Air, land and water pollution/contamination control
• Recycling and waste management
• Climate change and emissions management
• Sustainability and conservation
• Sustainable development
• Regulatory compliance
• Environmental policy
• Environmental impact assessment (EIA) and flood risk
• Environmental management systems
• Renewable energy opportunities

These will come with different tasks and responsibilities, and if you think you might be particularly interested in one of these areas it is always good to try and gain some work-based experience. 

Some environmental consultants, such as air/water/land contamination consultants or ecologists, might spend a larger proportion of their time in the field. 

Roles such as environmental impact assessment or risk consultants will involve a lot of risk assessment and may thus also involve more fieldwork. Other specialties where fieldwork may be more frequent are sustainability, ecology and wildlife conservation. 

Meanwhile fields such as environmental policy and environmental management systems will require a lot of work on writing policies and strategies, planning projects, creating environmental management systems and supervising clients’ adherence to these. In these fields, you will often need to develop a baseline knowledge of law.

Others, such as climate change and emission managers, will spend time figuring out green solutions for large companies or smaller businesses. These can encompass a mixture of office work and fieldwork, depending on the specific role.

Based on your prior qualifications and what kind of work you prefer, you can decide which area to apply for jobs in.

You can also dedicate time to research , and become an environmental or climate scientist. Some environmental consultants decide to take their career in a more academic direction, undertaking more research and teaching commitments.

Salary: How much does an environmental consultant earn in the UK and the US?

A graduate salary for a training position in environmental consultancy in the UK starts at around £22,000 and can go up to around £25,000. Salaries for consultants with two to five years of experience can reach £35,000 per year, and for senior consultants with five to 10 years’ experience, this can go up to £45,000 or even £60,000 in more managerial positions.

In the US, a junior consultant will earn around $67,489 per year, while a more experienced consultant will get around $88,668. This can change depending on your employer and geographical location. 

There is scope to supplement this salary with freelance work or more managerial and leadership responsibilities. Salaries can also vary if you take extra teaching or research activities, or depending on whether you work for private firms, governmental organisations or NGOs.

• Morrisby. Career focus of the month: environmental consultant. Available from : https://www.morrisby.com/blog/career-focus-of-the-month-becoming-an-environmental-consultant (Accessed Jun 2024)
• GO Construct. Environmental advisor. Available from: https://www.goconstruct.org/construction-careers/what-jobs-are-right-for-me/environmental-advisor/#what-does (Accessed Jun 2024)
• My World of Work. Environmental consultant. Available from: https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/my-career-options/job-profiles/environmental-consultant (Accessed Jun 2024)
• Prospects uk. Environmental consultant. Available from: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/environmental-consultant#salary (Accessed Jun 2024)
• Planit. Environmental consultant. Available from: https://www.planitplus.net/JobProfiles/View/4/14 (Accessed Jun 2024)
• Career Explorer. What is an environmental consultant? Available from: https://www.careerexplorer.com/careers/environmental-consultant/ (Accessed Jun 2024)
• Gov.uk. Environmental practitioner (degree) (level 6). Available from: https://findapprenticeshiptraining.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk/courses/465 (Accessed Jun 2024)
• Society for the Environment. Chartered Environmentalist registration. Available from: https://socenv.org.uk/chartered-environmentalist/ (Accessed Jun 2024)
• Salary.com. Environmental consultant salary. Available from: https://www.salary.com/research/salary/recruiting/environmental-consultant-salary (Accessed Jun 2024)

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Students in our PhD programs are encouraged from day one to think of this experience as their first job in business academia—a training ground for a challenging and rewarding career generating rigorous, relevant research that influences practice.

Our doctoral students work with faculty and access resources throughout HBS and Harvard University. The PhD program curriculum requires coursework at HBS and other Harvard discipline departments, and with HBS and Harvard faculty on advisory committees. Faculty throughout Harvard guide the programs through their participation on advisory committees.

How do I know which program is right for me?

There are many paths, but we are one HBS. Our PhD students draw on diverse personal and professional backgrounds to pursue an ever-expanding range of research topics. Explore more here about each program’s requirements & curriculum, read student profiles for each discipline as well as student research , and placement information.

