Career Choice interview with Elizabeth Deyett

Name: Elizabeth (Tess) Deyett
Position: Team Lead of Bioinformatics and Data Science
Affiliation: Allonnia 
Location: Boston, Ma, USA
Pronouns: She/Her
    

Please briefly describe your current role in your position.
Leading a startup's data strategy and direction, I oversee a dynamic team executing cutting-edge bioinformatics and data science initiatives with impactful outcomes.

What is your terminal and/or current position in academia?    
Postdoc

How did you hear about your current position? Was it a career option that you were aware about during your educational process?
Throughout my postdoc, I engaged deeply in both science communication and bioinformatics. This journey helped me learn a lot about myself and what would make me feel fulfilled in my career. I came across my current job in the traditional manner of targeted job alerts and applying. While my education introduced me to bioinformatics as a potential career path, I was not aware of the breadth of other opportunities that exists for PhDs.  Throughout my postdoc I participated in a variety of science communication roles including podcast creation/editing, interviewing scientists, blog creation, social media, website design, writing press releases, medical writing/editing, and scientific writing/editing.

How did you end up working at your current affiliation?
When applying for my current position, I was torn between a career in science communication and bioinformatics. Despite interviewing with numerous companies for both bioinformatics and science communication, none matched my criteria for the next step in my professional journey. However, as I progressed through the interview process, it became clear that Allonnia aligned perfectly with my aspirations. Following a rigorous selection process, I was delighted to receive an offer, marking a significant milestone in my career. I think many people forget the interviewing process goes in both directions. Knowing what I was looking for both from a company culture side as well as a job description helped me find a job that I find fulfilling and meaningful.

How long have you been working at your current affiliation?    
2+ years

What type of position is your current job? 
Hybrid

Is your role more a managerial or individual contributor role?     
Both! I serve as a manager/team lead as well as the Sr. Bioinformatician at Allonnia

What are the defined roles of your position?    
In my role, I am tasked with spearheading a team dedicated to integrating data science and bioinformatics for sustainability advancements, focusing on microbial genomics innovations. My responsibilities include setting strategic direction for data management and architecture, as well as leveraging my PhD knowledge and skills to develop the bioinformatics program at Allonnia. My major role as a manager is to foster a supportive team environment that encourages professional growth and job satisfaction. My years in science communication have also helped me with the immense amount of communication and collaboration necessary in my role. A start-up life offers great opportunities to hone skills like leadership, adaptability, communication, business acumen, and being able to quickly pivot in diverse and dynamic settings.

What are your day-to-day tasks that you perform in your position?    
In my day-to-day I meet with my direct reports checking in on project progress as well as understanding any barriers or challenges they are facing. Presented with barriers and challenges it is my role to help facilitate a solution often by scheduling and attending meetings to resolve issues in communication or misunderstandings. My job involves the creation of a lot of creative slide decks to help communicate project progress and initiatives. I also develop bioionformatics pipelines and manage projects. I work on overall company data strategy and meet with leadership to develop and execute this strategy.

What do you like best about your job?    
The People! Allonnia has done an excellent job fostering a collaborative spirit while hiring top talent. We often have team lunches, go out for drinks, or simply play games. I genuinely enjoy heading into the office to connect with my colleagues and understand what they are up to. A supportive workplace culture and the camaraderie among my teammates have been pivotal in adding depth and fulfillment to my professional journey thus far.

What do you dislike about your job?    
Transitioning to industry presented a unique challenge: embracing the art of letting go. In academia, a PhD project becomes a part of your identity, encompassing everything from sampling to analysis over five years or more, with collaboration often taking a backseat. However, in the industry landscape, collaboration and adaptability are paramount. Projects may either pivot dramatically or be discontinued altogether. Learning to detach one's identity from work and fostering a collaborative mindset are hurdles I, and many others, have faced in adapting to this new environment.

If your job is outside of academia, what is similar and what is different about your current job and your terminal position in academia?    
I am still doing research and bioinformatics. I am still involved in a lot of science communication and still get to attend conferences and work on publishing papers. It's different from academia because the research I do is highly applied. The science communication I do is often internal or to clients with limited knowledge of my niche. And while conferences and publishing papers is an aspect of my job, they no longer serve as the primary benchmarks of my success.

How did your microbial ecology (or academic) education prepare you for your current position?
In my role now all the skills I learned in bioinformatics has transferred over to my role in studying the microbiome of environmental bioremediation sites. My background in microbial ecology allows me to better communicate with the lab team even if my role is no longer at the bench. Working autonomously in my PhD gave me a great deal of experience in time and project management, vital skills no matter where you are.    

What skills do you wish you learned during your educational process that would better prepare you for your current role (e.g. machine learning, management skills, etc.)?     
If you had asked me immediately after my PhD I would have said technical skills like machine learning and computational biology. However, in my time in industry, I have realized human skills and understanding oneself are far more powerful in the workplace. Communication, conflict resolution, change management, presentation skills, and negotiating are just a few of the skills that would have prepared me better for my current role. In addition - knowing how you learn is so important. PhD is never going to teach you everything you need to know to be successful in your career. Each job you are faced with new challenges and things to learn. The more you know about how you learn the faster you can get up to speed and start making an impact.  

Do you have any recommendations and/or tips for early career microbial ecologists looking for jobs similar to yours?
Don't be afraid to be yourself! I showed up to my interview in toe shoes and a pin-up dress to present my work on the "Grape Expectations: a microbes journey through the grapevine"! I was later told the creativity in my presentation was what made me stand out from other qualified candidates. 

While we all know we should be on our best behavior and prepare well for interviews, don't mute your personality. You never know when your love for dancing or hiking will connect you with the hiring manager. Everyone who applies likely has the same skillset as you but no one has your personality - that's your differentiator. 

Interviews are as much about the company learning about you as you learning about the company. Unless you absolutely have to, don't take an offer for a company you don't think aligns with your own values.