Big Pharma perspective: Monika Eiva – Scientist at The Janssen Pharmaceutical companies

Dr. Monika Eiva is a Scientist in the Large Molecule and Drug Product Development department at the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson since August 2021. She completed her doctoral research in the laboratory of Dr. Daniel J. Powell Jr. and graduated from the CAMB (CB) program in July 2021. Her dissertation work investigated the immunobiology of human cancers, specifically ovarian, focusing on mechanisms of immune maintenance via memory T cells, and analysis of biomarkers predictive of T cell anti-tumor reactivity. PhD studies outside of her dissertation focused on CAR-T immunobiology and engineering.

1. Can you describe your current designation and projects you are working on at Janssen?

My department focuses on late-stage drug development, where we formulate and optimize processes for the drugs at the final stage right before they go to patients or for FDA filing. Hence, most drugs are either undergoing clinical trials or about to enter one. The team I am on focuses on cell therapies, such as CAR-T. One of the products I was working on just received FDA approval, CARVYKTI!

2. What does your day-to-day look like? What are your key responsibilities?

My day-to-day can vary, but lately involves a lot of back-and-forth discussion with the manufacturing, filing, and the clinical and Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls groups. There are lots of collaborative meetings, coordinated lab studies, data and documents to review (eg tech transfers) that are done. It’s like a matrix system of working and collaboration. There is some portfolio work where I lead the studies, while other associate scientists and contractors conduct the more hands-on work. My experience here is offering me the opportunity to learn in-depth about the nuanced functioning of a big pharmaceutical and the final stages of translating drug products to the patients.

3. How’s the work-play culture at Janssen? Does your role allow you to maintain a good work-life balance?

Yes, for most part, there is a good work-life balance and social atmosphere at the company. No late nights are expected.

4. Were you looking at medium-small size pharma companies as well? What made you choose Janssen?

Yes, I was talking to a couple of biotech’s and other companies. The final pay and benefits, work-life balance, and job description were the key factors that made me choose Janssen. I had realized that I wanted less of an academic-like environment with a better financial security, and work-life balance unlike what might have been offered by biotech’s.

5. What as per you might be the key benefits of working at a big Pharma?

Janssen being a well-established big pharma, has more defined roles for everyone, without the need to over-work to solicit funding. The department I’m in offers the opportunity to collaborate with other departments (e.g. early development, analytical department), but also to take on a more managing role. Currently I think my favorite aspect is learning about the intricacies of launching a product in different countries around the world.

6. What as per you are the biggest challenges of working at a big Pharma?

Lots of meetings and bureaucracy.

7. What as per you have been the biggest differences between working in academia during grad school and industrial setting?

There is a lot more flexibility in grad school with timings and schedule. You can plan your experiments based on your schedule, take breaks during the day, or start late and then continue until later in the evenings. However, you don’t have this luxury during a job. There are lots of teams at play in an industry, like a unified force and you must coordinate with everyone to get the work done. The stakes are much higher now, especially for my group when we are handling the final optimization of drugs before they reach the patients. Hence, you have to be much more detail oriented.

8. Any networking advice to current grad students?

Networking in some ways is like dating! Don’t seem too desperate, but neither too aloof. Everyone is a bit of a chase that makes it exciting! Sometimes you connect with people and sometimes you don’t. It’s the same game, with the difference that now you are trying to get a better paycheck rather than a partner! Maybe your timing isn’t right sometimes, but once you connect with someone, you can always reach out and re-connect with them later. With this said, be social! Go to conferences or happy hours and just talk to people to build your network at all stages of your PhD training. Work on your natural social skills.

9. What was your timeline like with submitting your paper, writing your thesis, defending, and applying for jobs?

My thesis committee required that I receive full permission to defend and have my pending manuscript be accepted completely (and not in revisions). However, I got conditional permission in March 2021 which allowed me to start looking for jobs. Janssen wanted me to join by March end/April beginning, however I told them that I wouldn’t be able to join until the end of August, and they agreed! So, if they really like you, they will move the timeline for you. Having a set joining date really helped push things forward for me in the lab. I worked on my revisions and re-submitted the paper. Once it got accepted, I requested permission to defend via email and had less than a month to write my thesis and defend to start at Janssen on time. I wrote my dissertation in around two weeks, submitted it to my committee, and defended it a week after! I was glued to my computer, and I cranked it out! Whosoever says no one reads a defense, they didn’t meet my committee- they even commented in detail about the introduction. My committee seemed to read all of it and gave lots of points. Thankfully, they really liked it and didn’t require any edits from my side. While my timeline was a bit crazy, it worked out well for me, and so in a way, I recommend it! Two weeks deadline made me highly efficient.

