Research careers in industry are very diverse, and "industry" is difficult to characterize. Nicholas Basta, in his 1992 book Environmental Jobs for Scientists and Engineers, writes, "in the overall job market, there has been a trend among Ph.D. scientists and engineers toward working in industry and a corresponding decline to their working in academia. . . The grand summation of these trends is that the scientific enterprise is becoming increasingly interwoven with the economic enterprises of the United States."

Dr. Jay W. Gooch is an environmental scientist with Procter and Gamble. In his position, Gooch helps provide the company with the tools and expertise necessary to ensure that its products are safe. "While some people find careers in industry that are hard to distinguish from an academic career -- that is, mostly research -- others find a blend of research and product-oriented problem-solving and management," he says.

Numerous opportunities for research careers in industry exist within environmental departments and R&D divisions of large corporations. Within industries such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, construction, manufacturing, energy production, and resource exploration and development, scientists and engineers provide important data to company managers. This research can be used to create new products, improve existing products, or discontinue ineffective products.

As a rule, industry tends to be dependent on external factors such as the economy and consumer-driven market demand. Other characteristics of industry research careers are regular hours and the importance of teamwork.

Because teamwork is important, communication skills and the ability to relate to and interact with peers are highly valued by employers. "Unlike many independent academic researchers, successful industry scientists have a strong focus on 'what's best for the company,'" said Gooch.

Other opportunities exist in nontraditional private industry, outside the realm of R&D. Insurance companies rely on oceanographers to predict and understand weather-related hazards and natural disasters. Transportation-related industries, such as airlines and shipping companies, also rely on advances in oceanography and engineering -- weather forecasting and navigation technologies, for example -- to run their businesses efficiently and safely.

Human health-related industry is another large employer of scientists and technicians. Bruce Altrock, an independent consultant and former vice president of research at a large biotechnology company, predicts strong growth in research that relates to new therapeutics. "New information and technology coming out of current research sets the stage for the development of novel therapeutics to address a variety of human diseases," he explains. "Interestingly enough, many leads in the search for these novel compounds will undoubtedly come from marine sources as they have in the past."