Why study an industry PhD (iPhD)?
Pursuing an industry PhD (iPhD) can bring many personal and professional advantages by opening doors to higher-level positions in industry, academia, or research institutions.
Compared to a traditional academic PhD, an iPhD allows you to have a greater impact by researching a specific problem defined by industry. The iPhD includes access to specialised expertise, equipment, and training in commercial settings. This will strengthen your knowledge in innovation and translation of research, and could boost your employment prospects.
Choosing the right PhD research opportunity
Before searching for a PhD project, you should have a good understanding of the specific area you would like to work in, whilst remaining open-minded to different options.
Pre-scoped projects are common in STEM, developed by the supervisory team. However, there is usually flexibility to tailor the project towards your interests and strengths. Please see our scholarships page for currently available pre-scoped iPhD projects.
Once you’ve found a project, explore what similar work has been undertaken in the area, and investigate previous research the supervisors have undertaken.
It’s also important to consider logistics such as location, eligibility, level of supervisor involvement, supervision style and the finer technical details of the project. To get answers on these important considerations, you should contact the supervisor. This also serves as a great opportunity to see if you get on well with them.
Before contacting a potential supervisor, become familiar with their work by reading resources such as their academic profile page which is usually found on their university’s website. Prepare a list of questions that address the project logistics and wat a supervisor-student relationship with them would look like. This could include asking how often supervisory meetings would occur, what expectations they have, and what opportunities exist for professional development.
If you would like to speak to a CSIRO supervisor, you can search their details.
What does an iPhD journey look like?
Generally, most PhD students will carry out a literature review, conduct research and then collect, analyse, and present results. There is always variance between disciplines and universities, but what you can most likely expect:
- Year 1: It’s all about getting a good grounding of existing knowledge and key stakeholders that relate to your topic so you can situate your research and make sure its original. You will undertake a literature review which could involve getting stuck into primary resources and developing your research plan.
- Year 2: By this stage, you will be well versed in the research landscape, and begin to develop insights of your own. You will be focusing on gathering results from experiments, surveys or by other means.
- Year 3: It’s time to bring it together and write up your findings. However, it is common to be chasing up extra resources and collecting data, depending on the nature of the PhD.
- Year 4: It gets real, and you must submit your thesis for examination. This could be a reality in Year 3, and is dependent on the terms of enrolment and perhaps your PhD funding.
With the CSIRO Industry PhD, there is an additional requirement to complete a minimum 60-day industry engagement component with the industry partner. This offers a great opportunity to build a strong connection with the industry partner, build up your professional connections, and develop a deep understanding of the sector with its challenges and opportunities.
This is why the CSIRO Industry PhD is funded for four years, to allow you time to focus on your professional development, in addition to producing an academic thesis.
How employable are iPhD graduates and what jobs do they do?
The job market for PhD students is diverse. Depending on your individual aspirations, PhDs can lead to careers in higher education, industry, or further research.
If you are considering working in academia after your PhD, lecturing jobs or further post-doctoral research are potential options. If you choose to complete a post-doctoral degree, you will then be eligible to apply for more advanced research roles such as fellowships.
An iPhD is likely to open more opportunities in commercial settings. For example, an iPhD in medical sciences may land you employment in a pharmaceutical company, or the clinical care sector. An iPhD may also facilitate positions in commercial consultancy, intellectual property or policy formation. As an iPhD graduate, you possess a highly specialised qualification, in addition to widely transferrable skills which are sought after by employers. Skills such as project management, experience in professional networking, public speaking and/or teaching, the ability to critically analyse large amounts of data, proficiency in composing and communicating complex information, and event management are valuable assets, and will distinguish you from Bachelor and Master graduates as well as other PhD graduates.
As an iPhD student, the program will also build broad-based skills to help you thrive in your career, regardless of whether you decide to end up in academia, industry or somewhere else.
The iPhD program delivers around 20 days (spread across four years) of professional development training. iPhD students can also access many courses available within CSIRO.
Is the CSIRO Industry PhD right for me?
The decision to embark on a PhD journey should not be taken lightly!
A PhD is difficult and requires a significant level of dedication and perseverance. A four-year commitment requires a lot of thought, so it’s important you do your research before undertaking a PhD.
Speak to current PhD students and lecturers, look at job prospects in your field, and check out advertised projects. Take the time to compare different PhD opportunities and assess what would be the best fit for you. Remember to seek guidance and advice from potential supervisors, and from the iPhD team.
A PhD is a significant life achievement, and an opportunity to make a unique contribution that can benefit society.
Learn more
Find out more about the CSIRO Industry PhD Program and access the latest student webinar recording.
You can also hear from current students about their own iPhD journeys.
For further information, please contact the iPhD office.