Biotechnology research position in Malaysia: Where to look?

If you have decided Research is right for you, the next step is to look for a research position. With a first degree, you can either choose to work as a Research Assistant (RA) or continue postgrad studies. Either way you will need to contact the university or the research institute to find out if there's any vacancy.

This information will not be showed on the their official websites.You are definitely not going to find it in the newspaper. Job search website just keep sending you unrelated jobs. Attending a career fair is not going to help much.

The problem with biotechnology related job vacancy is it is often spread by word of mouth. Someone you know might send you an email saying they are looking for a RA and ask you to forward this message to people you know. Sometimes, a sales representative come in the lab and ask if anyone interested to join their company. The information is not readily available to others because they think that recommendation enables better selection of candidate.

So the best way to start is still checking the websites of university and research institute. Look through the list of researchers and their projects. Shortlist those who you are interested to work with. Send an email to ask if they have any vacancies. Remember, it doesn't cost anything to try. Timing is crucial and the position available is limited. The team might not have any extra projects at the moment. If so, you should ask if they know someone else who can offer a job. Be sure to contact them a few months before you graduate.

It's good to stay in touch with your supervisor or staff you work with during industrial training. They will inform you if there's any position available. If they have a good impression of you, they might offer you a job. Therefore, I strongly recommend students to attend internship although it's not compulsory for certain universities.