Jacob Vinay Vikas Konakondla, MS’19, Molecular and Cell Biology
Senior Associate at Torque
Can you describe your career path and how it has led to your current work?
Prior to joining the Graduate Program at Brandeis, I had work experience within my field. However, my Master's degree from Brandeis gave me the opportunity to further develop my skills.
What skills from your Brandeis degree have you found most valuable in your current work?
Brandeis graduate program has international standards that train students with cutting-edge research in life sciences under the mentorship of renowned principal investigators in the field. Critical thinking, multi-pronged approach to answer a specific biological question, data interpretation, data analysis are some of the most valuable skills that I acquired during my training.
What services and/or resources did you use while at Brandeis for your career search? (i.e. The Center for Career and Professional Development, program administrators, professors, peers etc.)
I used Handshake very extensively for my job search. In addition, I attended most of the career seminars that were organized by the CDS. These events changed my approach to the job market and preparing my applications. I should not forget to mention that Marika and team are doing a commendable job in organizing many career fairs exclusively for GSAS students including online career fairs through which I have expanded my network base.
What advice do you have for current students as they embark on their job search?
I would advise current students to focus on getting hands-on on as many techniques as possible. Furthermore, acquire diversified knowledge in the field of life science research because one will never know what kind of biotech company they end up in. This can be achieved by attending scientific seminars organized by the university and reading scientific literature to keep one's knowledge up to date. Most importantly, don't ignore the power of networking!