The PhD in Business Administration grounds students in the disciplinary theories and research methods that form the foundation of an academic career. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program has four areas of study: Accounting and Management , Marketing , Strategy , and Technology and Operations Management . All areas of study involve roughly two years of coursework culminating in a field exam. The remaining years of the program are spent conducting independent research, working on co-authored publications, and writing the dissertation. Students join these programs from a wide range of backgrounds, from consulting to engineering. Many applicants possess liberal arts degrees, as there is not a requirement to possess a business degree before joining the program

The PhD in Business Economics provides students the opportunity to study in both Harvard’s world-class Economics Department and Harvard Business School. Throughout the program, coursework includes exploration of microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, probability and statistics, and econometrics. While some students join the Business Economics program directly from undergraduate or masters programs, others have worked in economic consulting firms or as research assistants at universities or intergovernmental organizations.

The PhD program in Health Policy (Management) is rooted in data-driven research on the managerial, operational, and strategic issues facing a wide range of organizations. Coursework includes the study of microeconomic theory, management, research methods, and statistics. The backgrounds of students in this program are quite varied, with some coming from public health or the healthcare industry, while others arrive at the program with a background in disciplinary research

The PhD program in Organizational Behavior offers two tracks: either a micro or macro approach. In the micro track, students focus on the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and the effects that groups have on individuals. Students in the macro track use sociological methods to examine organizations, groups, and markets as a whole, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program includes core disciplinary training in sociology or psychology, as well as additional coursework in organizational behavior.

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Data analysis is a critical part of many PhD projects, but it can be time-consuming and complex. If you need help with analyzing your data, interpreting statistical results, or visualizing your findings, we provide expert support and guidance to help you make sense of your data and draw meaningful conclusions.

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Submitting a flawless thesis is essential for success in your PhD program. However, it can be challenging to catch all of the errors and typos in your own work. Our experienced proofreaders will help you polish your writing, ensure that your arguments are clear and concise, and make sure your formatting is consistent and professional.

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Whether you need help with NS2, Ansys, Java/J2EE Implementation, CST Implementation, or MATLAB implementation, I can provide expert support and guidance to help you with your software implementation needs. My experience with these software programs can help you complete your Master's project with confidence.

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How to transition from PhD to consulting?

Going from PhD to consulting can feel intimidating. It's hard to know which consulting firms recruit PhDs, and at which level. And it can also sometimes feel unclear if you'll be using your PhD skills at all or completely starting from scratch.

So let's walk through how you should manage your transition from PhD to consulting step by step. From which firms to target to how much you will be paid and how to ace your applications and interviews.

Click here to get expert help on your resume from a consultant recruiter

Which companies recruit phds and at which level.

Consulting firms help clients solve some of the most difficult problems they face in their business. As a consequence, firms like McKinsey, BCG and Bain have always been competing with each other to recruit the smartest talent possible. Historically, top consulting firms were mainly hiring MBAs but that has changed over the past few decades and they now also target undergraduate and PhD students.

However, not all firms recruit PhDs at the same level. Some firms like Bain or Oliver Wyman recruit PhDs at their undergraduate entry level which they respectively call Associate Consultant and Consultant. This recruiting approach can feel a little bit frustrating as a PhD given you've spent much more time studying and also usually have more work experience than a typical undergraduate.

But the good news is that some firms have started to recognise this issue and to hire PhDs at the level just above the entry level one. This most notably includes McKinsey and BCG which respectively hire PhDs at Junior Associate and Senior Associate levels. As you can see in the graph below, these are equivalent levels despite the fact that the two firms call them differently.

As you've probably understood by now, McKinsey and BCG are great firms to target as a PhD because you will get in a at higher level than other firms which has got a few advantages:

• First, you'll receive a higher base salary from the start. ~$95k instead of the typical ~$80k for undergraduate entry level.
• Second, you'll be further along in your career and be given more responsibility from day one.

If you want to target these two firms, we would recommend taking a look at the recruiting events they regularly organise for PhDs: the McKinsey Insight Programme and the Bridge to BCG Programme . Both are one to two day workshops during which you get a chance to network with people from McKinsey / BCG , participate in realistic case experiences and get a better feel for whether you'd enjoy being a consultant. We would definitely encourage you to apply if you can.

