Turning Research Skills Into Career Success

Making the transition from academia to industry can be both exciting and challenging. I know from personal experience that the food industry values academic research skills more than many students realize.

After earning my PhD in food science from North Carolina State University in 2024, I joined The Mennel Milling Company as a senior scientist. What I’ve learned is that thriving in industry isn’t about leaving your academic experience behind—it’s about learning how to translate it into real-world impact.

The key is demonstrating how your research solves problems, creates value, and drives results. Just as important is the ability to communicate those contributions clearly during interviews, networking opportunities, and workplace interactions.

Participating in competitions such as research poster competitions, oral presentations, and pitch events helped me strengthen my ability to explain technical projects to nontechnical audiences.

Academia not only provides technical expertise but also provides resources to develop skills that are highly transferable to industry, including the following:

• Problem-solving and critical thinking
• Experimental design and data analysis
• Project management
• Technical communication
• Leadership and teamwork

My academic background focused on food microbiology and product development, not milling and baking. Yet those experiences translated well to flour processing and food safety applications due to my learnings from designing and executing experiments, interpreting data, and asking the right questions.

Learning how to communicate the value of those skills is an important part of the transition. Taking advantage of workshops, competitions, leadership opportunities, and professional development events while in academia can help prepare you for a successful industry career.

What May Be Challenging

One of the first challenges comes before you even enter the workforce: condensing years of research, leadership, and technical accomplishments into a one- or two-page résumé. Rather than focusing only on what you did, I recommend focusing on the impact of your work. Learning how to connect those experiences with employer expectations by tailoring your résumé and framing your work in terms of impact, outcomes, and transferable skills will pay career dividends.

Another adjustment is adapting to ambiguity and faster timelines. Unlike academia, where projects may span several years with a narrow focus, working in industry often requires managing multiple projects simultaneously while balancing shifting priorities, business needs, and tight deadlines.

People management and interpersonal skills are equally important. Even for those without a formal managerial title, the ability to collaborate effectively, communicate clearly, manage expectations, and work cross-functionally is invaluable. Technical expertise may open the door, but strong interpersonal skills help you thrive and grow in industry.

Cross-Functional Connections Matter

While both academia and industry rely on collaborations, the way teams work together often differs.

In academia, researchers often share similar technical backgrounds, approaches to problem-solving, and communication styles. Industry involves collaboration among individuals with very different expertise, priorities, and ways of working. Each team (sales, operations, quality, regulatory, purchasing, etc.) brings a unique perspective to a project. Learning to understand and respect these different priorities is essential for successful collaboration.

While following appropriate organizational processes and channels is necessary, building genuine professional relationships is critical. Taking the time to connect with colleagues, explaining project goals, and helping others understand how their expertise contributes to the success of a project creates stronger collaboration and trust.

Leadership experiences I gained through IFT played a significant role in helping me develop these interpersonal and cross-functional collaboration skills. Opportunities to lead teams, organize initiatives, and communicate with diverse groups prepared me to work effectively across departments and adapt more confidently to the collaborative nature of industry.

Redefining Impact and Success

In academia, individual achievements such as publications, citations, and novel discoveries are often emphasized. In industry, success is team driven and recognition is shared by contributing meaningfully to collective goals. The scientific rigor from academia is essential, but it is balanced with speed and business needs in industry. For instance, the focus shifts from “Is this novel?” to “Is this novel and immediately scalable?” and from publications to product launches and process improvements.

Looking back on my professional journey so far, academia provided a strong scientific foundation, and industry has allowed me to apply those skills across a wide variety of projects. Together, these experiences have reinforced the importance of continuous learning and interdisciplinary thinking in driving food system innovation. I continue to expand my knowledge through webinars and conferences, recognizing that learning does not end with a degree or a job title. Staying curious opens doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and technical challenges.

Get More Career Insights

The 2026 IFT Compensation and Career Path Report provides data-driven insights into career paths, workplace expectations, compensation, and professional development to help food scientists at every stage of their careers make informed decisions about their future.

Download the Report

Tips for Navigating the Academic/Workplace Transition

• Tailor your résumé to the position and highlight transferable skills.
• Emphasize outcomes and impact, not just research activities.
• Practice communicating technical concepts to nontechnical audiences.
• Be prepared to manage multiple priorities and changing timelines.
• Invest in relationship-building and professional networking.

How Priorities Shift

Academia: Is this novel?
Industry: Is this novel and immediately scalable?

Academia: Publications and citations
Industry: Customer, regulatory, operational, and cost considerations

Academia: Delivering the perfect solution
Industry: Delivering a validated solution within the project timeline