{"id":5947,"date":"2019-09-09T14:53:31","date_gmt":"2019-09-09T14:53:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.kolabtree.com\/?p=5947"},"modified":"2020-08-10T12:22:54","modified_gmt":"2020-08-10T12:22:54","slug":"working-as-a-freelance-scientist-benefits-and-challenges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/blog\/working-as-a-freelance-scientist-benefits-and-challenges\/","title":{"rendered":"Working as a Freelance Scientist: Benefits and Challenges"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_45_1 counter-flat ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" area-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-69f2d6e8eaecc\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-69f2d6e8eaecc\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/blog\/working-as-a-freelance-scientist-benefits-and-challenges\/#The_benefits\" title=\"The benefits\">The benefits<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/blog\/working-as-a-freelance-scientist-benefits-and-challenges\/#The_Challenges\" title=\"The Challenges\">The Challenges<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><em><strong>Freelance scientist and Kolabtree consultant Natasha Beeton writes about her experience working as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/services\/scientific-writing?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Post&amp;utm_campaign=FLScientist\">freelance science writer<\/a> in the gig economy, after a decade of working as a molecular biologist.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Why would a scientist, who studied so long and hard to get their PhD, leave their position in<br \/>\nacademia or industry to go freelance? That would seem to negate many of our fundamental beliefs<br \/>\nregarding what a scientist \u201cdoes\u201d! There is, however, a growing trend in scientists joining the ranks<br \/>\nof self-employed professionals, leading to the rise of the <a href=\"https:\/\/forbes.com\/sites\/jonyounger\/2019\/07\/29\/scientists-are-a-new-force-in-the-freelance-revolution-meet-kolabtree\/\">freelance scientist<\/a>. Some of this exodus is forced by a lack of tenure. Some of it is forced by the constant pressure to publish and compete for funds, possibly even outside scientists\u2019 real fields of interest, simply to keep the money rolling in and the bills paid. Unfortunately, the realities of a career in science often conflict with the kind of passion and enquiring mind that draws people to science in the first place.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_benefits\"><\/span>The benefits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Of course, many other factors can also play a role. I had long yearned to do work that gave me<br \/>\ncomplete freedom \u2013 freedom to determine my hours, who I worked for, the types of projects I<br \/>\nworked on, and from where I worked. When the term \u201cdigital nomad\u201d first appeared, I became<br \/>\nhooked on the concept of earning money anywhere, any time. Ironically though, after almost a<br \/>\ndecade of working as a molecular biologist, it was the birth of my son that finally gave me the<br \/>\ncourage to trade in my lab coat for a laptop. <b>I needed <\/b><a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.kolabtree.com\/want-to-be-a-freelance-scientist-kolabtree-can-help\/\">more flexibility<\/a><b>, more time, less travelling away <\/b><strong>from home.<\/strong> I knew if I thought about it too much I would never take the jump. So, my New Year\u2019s resolution for 2018 was to simply hand in my resignation on the first working day. And that I did.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, I\u2019ve come to realize there are many ways a qualified scientist can earn a living, despite<br \/>\nnot being tied to a particular institution. One of these I had already explored to earn some extra<br \/>\nincome \u2013 scientific editing. I have always loved to work with words, so this was a natural option.<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/services\/scientific-writing?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Post&amp;utm_campaign=FLScientist\">Scientific editing<\/a> is currently the backbone of my monthly income as there is a steady flow of work.<br \/>\nThis involves assisting scientists with polishing their manuscripts before submission to scientific<br \/>\njournals. I currently work as a freelance editor for two global scientific editing companies.<\/p>\n<p>However, it is my other two income streams that I enjoy the most: scientific writing and consulting.<br \/>\nAfter handing in my resignation I happily stumbled onto <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Post&amp;utm_campaign=FLScientist\">Kolabtree<\/a>, a collaborative, global science<br \/>\nplatform. People can post projects they need expert scientific assistance with, and experts can pitch<br \/>\nand bid for projects they\u2019re keen to work on. Since registering on the platform in February, I\u2019ve been<br \/>\nfortunate enough to consult on projects involving, for example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/blog\/ensuring-reproducibility-in-ai-driven-research-how-freelance-experts-can-help-in-biotech-and-healthcare\/\">research<\/a> project scoping, white<br \/>\npaper writing, and statistical analysis. My clients have included other independent contractors,<br \/>\nacademics, government institutions, and contract research organizations.<strong> Kolabtree has also proven\u00a0<\/strong><strong>a gateway for exploring my big passion, writing, as it has provided me with several opportunities to\u00a0<\/strong><strong>grow my portfolio and client base.