Will Black graduated from UNC in 2016 with a PhD in Analytical Chemistry. He was interviewed by Xiaorui Fu in September 2019 when he was a Business Insights Leader at AstraZeneca.
What is your current job like?
My title is Business Insights Leader in the Oncology business unit of AstraZeneca. I support the oncology commercial team (marketing, sales) in gathering insights and information about our market by conducting primary and secondary market research.
What do you like about your current job?
The thing I enjoy most about my job is that it’s very cross-functional. I am able to have visibility into many different areas and functions of the oncology business at AZ, including marketing, sales, access, medical, and diagnostics. I also enjoy that I have a high amount of autonomy and support to pursue projects and solutions as I identify challenges for the business.
How did the GBCC help you launch your career outside academia?
GBCC helped in numerous ways. First of all, it expanded my knowledge and preparation for careers outside of bench work. GBCC was invaluable in my preparation for interviews in careers outside of academic. Second, serving as the president of GBCC provided an opportunity to both demonstrate and hone my leadership skills.
What is one piece of advice you to students pursuing a career outside of academia?
Network as much as possible and don’t be afraid to play the ‘student card’. When I was at UNC I found many people were very receptive to speaking to me about their current careers and career progression. Ask your friends, family, neighbors, etc. – you never know who will have a connection that will be valuable.
Thanks to Will for spending time with us to learn more about his experiences! If you’re interested in following his footsteps, you can visit the website of the GBCC or follow him on LinkedIn.