Being in demand – a transition guide for (young) academics
Thinking about leaving academia but unsure where to start? I’ve been there and picked up one or two lessons learned along the way. Here I share my personal journey from short-term research contracts to landing my dream job in industry. Drawing insights from the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025, I explore the top in-demand skills for 2025-2030 and show how PhD students and PostDocs – especially in environmental science – already possess many of them. The key? Learning how to translate academic expertise into business-friendly language. Whether you’re considering a move or just curious, this blog brings some insights on how to plan for a transition with confidence.
From academia to industry: my journey
For much of my career, I believed I would never leave academia. At one point, it felt like academia was all I knew. I got my PhD in Coral Reef Ecology in 2013 studying Colombian coral reefs (Bayraktarov et al. 2012; Eidens et al. 2012; Bayraktarov et al. 2013; Bayraktarov et al. 2014a, 2014b, 2014c, 2014d; Eidens et al. 2014; Eidens et al. 2015; Plass-Johnson et al. 2015). Afterwards, I moved to Brisbane, Australia, to try my luck as an early career researcher. My first role was as a Research Assistant at the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland, with a contract of just 150 hours (yes, hours – not days). This was followed by several short-term positions, ranging from a few months to a maximum of two years.
During this time, I engaged in fascinating projects, such as analysing seagrass samples (Saunders et al. 2015), compiling literature data to create a cost and feasibility database for marine coastal restoration projects (Bayraktarov et al. 2015; Bayraktarov et al. 2019; Bayraktarov et al. 2020), and conducting fieldwork to study the interactions between coral and algae under climate change and eutrophication. One of my most challenging and rewarding projects was developing Australia’s Threatened Species Index (Bayraktarov et al. 2019; Bayraktarov et al. 2021; Bayraktarov et al. 2021), which involved integrating data on threatened species trends into a multi-species visualisation tool – a powerful communication resource telling us how Australia’s threatened species are going (check it out at tsx.org.au).
Overall, I spent about seven years as a PostDoc, working on various short-term contracts (each less than two years) across projects in conservation data science, biodiversity indicators, and marine coastal restoration. While I loved the research, the constant cycle of short-term contracts, funding uncertainties, and the elusive tenure track began to weigh on me. It was a sobering reality in the highly competitive world of academia.
Then, I made a shift. A project partner head-hunted me for a role as an Innovations Program Manager at Griffith University. The position description was pretty intimidating, so it took some encouragement to actually dare to apply. “Don’t worry, Elisa, this role is just like managing the Threatened Species Index – just a bit bigger. You’ve got this.”, he said. That’s when the penny dropped, and I started thinking about how my academic skills would translate into what’s needed to be a program manager.
Extensive experience in managing information systems and infrastructure? Yep, I did that for the Threatened Species Index. Managing a geographically dispersed team? Absolutely! I coordinated two Research Assistants based in Melbourne and a Software Developer who built the infrastructure for the tool. Experience at the intersection of science and IT, data acquisition, and analysis? That’s literally what I’d been doing for the past seven years – just in business lingo. Developing innovative solutions and strategically driving projects to meet diverse needs? C’mon, isn’t that the bread and butter of every academic?
So, I learned the language of the job ad and applied it to my application materials – and got the job. Three and a half years later, the team I led developed the EcoCommons Australia platform (Bayraktarov et al. 2025), and I was ready for a new challenge. With my newfound confidence, I realised my academic skills were in high demand, and I could easily transition into industry and kiss academia goodbye.
Eventually, I found myself in a position I now consider my dream job – Data & Science Manager at The Nature Conservancy, the world’s largest environmental non-governmental organisation.
Reflecting on my career, I realise it wasn’t a straight path at all. I feel I did a lot of random bits and pieces here and there, often unsure about where the journey would lead. Sometimes, it felt like it took me too long – landing my first ongoing job at 41 felt like growing up late to enjoy the beauty of financial stability (e.g., buying a house, getting married, paying a mortgage…). Along the way, I battled a lot of imposter syndrome – that nagging feeling of inadequacy or feeling like a fraud despite evident success and numerous achievements in my roles (you can read more about strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome in my blog here).
Over the past couple of years, I’ve received numerous invitations to speak to students about my journey from academia to industry. I enjoy helping them see how their skills are not just valuable but in demand beyond academia.