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There is also scope for local consulting work, and I am currently receiving a retainer for assisting one<br \/>\nof my previous employers with R&amp;D. I feel that I have barely scratched the surface though, as there<br \/>\nare many avenues I have yet to investigate for consulting and writing. From what I\u2019ve seen, there are<br \/>\na wealth of gigs out there where a scientist\u2019s experience and skills are appreciated. <strong>If you are willing\u00a0<\/strong><strong>to work hard, pay attention to detail and delivery, and can communicate well, freelancing can work\u00a0<\/strong><strong>for you.<\/strong> Scientists are typically quite driven people, so self-motivation is generally not an issue!<\/p>\n<p>My daily routine is fairly normal. I check emails for new project postings and I follow up on those I\u2019m<br \/>\ninterested in. I send out any necessary communications so that I can clear my head. I then grab a cup<br \/>\nof something hot and get cracking with whichever project is on top of my priority list. In the afternoons I go for a run or take my son for a walk. I sometimes get started quite late, but I then work until late in the evening after my little one goes to bed. And no, I don\u2019t usually work in my pajamas, but I do love having the kitchen down the hall. When cash flow allows, I relish the freedom of taking an \u201coff day\u201d, either to recharge, catch up on chores, or spend special time with my son. I am inspired by the wide variety of projects I work on and by never knowing what each week will bring. The projects are usually interesting, have a quick turnaround, and I can tell I\u2019m making a tangible contribution. <strong>There is profound satisfaction in doing a good job with clear outputs and immediate monetary reward.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Challenges\"><\/span>The Challenges<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are of course downsides to being a freelance scientist. People don\u2019t always know how to deal<br \/>\nwith you as the concept of a freelance\/independent scientist is still foreign, and you have to<br \/>\nconvince them that you are indeed legitimate! You no longer have the power of a specific institution<br \/>\nor company behind your name. You have to work hard to build your own brand. The other<br \/>\nchallenges are common to all forms of freelancing. <strong>There have been times where I\u2019ve had a lot of\u00a0<\/strong><strong>money in the pipeline but little in the bank. In fact, this way of earning requires new ways of thinking\u00a0<\/strong><strong>about and managing money.<\/strong> You have to be willing to keep good financial records and manage your own retirement funds, taxes, and health\/income insurances. When you fall sick or need a holiday,<br \/>\nyou don\u2019t have the luxury of paid leave \u2013 you soldier on or work hard to earn it in advance. You have<br \/>\nto force yourself to make time for non-paid work, the type of work that hones and expands your skill<br \/>\nset and keeps you up to date in your fields of interest.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t have it all worked out yet. Despite being my own boss, I\u2019m still not properly balancing all<br \/>\naspects of my life. Crucially though, I now have much more freedom to figure it all out.<\/p>\n<p>Looking to become a freelance scientist? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Post&amp;utm_campaign=FLScientist\">Register as a Kolabtree expert<\/a> and work on projects to make a real-world impact.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Freelance scientist and Kolabtree consultant Natasha Beeton writes about her experience working as a freelance science writer in the gig economy, after a decade of working as a molecular biologist. Why would a scientist, who studied so long and hard to get their PhD, leave their position in academia or industry to go freelance? That<\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/blog\/working-as-a-freelance-scientist-benefits-and-challenges\/\" title=\"Read More\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":5950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[304,247,205],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.1 (Yoast SEO v20.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Working as a Freelance Scientist: Benefits and Challenges - Kolabtree<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Freelance scientist Natasha Beeton describes the joys, opportunities and challenges of working as a scientist in the gig economy.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/blog\/working-as-a-freelance-scientist-benefits-and-challenges\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Working as a Freelance Scientist: Benefits and Challenges\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Freelance scientist Natasha Beeton describes the joys, opportunities and challenges of working as a scientist in the gig economy.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/blog\/working-as-a-freelance-scientist-benefits-and-challenges\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Kolabtree Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/kolabtree\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-09-09T14:53:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-08-10T12:22:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.kolabtree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/freelance-scientist.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"853\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ramya Sriram\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@kolabtree\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@kolabtree\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ramya Sriram\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Working as a Freelance Scientist: Benefits and Challenges - 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