Resources for Finding Jobs in Science (NYC)

LavaKnight

Hey everyone,

I have lived in NYC for a couple months shy of a year now, and am having trouble finding sciencey jobs in the city. My degree is in Environmental Science, and I have a number of years experience working in analytical chemistry labs, some consulting experience, and some other random experience as well. I feel like my background is broad enough to help me learn anything, but specific enough (with some research experience) to be attractive.

I have had a handful of interviews, some promising and they simply ended up going with a more experienced candidate, and one where they put me through four interviews before dramatically low-balling me on salary.

I know many lab jobs are located in New Jersey, which I'm willing to commute to if the salary is right, but I haven't heard back from the resume black hole on any of those. My main strategy the last few months, with varying degrees of success (a few interviews), is pouring through Craigslist, Indeed, Simply Hired, and Idealist every day, and applying to at least one or two jobs that I think I'm at least somewhat qualified for.

It's beginning to feel repetitive, however, so my main question is whether anyone knows of any science specific job sites that might prove more fruitful? Any other strategies would be greatly appreciated as well. Thanks in advance!

Deebaser

derp.

LavaKnight

Going to bump this once in hopes someone might see it this time. The July 4th weekend was probably not the best weekend to ask!

mts

Well honestly the current environment for science jobs frankly sucks. There is a huge trickle down so it is harder and harder to get lower level positions.
If you want industry type work you are best off going to company websites or even better have a contact refer you.

LavaKnight

Yeah, especially in a city that doesn't really focus on non-academic research.

I have been trying to find meetup groups in the area for potential networking, but nothing has come of it yet. Thanks for the thoughts!

MulysaSempronius

Yeah, there really isn't much. The city itself is so very bad for science/lab jobs. And New Jersey is mostly pharm/ cosmetics. So if you have any experience there, or with organic chemistry in general, that is where you will have better luck. I've been looking for a couple of months now, and have hit a wall. I got my last job working through a temp/ contractor company, but they do underpay and it's very precarious. I'm going to try hitting up the people at aerotek/lab support/ astrix/etc, though, since finding a job through job listings is not working too well.

mts

you can always try indeed.com

its not science but i think its a nice search engine

YoSoyTheWalrus

You might have better luck public sector. University labs, hospitals, the public health department, and so on. These tend to list their jobs on their own sites and don't go through the commercial listing sites. Definite salary disparity, though.

LavaKnight

Good to know its not just me doing a bad job of looking. My experience has been pretty similar to yours, @MulysaSempronius . I worked a temp job through Aerotek for 5-6 months or so, but it was certainly not paying well, and it was pretty nerve racking how badly temps were treated. The New York office hasn't been able to find any sorts of science jobs for me, so I'd suggest trying the New Jersey office if you need to contact them. The other two you mentioned I haven't heard of, though, so that's something at least! Thanks!

Thanks @YoSoyTheWalrus , I have been checking a lot of the university sites. I was in the running for one job in particular, which I had really specific technical experience for, but the researcher ended up making it a post-doc position, which is obviously pretty hard to compete with! I have mainly been looking at the NYCDEP, though, so the Health Department may be a good lead.

CourtOfOwls

For environmental science look for water treatment plants, I have had a few friends follow that route and not have very much to complain about. That's as far as my knowledge gets for environmental jobs within a city/suburb. For additional jobs you may have to move outside the city to a place with an actual environment (nature).