So, I decided to write this little guide for those wondering, “What’s next?” – and how to get there.
What jobs are in demand for the next 5 years?
I recently came across the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2025 (only released in January 2025), which highlights the most in-demand jobs and skills for the 2025-2030 period. The report is based on an extensive survey of over 1,000 global employers, representing more than 14 million workers across 22 industry clusters and 55 economies. The survey results were complemented by data from ADP (a multi-national payroll and HR provider), Coursera, Indeed, and LinkedIn. The report captures perspectives and insights into the jobs most in demand. These jobs are shaped by technology changes, the green transition (e.g., investing in renewables, electric vehicles, and sustainable production methods like green steel), societal issues, economic uncertainty, demographic shifts (e.g., changes in gender, age, birth rates, and population distribution), and geoeconomic fragmentation (the growing restriction of international trade and financial transactions to countries that are politically aligned).
Some of the fastest-growing roles include:
- AI and Big Data Specialists
- Environmental & Renewable Energy Engineers
- Cybersecurity Analysts
- Sustainability Experts
- Education & Training Specialists
- Project and Program Managers
- Healthcare and Social Work Professionals
- Logistics & Supply Chain Specialists
Notice anything? Many of these align closely with skills acquired during a PhD, especially in environmental science.
How do your PhD skills translate to industry?
Many PhD students and PostDocs in academia already possess the top skills employers are looking for as indicated in the Future of Jobs Report 2025. They just need to reframe them in a business-friendly language that industry understands.
Here’s how:
| Your PhD/PostDoc transferable skills | Industry relevance of your skills |
|---|---|
| 1. Analytical thinking & problem-solving | |
| Designing research projects and formulating hypotheses to test | Businesses need problem-solvers who can analyse trends, optimise processes, and improve efficiency |
| Synthesising large amounts of information from diverse sources e.g., carrying out a literature review, developing surveys | Critical in strategic decision-making, policy analysis, and environmental risk assessment |
| Identifying caveats and limitations, troubleshooting experimental or methodological challenges | These skills help in product development, operational efficiency, and business process optimisation |
| Evaluating data for patterns and insights (e.g., producing descriptive statistics, plots, visualisations) | Essential for roles in conservation analytics, environmental impact assessment, and sustainability reporting |
| 2. Resilience, agility & adaptability | |
| Navigating setbacks in research (e.g., failed experiments, non-significant results), funding challenges (e.g., failed grants), and peer review (e.g., rejection of manuscripts) | Employers value resilience in fast-changing industries like sustainability, AI, and environmental policy. Failures can be used as lessons learned for next time. Many employers want you to fail as quickly as possible with an approach you’ve taken, so that they know not to invest in this approach. |
| Adapting fieldwork methods based on real-world conditions (e.g., COVID-19, floods, rain, hail, stormy seas, high/low temperature) | This skill is key in industries where regulations, funding, and technology change rapidly. |
| Handling interdisciplinary collaborations across teams and expertise levels (e.g., an oceanographer (Professor), a physical modeller (PostDoc) and a marine biologist (PhD Student)) | This is important for working in multi-stakeholder projects involving NGOs, governments, and private sector partners. |
| 3. AI & Big Data knowledge | |
| Using R or Python for data analysis and modelling | There is a high demand for data scientists, sustainability analysts, and AI-driven environmental monitoring experts. |
| Applying machine learning models to make predictions using ecological, species and/or climate data | This is a valuable skill in AI-powered conservation technology, biodiversity monitoring, and carbon tracking. |
| Working with GIS (e.g., ArcGIS, ArcGIS Online, QGIS) and other remote sensing tools | This is key for any roles in planning, spatial analysis, environmental consulting, and precision agriculture. |
| Statistical analysis of complex datasets | In demand for sustainability forecasting, finance, and impact evaluation. |
| 4. Cybersecurity & digital literacy | |
| Managing and securing sensitive research data (e.g., threatened species locations, privacy data on survey respondents) | Important in data governance, regulatory compliance, and digital risk management. |
| Using cloud computing and databases for environmental modelling (e.g., AWS SageMaker, GeoCloud, high-performance computation etc.) | Key in roles related to big data management, geospatial intelligence, and design of smart cities. |
| 5. Leadership & social influence | |
| Supervising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students | This translates to leadership, training, and professional development roles. |
| Leading multi-institutional collaborations and grant-funded projects (e.g., your co-authors are in Australia, UK, and Mexico) | Relevant for project management, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability leadership. |
