Re: What bio-science careers other than researcherare in business?

Dear Jonathan,

I notice that you are writing from Germany, and I should point out that 
while I am in industry myself, my experiences are going to be from an 
American perspective. I don’t think there should be too much difference, 
though.

There are indeed opportunities for biologists in the business world. An 
advanced research degree like a PhD can be combined with other degrees. 
For instance, PhD/JD (Doctorate of Justice) degree combinations are common 
among patent attorneys in industry, and are sought after due to their 
specialized technical knowledge which they can bring to bear in preparing 
or defending a company’s intellectual property.

PhD/MBAs are also relatively common. Your question seems to indicate 
interest in this particular career path, but there is something important 
you should keep in mind if you choose to go this route. It is the PhD/MBA 
plus post-graduate research experience in an industrial setting which is 
highly desired. Simply having a PhD plus and MBA isn’t going to be 
sufficient, so you should consider an industrial research position for a 
time after graduating with a PhD. One rule of thumb I’ve heard here in the 
U.S. is that upwardly mobile management types are considered desirable if 
they have both degrees plus industrial experience by about the age of 30, 
so it is definitely a very demanding career path.

One thing to keep in mind is that most successful research scientists in 
industry end up being promoted to management positions eventually. 
Unfortunately, simply being a good researcher does not necessarily make 
you a good manager, so any courses you can take in business, accounting 
and economics will certainly serve you well if you decide to work in 
industry. Taking a minor in business certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea.