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Biotech Career Coach

Biotech Career Coach

Written by: Carina Clingman
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In the Biotech Career Coach podcast, we share valuable insights and advice for job seekers and career-minded individuals in the biotechnology and life sciences industry. From resume tips to leadership strategies, this podcast will help you navigate your job search and succeed in your career. This podcast is a production of The Collaboratory Career Hub To join our Community or access great resources, visit www.library.collaboratorycareerhub.com© 2023 Collaboratory Career Hub Biological Sciences Careers Economics Personal Success Science Self-Help Success
Episodes
  • From Pipettes to Python: How to Break Into Computational Biology

    From Pipettes to Python: How to Break Into Computational Biology
    May 22 2026

    Most bench scientists think breaking into computational biology means going back to school. Dean Lee proves otherwise. Dean went from neuroscience PhD student at Harvard to Principal Computational Biologist at Novartis by teaching himself to analyze scRNA-seq data in stolen scraps of time alongside his bench job, and now he helps thousands of scientists make the same move through his online community Dean's List.

    In this episode, Dean and Carina break down exactly what it takes to build real computational biology credibility without another degree, without quitting your job, and without waiting for someone to hand you permission.

    You'll learn:

    • Why Coursera certificates don't move hiring managers and what actually does
    • How to find public biological data and build your first comp bio project this week
    • The reproducibility strategy: why re-analyzing a published Nature paper is an industry skill and your best portfolio move at the same time
    • How to pitch yourself as a funded intern through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center to break into small biotech startups
    • The state of entry-level comp bio hiring in 2026 and where the openings actually are
    • How to frame volunteer work and self-directed projects on your resume so hiring managers take them seriously

    Whether you've been thinking about this pivot for years or you're just starting to wonder if it's possible, this conversation gives you the roadmap.

    • RNA-Seq and ScRNA-Seq Courses
    • How to become a computational biologist in a year
    • The Big Challenge... With Dean Lee
    • Dean's List
    • Link In with Dean!

    Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:

    Join our Skool Community

    Take the Free 7-day Interview Sprint Challenge

    Check out our sister podcast: Building Biotechs

    Send Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!

    Stay connected with us:

    🌐 Website

    📱 Facebook

    📷 Instagram

    💼 LinkedIn

    00:00 Dean Lee's path from Harvard neuroscience to computational biologist at Novartis

    04:00 The volunteer scRNA-seq project that launched Dean's career pivot

    07:30 Why hiring managers ignore certificates and look only for project work

    12:00 How reproducing published research builds irrefutable portfolio proof

    21:30 The MLSC funded intern hack for breaking into biotech startups

    26:30 The 2026 comp bio job market and where entry-level roles actually exist

    30:00 How to transition into computational biology within your current company

    33:00 Operational AI vs scientific AI and what it means for your comp bio career
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    44 mins
  • AI Agents vs Skills vs Automations: What Every Bench Scientist Needs to Know

    AI Agents vs Skills vs Automations: What Every Bench Scientist Needs to Know
    Apr 17 2026
    AI agents, skills, and automations. You keep hearing these terms, but nobody has clearly explained what they mean for someone actually working in biotech. In this episode, Carina sits down with Stu Angus, founder of Scriptome.AI and an AI consultant who works with small biotech companies every day, to break down exactly what each of these tools is, when to use one over another, and why getting this wrong leads to a lot of wasted time.Stu has 15 years of experience in biotech R&D and business development. He now helps small biotechs bridge the AI adoption gap that has opened up between them and big pharma, and he built Pavlov GPS, a free searchable database of 500+ AI tools for biotech R&D. If you have felt pressure to add AI to your workflow but had no idea where to start, this episode is the clearest, most practical answer you will find.What you will learn in this episode:The real difference between an AI skill, an agent, and an automation, and when to use eachWhy small biotechs are getting left behind on AI adoption and what that means for your careerHow to tell if your workflow is a good candidate for an agent or if a simple skill would do the jobThe “AI Slop cannon” problem and how to avoid automating your way into a messHow a team of five agents can wake you up every morning with tailored job applications already draftedWhy Whisper Flow is the most underrated AI tool for bench scientists right nowHow Stu built Pavlov GPS starting from a spreadsheet, and how you can do the same with your own dataStu also weighs in on Copilot vs Claude, shares a spicy take on the most overhyped AI tool in biotech today, and tells us what he thinks every biotech professional will need to know how to do within five years.stu@scriptdo.aiMeet your AI team | NotionWispr Flow2026 Biotech AI Report | BenchlingThe Fast and the Curious — AI Upskilling for Biotech ScientistsPavlov-GPS | AI Tools Navigator for Biotech R&DScriptome.AILearn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:Join our Skool CommunityTake the Free 7-day Interview Sprint ChallengeCheck out our sister podcast: Building BiotechsSend Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!Stay connected with us:🌐 Website📱 Facebook📷 Instagram💼 LinkedIn00:00 What the AI adoption gap in biotech actually means for your career03:00 How small biotech companies are navigating board-level AI pressure with no roadmap06:00 Big pharma vs small biotech and why the AI strategy divide is widening07:30 Copilot vs Claude and how to advocate for the AI tools you need at work12:00 How to develop a builder mindset and spot workflows worth automating13:30 How a five-agent job search system handles company research and resume tailoring automatically15:00 Agents vs skills vs automations defined for bench scientists with real examples21:30 The slop cannon trap and how to avoid automating your way into low-quality output27:00 What the Benchling 2026 AI report reveals about where AI is actually working in biotech R&D29:30 How to build an AI tool from a spreadsheet using Pavlov GPS as a model
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    42 mins
  • Win Over Every Interviewer (Even the Skeptics)