| Presenting at conferences and engaging with policymakers (e.g., by giving invited seminars at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water) | This can be seen as a strong foundation for advocacy, public relations, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) roles. |
| 6. Creative thinking & innovation | |
| Developing novel research approaches and methodologies (e.g., new modelling, experimental approaches) | These abilities are sought-after in R&D, sustainability innovation, and emerging technology applications. |
| Designing conservation solutions that integrate local community needs (e.g., through participatory GIS, focus groups, etc.) | This is important in impact-driven businesses, social enterprises, and sustainable development. |
| Finding unconventional solutions to logistical or research challenges, aka creative problem solving | This skill is valued in industries needing innovation in product design, renewable energy, and green engineering. |
| 7. Project & stakeholder management | |
| Managing multi-year research projects with diverse teams | This aligns with program management, sustainability initiatives, and cross-sector collaborations. |
| Securing and managing research funding from multiple sources | This translates to grant writing, fundraising, and business development. |
| Coordinating fieldwork logistics across multiple locations and working with different partner organisations | This is key in operations management, supply chain logistics, and environmental consulting. |
How to reframe your skills for industry?
Once you’ve felt the fear and yet decided to apply for a job outside of academia, you will need to focus on describing your experience that matters to the employer. And you will need to use their language, so they understand the value that you are bringing to their business.
Here’s how to translate your academic experience into business-friendly language:
| Academic experience | Translation into business lingo |
|---|---|
| Grant writing: Wrote successful research grants securing $500K in funding. | Business development & fundraising: Developed persuasive funding proposals and secured $500K for high-impact projects, demonstrating strong business development and stakeholder engagement skills. |
| Literature review: Conducted an extensive systematic literature review on climate resilience strategies. | Market research & competitive analysis: Performed in-depth market research to identify trends, risks, and opportunities in climate resilience, informing strategic decision-making. |
| Writing research papers: Published six peer-reviewed papers on marine ecosystem restoration. | Technical writing & science communication: Produced six high-quality technical reports and publications, translating complex environmental data into actionable insights for stakeholders. |
| Publishing & disseminating research: Published research findings in high-impact journals. | Content marketing & thought leadership: Created compelling content and thought leadership pieces to communicate scientific innovations. |
| Conference presentations: Presented research at international conferences to scientific audiences. | Public speaking & client engagement: Delivered engaging presentations to diverse stakeholders, effectively communicating complex data and influencing decision-making. |
| Teaching & mentoring: Taught undergraduate courses and supervised student research projects. | Training & leadership development: Developed and delivered training programs, mentoring junior team members to enhance skills and project efficiency. |
| Managing a research project: Led a multi-year field study on coral reef degradation, coordinating a team of five researchers. | Project management & strategic planning: Managed a complex, multi-year project with cross-functional teams, overseeing timelines, budgets, and stakeholder communications to achieve strategic goals. |
| Being a peer reviewer/editor & scientific rigor: Reviewed manuscripts for scientific journals, ensuring data accuracy and methodological soundness. | Quality assurance & risk assessment: Conducted quality assurance reviews and risk assessments, ensuring data integrity and compliance with industry standards. |
| Fieldwork & data collection: Collected and analysed ecological field data across 10 locations. | Data-driven decision-making & operations: Designed and implemented data-driven strategies to optimise operations, leveraging field insights for evidence-based decision-making. |
| Multidisciplinary collaboration: Collaborated with biologists, oceanographers, and policymakers on a conservation project. | Cross-functional teamwork & stakeholder management: Worked in cross-functional teams, aligning diverse stakeholders to drive sustainable solutions and achieve business objectives. |
That’s great but what’s next?
Your PhD/PostDoc experience isn’t a limitation - it’s a strength. You already have the analytical, leadership, and technical skills that industries need. The key is identifying the roles that would match your skills and interests and learning how to position yourself as a valuable candidate. Whether you want to work in conservation, data science, sustainability, or policy, there’s a place for you outside academia. And trust me – your expertise is in high demand.