“Be curious, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to take a detour”
Navigating Career Transitions: From Academia to Pharma and Beyond
Written by Wenyang Shi, PhD student at Karolinska Institutet and participant of the course “Career Skills for Scientists” during the autumn term 2025.
When I first reached out to Carolina Kiesel, PhD, on LinkedIn, she replied almost instantly with a friendly mix of emojis 👏👍😊 and a message that perfectly captured her warm personality:
“Yes, I have a little different journey than many others! Several KI students have interviewed me over the years 🙂 Of course I can help — maybe next week?”
That brief exchange made me smile. What followed was an inspiring conversation with a life science professional whose career path spans academia, pharma, and patient advocacy. Her journey shows how adaptability, curiosity, and the willingness to help others can turn career challenges into opportunities, and how sharing one’s story can illuminate the path for those who come next.
From Karolinska Institutet to Harvard
When Carolina finished her PhD, she was determined to enter the pharmaceutical industry.
“I wanted to see the practical impact of science and work closer to patients,” she says.
Yet the job market at the time was tight, and opportunities in pharma were rare. To keep a backup plan, she applied for several postdoctoral positions. And she unexpectedly received offers from Harvard University and an institute in Singapore.
“Singapore felt a bit far from Sweden,” she laughs, “and Harvard sounded like a great platform to grow.”
From the start, however, Carolina made a deliberate decision: she would stay in academia only briefly to keep her future career path open.
“A career consultant at KI once told me — if you stay too long, people start labeling you as an academic. So, I decided to stay for about a year, learn as much as possible, and then move on.”
Returning to Sweden
After one year and three months at Harvard, Carolina returned to Sweden, partly to be close to her family but also to transition into the pharma industry. The timing was again challenging — few positions were available, and breaking into the sector proved difficult.
“I realized that people sometimes saw me as too research-oriented, too specialized,” she recalls. “So, I needed to broaden my experience and show that I could adapt and work in different environments.”
To diversify her profile, Carolina accepted a role at an insurance company, where she worked for about a year and a half in both back-office and front-office positions.
“It was not scientific work, but it taught me teamwork, structure, and communication — skills that are valuable everywhere. I don’t regret it at all.”
Back to Life Science
This broader experience helped Carolina re-enter the field of life-science. She joined clinical research at Karolinska Institutet, working on phase IV post-marketing studies for companies like Biogen and Novartis.
“It was the perfect bridge — one foot in academia, one in pharma,” she says.
Over the next several years, Carolina advanced through a variety of roles in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors — including pharmacovigilance, medical marketing, recruitment, and project management. Today, she continues to apply her scientific background in business and medical contexts, combining analytical thinking with communication and leadership.
Lessons Learned
Reflecting on her journey, Carolina emphasizes the importance of versatility and networking.
“Be curious, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to take a detour — every step adds to your experience,” she advises.
For PhD students considering a transition into industry, her key tips are:
- Network actively — both online and in person.
- Keep your LinkedIn profile strong and updated.
- Stay open to alternative paths — even if they seem outside your field, they can strengthen your profile.
“The job market changes constantly,” she says, “but if you stay adaptable, you’ll always find your way.”
Beyond her own career, Carolina believes in supporting others along their journeys.
“Say good things about others — and the sunshine will fall on you,” she adds with a smile — a simple but powerful reminder that generosity and positivity illuminate not only others’ paths, but also our own.
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