Pursuing a PhD is a life altering decision where you commit yourself to 4-5 years of research and hardwork. Naturally, you would want to know what is your reward after you complete the degree. What kind of job opportunities will be available to you and how can you grow in your career? In this blog, we’ll cover 8 best career options after PhD. With 95% choosing one of these, you’ll gain a clear idea of your future opportunities.
1. Post-Doctorate (Post-Doc)
A Post-Doc is a common next step for PhD graduates who want to continue their research career and eventually secure a permanent academic position. It allows you to deepen your research experience, publish more papers, and develop teaching and mentoring skills.
Advantage: Allows you to publish more research papers, learn important skills like mentoring, grant writing, and teaching—key for an academic career.
Skills Required: Advanced research skills, mentoring, scientific writing, grant writing, and collaboration with other researchers.
Places to Apply: India: IITs, IISc, TIFR, CSIR labs. Abroad: Harvard, MIT, Max Planck Institutes (Germany), National Institutes of Health (USA).
How to Apply: Check university websites, research institutions, or job boards like Shine.com, Academic Positions, and Nature Careers. Develop a strong research proposal aligned with the lab or department you’re applying to.
Salary: India: ₹6 – ₹12 lakhs per annum. Abroad: $45,000 – $70,000 per annum.
Have a look at the TIFR campus!
2. Professor
Becoming a professor is a prestigious career path post-PhD, offering the opportunity to teach, mentor, and conduct research. You can begin as an Assistant Professor and work your way up to Full Professor, with tenure providing long-term job security.
Advantage: Provides a clear academic growth path where you can rise from Assistant Professor to Full Professor, potentially with tenure, offering lifetime job security.
Skills Required: Teaching, research, grant writing, mentoring, and leadership skills.
Places to Apply: India: IITs, NITs, State Universities, Private Universities (Amity, Ashoka, etc.). Abroad: Cambridge, Oxford, Stanford, ETH Zurich.
How to Apply: Apply through academic job boards like HigherEdJobs, ChronicleVitae, Shiksha.com, and individual university websites. Prepare a strong CV, teaching philosophy, and research portfolio.
Salary: India: ₹8 – ₹15 lakhs per annum for Assistant Professors. Abroad: $60,000 – $150,000 per annum, depending on the institution.
3. Industry (Senior Scientist/Engineer, R&D Positions)
If you prefer a non-academic path, the industry offers well-paying opportunities for PhDs, especially in sectors like technology, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing. You can work in R&D or as a senior engineer/scientist, solving practical problems for companies.
Advantage: Industry positions often offer higher pay compared to academia and allow you to switch companies to find the right fit for your skills and interests.
Skills Required: Problem-solving, research and development, project management, data analysis, and communication.
Places to Apply: India: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Biocon, Dr. Reddy’s, Infosys, ISRO. Abroad: Google, Pfizer, Boeing, Tesla, Intel.
How to Apply: Use platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, Naukri, Glassdoor, and company websites. Tailor your resume to highlight technical expertise and industry-relevant skills. For help on this – Resume Buiding Course
Salary: India: ₹10 – ₹20 lakhs per annum, depending on the industry. Abroad: $80,000 – $130,000 per annum.
4. Entrepreneurship
If you have a business idea that leverages your PhD research, entrepreneurship is a viable career option. You can start your own company based on innovative products, research, or solutions to industry problems.
Advantage: PhD research provides in-depth knowledge in a specific field, often identifying problems or gaps that can inspire a business idea, positioning you well for entrepreneurship.
Skills Required: Leadership, problem-solving, business acumen, networking, and pitching to investors.
Places to Apply: India: Start-Up India, Atal Innovation Mission, Indian Angel Network. Abroad: Y Combinator, Seedcamp, Techstars.
How to Apply: Apply for startup incubators or accelerators such as IIM Innovation Hubs, Y Combinator, Techstars, and Start-Up India. Prepare a business plan and seek funding through venture capital or government grants.
Salary: Varies widely; could be zero at the start but potentially significant once the business succeeds.
5. Consulting
Consulting is a high-paying field for PhD holders, where you can apply your analytical and problem-solving skills to advise companies on business strategies, innovation, and operations.
Advantage: Consulting allows you to combine your analytical skills with business acumen, and large firms hire PhD graduates from diverse fields to solve complex business problems.
Skills Required: Analytical thinking, data analysis, business acumen, communication, and project management.
Places to Apply: India: KPMG, Deloitte India, PwC India. Abroad: McKinsey, BCG, Bain & Company, EY.
How to Apply: Use platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, Naukri, Glassdoor, and company websites.Network with professionals in the consulting industry and prepare for case-study interviews.
Salary: India: ₹12 – ₹25 lakhs per annum. Abroad: $90,000 – $150,000 per annum.
6. Product Management
Product management is another great option for PhDs, especially in tech and healthcare industries. As a product manager, you oversee the development and optimization of products, working at the intersection of technology and business.
Advantage: A PhD equips you with problem-solving and analytical abilities, which are highly valued in product management roles, making it an exciting option where you apply your skills to real-world products.
Skills Required: Problem-solving, user-centric thinking, understanding of product lifecycle, project management, and cross-team collaboration.
Places to Apply: India: Flipkart, Amazon India, Zomato, Paytm. Abroad: Google, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft.
How to Apply: Apply to tech companies via platforms like LinkedIn, AngelList, and company career pages. Build a portfolio that showcases your project management and analytical skills.
Salary: India: ₹15 – ₹25 lakhs per annum. Abroad: $95,000 – $130,000 per annum.
7. Government Sector
Many PhDs in India and abroad choose government jobs for job security and the opportunity to work on public sector projects. These jobs can range from research roles to policy advisory positions.
Advantage: Government jobs offer job security, competitive salaries, and the opportunity to contribute to public-sector research and policy development.
Skills Required: Research, writing, data analysis, policy-making, and communication.
Places to Apply: India: DRDO, CSIR, ICMR, ISRO, NITI Aayog. Abroad: NASA, NIH (USA), European Space Agency (ESA).
How to Apply: Apply via government job portals.
Salary: India: ₹8 – ₹15 lakhs per annum. Abroad: $70,000 – $120,000 per annum.
8. Policy Work
PhDs can also transition into policy-making roles, contributing to evidence-based policy decisions in areas like healthcare, education, and environmental management.
Advantage: Policy roles are research-informed, allowing you to apply your academic expertise to real-world challenges, influencing evidence-based decision-making in government and NGOs.
Skills Required: Research, data analysis, report writing, critical thinking, and collaboration with stakeholders.
Places to Apply: India: Centre for Policy Research (CPR), NITI Aayog, Observer Research Foundation (ORF). Abroad: RAND Corporation, The Brookings Institution, OECD.
How to Apply: Apply to think tanks, NGOs, and government agencies involved in policy development. Leverage your research background to contribute to data-driven decision-making.
Salary: India: ₹6 – ₹12 lakhs per annum. Abroad: $65,000 – $100,000 per annum.
For more information on this topic, check out the video below-
Whether you want to pursue academia, industry, entrepreneurship, or government roles, there are numerous career paths available to PhD holders in India and abroad. Each option comes with its own set of advantages, salary expectations, and skill requirements. Based on your personal interests and long-term goals, you can choose a career that suits your strengths and aspirations.
For any queries, feel free to comment below and we will try to get back to you at the earliest! 🙂