    Win Over Every Interviewer (Even the Skeptics)
    Apr 3 2026
    Are you walking into biotech panel interviews and talking to every person the same way? That approach can cost you the offer, even if your science is solid.In this episode, Carina Clingman and returning guest Stacey Tannenbaum, PhD break down how to build rapport with each type of interviewer you'll meet on a panel day, from the VP who hasn't read your CV to the peer scientist who feels threatened by what you bring to the table.In this episode, you'll learn how to:Talk to senior leaders about strategic impact instead of getting stuck in technical detailsShow hiring managers you want this specific role, not just any job, and why that distinction is the number one thing they evaluateRecognize the three reasons peer interviewers become skeptics: fear of change, territorial expertise, and feeling intimidated by what they don't understandUse empathy, curiosity, and "I need your help" to turn resistant colleagues into alliesFrame your science in terms that matter to cross-functional interviewers from other departmentsAsk better questions at every stage to make interviews feel like a two-way conversationLeverage your hiring manager as an ally to get intel on difficult personalities before you walk in the roomUse presentation techniques like reading facial expressions, spotting "thought bubbles," and asking for feedback to build real connection during job talksStacey has spent 20+ years leading teams in pharmacometrics at companies including Astellas, Metrum Research Group, and Novartis. She's sat on both sides of the interview table and now coaches scientists and technical professionals on communication and leadership through her consultancy, SJTPharm LLC.Whether you're preparing for your first biotech panel interview or your tenth, this episode gives you a practical playbook for winning over every person in the room.Connect with Stacey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-tannenbaum-phd-fisop/Learn more about the Collaboratory Career Hub community and access our free resources:Join our Skool CommunityTake the Free 7-day Interview Sprint ChallengeCheck out our sister podcast: Building BiotechsSend Carina a connection request on LinkedIn!Stay connected with us:🌐 Website📱 Facebook📷 Instagram💼 LinkedIn00:00 How to build rapport with different interviewer types in biotech01:30 Why panel interviews require you to context switch between personalities02:30 Talking to senior leaders without getting stuck in the technical weeds05:00 Showing strategic impact when you're two or three levels below the VP06:00 Using the job description as your North Star for every interview conversation08:00 How to stand out when every early career CV looks the same09:00 Building rapport with the hiring manager from the first screening call11:00 Why telling your career story beats reading your CV out loud13:30 The number one reason hiring managers reject candidates after screening calls16:30 Why interviews are like dates and how to interview the company back19:30 Why peer scientists are actually the scariest people on the interview panel21:00 Three reasons peer interviewers become skeptics in your interview24:00 Using empathy and "I need your help" to break down resistance28:00 The "I thought that too" technique for handling pushback without getting defensive31:00 Leveraging your hiring manager as an ally and getting intel before interview day33:00 Planting questions and finding allies during your job talk35:30 Reading the room and calling out thought bubbles in small group presentations37:00 How to ask for feedback after a presentation the right way (Adam Grant method)39:00 Building rapport with cross-functional and culture carrier interviewers43:30 Translating your science into language that matters to other disciplines
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    48 mins
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