In addition, if you have done a PhD in life sciences, we would also encourage you to take a look at consulting firms which have a strong focus on healthcare and pharma. This includes LEK , ClearView , Navigant and ZS Associates among others. These are smaller firms than McKinsey or BCG in terms of size but they have a strong culture of hiring PhDs and could be a good addition to your list.

Finally, McKinsey, BCG and the other consulting firms we have mentioned above take part to the PhD to consulting conference every year in the UK. We would recommend attending if you are based in London.

Why should you become a management consultant?

Consulting is intense and your interviewers will want to make sure you have carefully thought about why you want to become a management consultant . In our experience here are the top 3 aspects of management consulting that are most relevant to PhD students.

First, management consulting is not completely unlike doing research. A big part of a management consultant's job is to solve client problems. Going to work for firms like McKinsey or BCG will therefore give you the opportunity to continue using the skills you have developped while doing your PhD: from gathering data, to breaking down problems into manageable pieces and to articulating your ideas in a structured way. Here are a few case examples if you want a more precise idea of the type of projects consultants work on.

Second, one of the differences between management consulting and academia is the pace at which things go. You typically go less deep in the problems you solve in management consulting. But you are asked to solve them much faster. There's an emphasis on speed over depth. The bright side of this is that you will typically see the results of your work much faster as a consultant. On some projects you could even see your recommendations being implemented and have a direct impact on revenues / profits while you are still working at the client site.

Third, if you've decided academia isn't for you and are attracted to the business world, consulting can be a great stepping stone. McKinsey, BCG and Bain are sometimes referred to as " CEO factories " because a lot of their alumnus go on to manage Fortune 500 companies. For instance, both Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook COO) and Sundar Pichai (Google CEO) are former McKinsey consultants. Not all consultants go on to do great things but some do!

Having a clear idea of why you want to be a consultant is important because it's a demanding job which often involves long hours and a lot of travel.

How to land and ace consulting interviews?

Now that you know what firms to target, let's talk about the consulting application process. For most firms it looks something like this:

• Resume and cover letter
• Maths and logic test
• 1st round interviews
• 2nd round interviews

Each round of interview typically includes 2 to 5 interviews where you will be asked a mix of case questions and fit questions .

The first hurdle you will need to overcome is writing a great PhD consulting resume (template available here) . Our four main tips to achieve this as a PhD student are as follows:

• First, you should use a consulting specific structure for your documents: "Education", "Work experience", "Extra-curricular achievements" and "Additional skills". There's no need for specific sections on your publications or the conferences you attended.
• Second, you should write result-oriented bullet points. This means all your bullet points should start with action verbs (e.g. lead, analyse, etc.) and quantify the impact you've had as much as possible (e.g. lead a collaboration between 4 researchers which resulted in 3 publications)
• Third, you should work hard to simplify the topic of your research. The person reviewing your resume won't know more about your field than the average Financial Times reader. You need to dumb it down for them. They don't need to understand what you did in detail. Conveying a high level idea of your field is often enough.
• Finally, some recruiters have small prejudice against PhD students. They think they are good problem solvers but lack soft skills. In your resume, you should therefore make every effort to show off your soft skills. Two easy ways to do this are to talk about the different collaborations you've worked on, and the different presentations you've made at conferences.

Once your resume and cover letter have been accepted you will need to start preparing for case interviews . This type of interviews lasts about 30 minutes during which you will analyse and solve a business problem. These cases are usually inspired from past consulting projects your interviewer will have worked on.

For example, your interviewer could ask you: "Your client is Coca-Cola, and their profits have been declining in recent years. Can you help find the root-cause of the profit decline and turn the situation around?"

We've helped more than 20,000 students prepare for consulting interviews in the past and in our experience the following four-step approach makes for a great preparation.

