Introduction
What’s better: being an academic researcher, or a non-academic researcher? The answer is both and neither. The real question is whether you fit into one category or the other.
Academics are usually professors who work at universities and research centers, while non-academic researchers work in industry, non-profits and other organizations. These two groups have different strengths and weaknesses, which we’ll explore in this post.
The Pros and Cons of Being an Academic vs. a Non-Academic Researcher
You should be an academic researcher because you love science. If so, you’re definitely not alone. However, if you want to be a scientist, should you be an academic or a non-academic researcher?
To help answer this question for yourself, consider both the pros and cons of being an academic researcher versus a non-academic researcher.
What Stem Graduate Students Should Know About Working In Academia Vs. The Private Sector
These days, a lot of STEM grad students end up in one of two places: academia or the private sector. If you’ve just begun your graduate studies and are wondering what direction to take, think about these factors first.
Academia is a viable career path, but the competition is intense. The US National Academies reports that demand for academic researchers who hold PhDs has grown faster than supply since 2000 — and this has affected students entering programs all over the world.
Although other reports have shown that job market conditions have improved in recent years, graduates might still face intense competition for academic positions. As a result, many academics will take on several post-doc positions over the course of their careers before securing tenure-track employment.
The private sector offers more stability than academia (in most cases). On the other hand, private companies provide much more immediate job security while offering fewer opportunities for creative freedom and intellectual independence compared to academia.
Academic Researchers And Private Sector Researchers Have Very Different Mindsets
If you’re trying to decide whether to work in academic research or private sector research, it’s helpful to know that the mind sets of each are very different. The reason for this is because:
- Academic researchers are more likely to work on an idea for years or decades while they search for a solution. This can be frustrating at times, but it also allows them to dig deeper into their ideas and research topics than someone in a private sector job could.
- Private sector researchers are more likely to be working on a problem that needs to be solved quickly. They may only have weeks or months to come up with a solution. These types of jobs can feel overwhelming because there isn’t much room for error, but many people thrive under these constraints and perform better when they have deadlines and bosses breathing down their necks.
- Academic researchers have more freedom to choose their own research topics, whereas private sector researchers often don’t get any say over what issues they’re solving or how they do it.
Academic Research Is Aimed At Publishing
Obtaining grants and publishing papers are two of the ways that academic researchers demonstrate the impact of their work, whether it’s developing a new technology to improve health care or conducting ethnography fieldwork in small villages. Grant applications require potential beneficiaries to outline how they plan to make their findings available to the public.
While publishing papers may not be required in all private sector jobs, it’s still possible. Private sector researchers are more interested in developing products than publishing papers; as such, private sector researchers do not need to publish papers in academic journals, but they will probably need to submit internal reports and project updates to their company’s leadership.
Academic Researchers Face Pressure to Publish Papers, Give Talks
As an academic researcher, publishing papers is a crucial part of your job. You need to write papers to get funding from grants, and you also need them so that you can get tenure. Your conference talks are a great way to find funding, because they will help to publicize the great work that you’ve done and what you’re planning next.
Conference talks are also a great way to network and build relationships with other researchers who could potentially become your collaborators. Attending these conferences is important because it lets you stay up-to-date on the latest research in your field and discover new areas of interest that you might want to explore.
You’ll also have more freedom in terms of what publications can accept your work; non-academic publication venues typically prefer shorter pieces than scholarly journals do. If this sounds appealing, but it’s still unclear whether this career path would be for you, then consider applying for a position at one of the many research universities in the US — there are over 100 such institutions across our country!
Academic Researchers Must Find Their Own Funding
As an academic researcher, you have to find your own funding for your projects. What is research funding? It’s simply the money that allows you to conduct research and write a paper about what you found. Where does one find this money? Funding sources include federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Education, and NASA; large foundations such as the Ford Foundation; and nonprofit organizations such as nonprofits that focus on a particular disease or illness. Sometimes agencies like NASA will give you funds in exchange for being able to publish with them in their journal.
You need a strong track record of publishing papers in top journals in your field, or you won’t get funding. There are only so many research dollars out there, and they go fast!
Getting funding can also be time-consuming: applying for grants usually involves writing long proposals and reports explaining why your work should be funded over other projects that are competing for similar funds. Managing a large budget is one of the most important duties of a grant manager. When you are awarded grant money from an agency or foundation, you need to keep careful records about how much each person is getting paid on your project. You also have to track all purchases related to grant activities and make sure that all invoices have been properly documented.
Academic Researchers Have to Manage Students
As an academic researcher, you also get to manage grad students and undergrads working on your project, something that isn’t generally true for private sector researchers.
This can be a fantastic opportunity for the grad students — a chance to gain teaching experience and work with bright minds on the cusp of their academic careers. But it’s essential to keep in mind that you’re responsible for the progress of these people. It’s essential to help them develop their own ideas while making sure they are working toward a common goal.
There will be times when managing personnel is like herding cats into a room, but if you can keep everyone focused and maintain clear communication as to what needs to get done at any given moment, your group should thrive.
Private Sector Researchers Get to Tackle Cutting Edge Problems
Private sector researchers typically have a more constrained scope when it comes to what they are studying, but still get the chance to do cutting edge research. In many cases, academic researchers have more freedom about what topics they will work on, but also face more pressure to publish their research in prestigious academic journals.
It is important that you think about your interests and goals before deciding which path is right for you!
Private Sector or Academic Researcher: Which Is Right for You?
In the end, the choice between being an academic or a non-academic researcher is yours. It’s a personal decision, and it might even be one that takes you by surprise. You may begin on one of these career paths and find yourself wanting to shift to another — and that’s okay! Research is a passion for many people, and it can take time to find your niche.
But if you have questions about which path you should take, we hope this article has given you some insight into the pros and cons of each.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many pros and cons to being either an academic or a non-academic researcher.
Academics have the opportunity to work with students and pursue research that interests them. They also have access to resources that can help them in their endeavors. However, they must adhere to strict guidelines and deadlines and may face criticism if they do not meet expectations.
Non-academic researchers are free of many of these constraints, but they may have less funding available to them and must find other ways to make up for this lack of funds. They also have less contact with students and often struggle to find good mentors who can help guide them through their research journey.
Ultimately, it comes down to what kind of person you are and what kind of career path you want for yourself. Both types of research require hard work and dedication, so it is important not only to consider your own strengths as a researcher, but also those of your colleagues if you decide on either path!