One advice I would give to all the students is to be assertive and support your timeline, since your PI or committee’s idealized timeline might be different from yours

10. How did you navigate the job-application process and prepare for interviews?

I was back and forth for a while between academia, small biotech, and big pharma. I reached out to my professors who then connected me to their colleagues in different fields. I talked to a lot of people and started looking for jobs in all realms. Talking to current employees or recruiters helped me realize that I wanted to join the industry. I applied through LinkedIn and friends. I went through a friend’s LinkedIn profile who had successfully got a job, and tailored my profile based on that. I also took career services help to go over my profile for any final edits and then set my profile to ‘actively looking’. Career services are very good, and I highly recommend them. You can also ask your friends to go over your resume and cv.

Lots of recruiters reached out through LinkedIn and set me up with interviews for small and medium biotech’s. I was lucky that my PhD was in a hot field of cancer immunology research with a very desirable skill set. If a recruiter reaches out to you then it can be quite helpful, since they have a list of companies that are actively searching, and they can instantly get you in touch with the hiring manager. Also, many students don’t know this, but recruiters are paid a percentage of your negotiated salary as commission by the employer once you are hired (you don’t have to pay anything from your end). Hence, recruiters have your best interests in mind, though they can be pushy at times.

For big pharma, I had my friends provide a referral. I used every resource I had. And then, at some point I had so many interviews set up, that I had to start turning them down.

11. Can you tell us about the interview process for Janssen? What are the key skills that big Pharma looks for during the hiring process?

You start with an HR interview, where they just want to make sure you do know the skills you say you have on your resume. This is followed by a full day interview where you first have to present your research (talk to your professor beforehand to make sure they are okay with you presenting the project). You should be able to communicate the significance of your work and your results. You then get to meet multiple people who see if you are a good fit (personality and skill). Make sure you know what the company does, and you can ask questions. Some people might also check every detail of your resume, so be prepared to talk about all the skills you mention there. Remember, it’s a two-way interview-you should also check if the company is a good fit for you. You are a candidate for them with valuable skill sets, so make sure what they are offering you aligns with your interests.

12. What are the key skills that Biotech/Pharma companies look for during the hiring process?

The companies I interviewed at were looking for someone to fit a specific skill set (in my case immunotherapy and experience with CAR-T), that either they lacked or were trying to build up. Everywhere I interviewed as well cared about clear communication, critical thinking, and an ability to get along with a wide range of people. Make sure to show enthusiasm and curiosity for the position you’re interviewing for, and at the same time if you realize you aren’t interested in a position thank them politely and move on.

13. Does it matter where you publish your PhD thesis paper while interviewing for industry positions?

No, not really. My degree from Penn and skill sets I had gained during my PhD is what really mattered, employers didn’t care about the publication. Publications are a currency of academia, but not so much otherwise.

14. What’s the biggest myth about working at big pharma?

Biggest myth would be the weird guilt feeling around not doing early discovery research. Not choosing academia feels like you are selling out. But you need to know that you are still making a huge impact on the lives of the patients in need from working in industry.

15. How inclusive is your company towards employees with diverse backgrounds (international, diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds)? Do you have a good number of international colleagues? Any idea about Janssen’s policies for visa sponsorship for international students?

There are people from all different backgrounds. However, as per my understanding, it might be difficult to get a job by the international students on OPT without a work visa

16. What do you miss the most and least about your grad school life?

I miss my lab the most (there is a rose-colored nostalgia!) and some aspects of early-stage research. I also miss the flexibilities that come with being a student. What I miss the least is having a low work-life balance and living on student stipends.

17. Any final advice for current grad students who are in early years of their PhD studies and for those who are ready to defend?

My advice would be to take advantage of the flexibilities that are available as a student. Go take vacations and breaks, don’t work till 2am if it is not required. It’s no heroism working till late every day unless you have some critical time point. Don’t stress yourself needlessly and be social! Work on your natural social skills and go party with a purpose (of finding jobs and making connections)! Personal connections are highly valuable for any type of hiring process. Also take advantage of the multiple opportunities UPenn provides, be more well rounded than just your research. As Priya mentioned above, connect with alumni like us!

Dr. Monika Eiva