• First, you should aim to develop fast and reliable maths skills . All case interviews involve some maths but PhD students in sciences often underestimate that part because they are used to doing more complex maths in their research. But doing simple additions, subtractions, divisions and multiplications QUICKLY and ACCURATELY is a completely different skillset to solving complex integrals (as an example). It requires some practice!
• Second, the real secret to case interviews is CONSISTENCY. You will have 5 to 10 interviews before getting an offer. In order to succeed you therefore need to consistently crack cases. In our experience, the best way to achieve this is to always use the same step by step method. We've developed our own method which you can learn about in our case interview programmes. Or you can also develop your own.
• Third, you should practice as many case interviews as possible. Practicing with peers and playing the role of the interviewer / candidate in turns is extremely helpful. But in addition, we would also recommend practicing by yourself as this gives you more time to think about the questions and about the perfect answer you can give. In addition, some candidates also use a consulting interview coach to fine-tune their preparation.
• Finally, you should not forget to spend some of your preparation time on fit and PEI questions . These are questions such as " Why McKinsey? " or "Tell me about a time you lead a team through a difficult situation?" These are often overlooked by candidates but carry an important weight in interviewers' final decision.

Consulting can be a great stepping stone for PhD students who aren't willing to go into academia and would like to enter the business world. McKinsey and BCG are particularly active in the PhD recruiting space. And so are other smaller firms with a strong presence in healthcare and life sciences such as Navigant, Clearview or ZS Associates. Getting an offer in consulting can be a bit challenging but if you follow our guidance on resumes, cover letters and case interviews your chances are actually quite high.

Related articles:

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• How To Write PhD Synopsis

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Economic Research Consultant for Agriculture

🔍 washington dc, united states - headquarters.

Post of Duty: Washington, DC

The IDB Group is a community of diverse, versatile, and passionate people who come together on a journey to improve lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our people find purpose and do what they love in an inclusive, collaborative, agile, and rewarding environment.

About this position

We are looking for a committed, responsible analytical research assistant with experience in applied economic research and agricultural economics to support the development of quantitative and qualitative analyses of agricultural productivity in LAC. As a research assistant, your main task will be to provide specialized technical support in the development of the chapters that will make up the Agricultural Productivity Flagship Study led by RND. This includes empirical analysis of microeconomic databases, writing of literature reviews, and reports for the publication of Technical Notes, Working Papers and Publications in peer-reviewed journals, among others.

You will work in the Environment, Rural Development and Disaster Risk Management (CSD/RND) division, which is part of the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department (CSD).

What you’ll do

• Participate in the design and development of the Agricultural Productivity Flagship Study, led by the CSD/RND Division.
• Conduct literature reviews that show the causes of the slowdown in productivity growth, and related topics (e.g., application of certain econometric methodologies such as the Stochastic Frontier Model, or the use of certain data for the measurement of agricultural yields, such as satellite images).
• Provide specialized technical support in the design and development of the Agricultural Productivity Flagship Study.
• Identify databases for empirical analysis and perform database cleaning, construction, and analysis.
• Perform field missions for data collection and analysis.
• Perform descriptive statistical analyses of general data, as well as econometric analyses with microeconomic and macroeconomic data.
• Perform impact evaluation analysis of projects focused on agricultural productivity.
• Perform comparative analyses on the causal impacts of different agricultural programs, using homogeneous and comparable outcome variables necessary to carry out such analyses.
• Write reports in the format of Technical Notes and  Academic Papers for publication in peer-reviewed journals , which include and formally describe the analyses mentioned above.

What you'll need

• Education : Bachelor's degree in Economics.
• Experience : Minimum of 2 years of technical professional experience in empirical data analysis; solid training in Econometrics, Applied Micro-Econometrics, and Spatial Econometrics; advanced management of STATA software; management of databases associated with questionnaires with a minimum of 300 questions.
• Languages : Fluent in Spanish and English. Ability to communicate and write in English.

Key Skills 

• Continuous learning.
• Collaborate and share knowledge.
• Focus on customers.
• Communicate and influence.
• Innovate and try new things.

Requirements

• Citizenship: You are a citizen of one of our 48 member countries.
• Consanguinity: You have no relatives (up to the fourth degree of consanguinity and second degree of affinity, including spouse) who work in the IDB Group.

Type of contract and duration

• Type of contract and modality:  Full-time international consultant.
• Duration of the contract : 12 months.
• Job Location : Washington, D.C.

What we offer

The IDB Group offers benefits that respond to the different needs and moments of an employee's life. These benefits include:

• A competitive remuneration package.
• Leave and vacations: 2 days per month of contract + parental leave without distinction of gender.
• Health insurance: IDB Group provides a monthly allowance for the purchase of health insurance.
• Savings Plan: The IDB Group cares about your future and, depending on the length of the contract, you will receive an allowance for a monthly savings plan.
• We offer relocation assistance and visa applications for you and your family, where applicable.
• Flexible and hybrid work schedules
• Development Support: We offer learning opportunities to enhance your professional profile, such as seminars, one-on-one career counseling, and more.
• Health & Wellness:  Access to our Health Services Center that provides employees with preventive care and health education.
• Other benefits: Breastfeeding room, nursery, gym, bike rack, parking, and others.

Our Culture

At the IDB Group, we work for all people to do their best and bring their true selves to work, to be willing to try new approaches without fear, to be accountable for their actions and to receive retribution for them.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Sense of Belonging (DEIB) are the pillars of our organization. We celebrate all dimensions of diversity and encourage women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, Black and Indigenous people to apply.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations to participate in the job interview process. If you are a qualified candidate who has a disability, please email us at [email protected] to request reasonable accommodations in order to complete this application.

Our Human Resources Team thoroughly reviews each application.

About the IDB Group

The IDB Group, comprised of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), IDB Invest and IDB Lab, offers flexible financing solutions to its member countries to finance economic and social development through loans and grants to public and private entities in Latin America and the Caribbean.

About the IDB

The Inter-American Development Bank's mission is to improve lives. Founded in 1959, the IDB is one of the main sources of long-term financing for economic, social and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB also conducts cutting-edge research projects and provides policy advice, technical assistance, and training to public and private clients throughout the region.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/inter-american-development-bank/

https://www.facebook.com/IADB.org

https://twitter.com/the_IDB

• External Opening Date: Sep 2, 2024
• External Closing Date: Sep 6, 2024
• External Contact Email: [email protected]
• External Contact Name: HR Service Center
• Job Field: Technical Support

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Konstantin Korotkov, PhD (Fellow)

Professor dr. konstantin korotkov, ph.d., deputy director of saint-petersburg federal research institute of physical culture., professor of computer science and biophysics at saint-petersburg federal university of informational technologies, mechanics and optics., professor of research in saint petersburg academy of physical culture., president of the international union for medical and applied bioelectrography., consultant for aveda co (usa)., member of the editorial board: journal of alternative and complementary medicine, journal of science of healing outcomes., prof. korotkov has published over 200 papers in leading journals on physics and biology, and he holds 17 patents on biophysics inventions. prof. korotkov has led a research career for over 30 years, combining rigorous scientific method with an insatiable curiosity about things of the spirit and the soul with deep respect for all life. he is also a scholar in philosophy and a serious mountaineer of 25 years experience. he has given lectures, seminars and training sessions in 43 countries, presenting papers and workshops at more than 100 national and international conferences., konstantin is the author of 9 books; most are translated to english, french, german, italian and spanish, including, light after life: experiments and ideas on after-death changes of kirlian pictures , usa 1998;   aura and consciousness – new stage of scientific understanding , russian ministry of culture, 1998; human energy fields: study with gdv bioelectrography , usa 2002;  spiral traverse , (usa) 2006; and he’s an editor of the book: measuring energy fields: state of the art . gdv bioelectrography series, usa 2004., at the v congress of the international union of medical and applied bioelectrography (iumab) in curitiba, brasil, (brazil, in usa) in 2001, prof. korotkov was elected as president of the iumab by the world’s most prominent researchers. he was re-elected as a president in 2005 and 2010.  konstantin is a member of the federal university scientific board on new medical technologies, member of the scientific board of the european society of predictive medicine (france) and of the editorial board of the «journal of alternative and complementary medicine» (usa)., prof. kototkov’s scientific line, known as the electrophotonics, is based on gas discharge visualization technique (gdv), is a breakthrough beyond kirlian photography for direct, real-time viewing of the human energy fields. this new technology allows one to capture (by a special camera) the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual energy emanating to and from an individual, plants, liquids, powders, inanimate objects and translate this into a computerized model. this allows researcher and client to see imbalances that may be influencing an individual’s well-being greatly facilitating the diagnosis of the cause of any existing imbalances showing the area of the body and the organ systems involved. one of the greatest benefits to date is the ability to do “real-time” measurements of a variety of treatments for such conditions as cancer to determine which is the most appropriate for the client., the incredible implications for the diagnosis and treatment of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual conditions with applications in medicine, psychology, sound therapy, biophysics, genetics, forensic science, agriculture, ecology etc. have only just begun.  the epc/gdv technique is accepted by russian ministry of health as a medical technology and certified in europe. more than 1,000 doctors, practitioners and researchers benefit from using this technology worldwide. more than 150 papers are published on gdv in different countries., download https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/bio-well-revolutionary-instrument-to-reveal-energy/f4f0dc08a4ade1d148076fee5a45b7d36087d5c3, (bio-well, a revolutionary instrument to reveal energy fields of human and nature, 3.4 mb pdf), neu schools, helpful links.

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ABOUT THE EXPERTS

Professor dr. vladimir khavinson, professor dr. svetlana trofimova, dr. ioannis datseris.

Professor Dr. V. Khavinson is the Director of the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Aging, North-Western Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences located in St. Petersburg, Russia. Additionally, he is also:

• Vice-President of the Gerontological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences
• Member of the Russian and Ukrainian Academies of Medical Sciences
• Advisor to the Committee for Social Policy of the Govt. of St. Petersburg, Russia

“ And what is the main result? Main result…not one side effect. Not one allergic reaction, no side effects. Why? Because our peptides are natural .” Prof. Dr. V. Khavinson

Prof. Dr. Khavinson graduated from the S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy with the rank of Colonel of the Military Medical Service in reserve. His groundbreaking research interests are related to the development of the concept of peptide regulation of aging; the design, experimental and clinical study of peptide bioregulators; and elaboration of theoretical and practical grounds of bioregulation therapy and gerontology.

EXPERIENCE WITH REJUVEN-EYES BIO-THERAPY

Prof. Dr. Khavinson is the world’s foremost authority on the topic of peptide bioregulators. Since 1971, he has been engaged in studying the role of peptide bioregulators – including the components of Rejuven-Eyes Bio-Therapy – and their role in the regulation of aging mechanisms.

His unstinting efforts have resulted in the identification of a highly innovative novel method for the application of peptide bioregulators to slow down aging and increase average life span. These bioregulators include extracts and synthetic peptides which are copies of naturally occurring bioactive peptides.

To date, Dr. Khavinson has treated 15 million patients with his novel peptide therapies.

No less than 6 peptide pharmaceuticals and 36 biologically active supplements developed by Prof. Dr. Khavinson have been introduced into clinical practice. Additionally, he has over 600 research publications, including 25 monographs. He is also the author of 125 Russian and International patents.

ST. PETERSBURG INSTITUTE OF BIOREGULATION AND GERONTOLOGY

The St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology was established in 1992 and integrated into the North-Western Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences in 2001.

Its role is to introduce into medical practice the results of 20 years of experimental and clinical studies of peptide bioregulators, which were originally created in the Research Laboratory of Bioregulators of the S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy.

The research activities of the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology are related to:

• Study of improvement of methods for diagnosis and prognosis of various diseases, development of research, and production programs in bioregulation and gerontology.
• Design, clinical study, manufacture and introduction into the clinical practice of medications, state-of-the-art technologies of diagnostics, and therapy for the purpose of early diagnostics along with prevention and treatment of age-related pathologies.
• Propagation of research findings in the field of bioregulation and gerontology.

Professor Dr. S. Trofimova is the Director General of the Clinic of Predictive Medicine “The Tree of Life”, St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Aging, located in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Additionally, she is also –

• President of the Russian Society of Anti-Aging Medicine (RAAM)
• Deputy Director and Head Ophthalmologist, St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology
• Secretary-General. European Society of Preventive, Regenerative and Anti-Aging Medicine (ESAAM)

“ After this treatment we see not only the stabilization of these pathological processes, but an improved functional activity of the retina. And that is why the visual acuity in our patients increases and the field of vision expands. ” Prof. Dr. S. Trofimova

Professor Dr. Trofimova graduated from St. Petersburg Pediatric Medical Academy in 1994 and obtained her Ph.D. in Medical Sciences with a Thesis in Ophthalmology entitled: “Application of Peptide Bioregulators in Diabetic Retinopathy”. She obtained her M.D. degree in 2003.

For the last 20 years Prof. Dr. Trofimova has been working in the research field of peptide regulation of aging as well as the experimental and clinical research of peptide bioregulators.

Along with Prof. Dr. Khavinson, she is one of the world leaders in peptide bioregulation and anti-aging medicine, along with her expertise on peptide therapy for degenerative retinal disorders – specifically Rejuven-Eyes Bio-Therapy .

In her own words: “ We apply these peptides in patients with difficult diseases such as Retinitis Pigmentosa, age-related Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Retinopathy. We have 30 years of experience in treating these diseases .”

Along with investigating methods of assessment of quality of life and ways to achieve an active long life, Prof. Dr. Trofimova’s research interests also include studying the retinoprotective effect of peptide bioregulators in Age-Related Macular Diseases, Retinitis Pigmentosa, and Diabetic Retinopathy.

Prof. Dr. Trofimova has participated in numerous European and World Congresses on ophthalmology, gerontology and geriatrics and anti-aging medicine   and has over 150 scientific publications as well as 4 patents.

Dr. Ioannis Datseris is the Director of the OMMA Ophthalmological Institute located in Athens, Greece.

Additionally, he is also the President of the Greek Society of Ophthalmology.

“It is important to confirm that this peptide therapy is very safe. In my own experience, it has not caused any adverse effects in a single patient so far!” Dr. I. Datseris

Dr. Datseris is a leading authority in the treatment of retinal degenerative diseases, who has dedicated his life in researching to finding treatment solutions for patients suffering from various forms of retinal degeneration – including macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, and diabetic retinopathy.

As a result, he is in constantly sought out by other ophthalmologists and eye specialists who consult him regarding complex cases of retinal disorders.

When he’s not traveling to participate in ophthalmology meetings and events in Europe, the United States or Asia, Dr. Datseris spends his days meeting with his patients at OMMA – the realization of his ambitious vision for a center where comprehensive, cutting-edge diagnosis and treatment is offered to patients with glaucoma, cataracts, refractive disorders, myopia, hyperopia and many other eye disorders.

Such an ambitious scope requires highly specialized ophthalmologic expertise along with the latest in modern equipment. Dr. Datseris and OMMA fulfill both these requirements admirably.

Dr. Datseris is a member of the Board of the Medical Association of Athens. He obtained his University Diploma in Medicine at the University of Crete in 1991 and completed his Doctorate at the Department of Ophthalmology of the University of Crete in 2007. Dr. Datseris is certified by the European Board of Ophthalmology both as a practitioner and examiner.

In 1997, Dr. Datseris successfully completed the specialty examination in Ophthalmology supervised by Professor G. Theodossiadis, Dr. H. Feretis and Dr. N. Tsopelas offered at the University of Athens, Greece.

Dr. Datseris is currently an active member of the Panhellenic Ophthalmological Society, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the International Society of Refractive Surgery and the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

Under Dr. Datseris’ direct supervision at OMMA, several patients with dry Macular Degeneration and Retinitis Pigmentosa have been treated with the novel peptide therapy known as Rejuven-Eyes Bio-Therapy .

In his own words: “Over the past 5 years, we have treated patients with vision loss with a combination of small protein molecules known as peptides. The result of this peptide therapy is very encouraging!”

He’s right.

The results of a preliminary clinical study supervised by Dr. Datseris at OMMA show that a single course of treatment with Rejuven-Eyes Bio-Therapy noticeably increased sharpness of vision (known clinically as “visual acuity”) in patients with dry macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

According to Dr. Datseris: ” Not only is further vision loss prevented, many of these patients actually regain some of their lost vision!”