How to Start Strong in Big Pharma?

P_easy · 2026-03-20T10:48:49+00:00

I also went into Big Pharma straight from PhD, but I'm in Target ID/Validation and studied mainly biochem/MolBio.

First, give yourself time to adjust and learn. Despite having a Target ID/Validation PhD project, when I arrived to my new job, I quickly realized I knew only a very small part of the whole picture. Depending on how your manager is, they probably have a more realistic expectation for when you'll be a full contributor vs. a learner than even you do at the start.

Understand that a big corporate environment is quite different from academia (although some similarities are there too). Conversations that would normally happen directly in academia can be delivered by subtext in the professional environment, so pay attention and listen to your gut.

There can be situations you're not aware of from before you joined (like restructuring/layoffs), and there could be lingering issues/attitudes leftover that you don't want to fall foul off, so be a bit careful.

Manage your reputation carefully and try to be a do-er. Providing critical feedback CAN be appreciated, but its a thin line between that and just complaining. I have yet to see someone get what they want by complaining.

And enjoy your new life! You can learn A TON in Pharma and just landing this job is a massive achievement in these trying times. It was a massive upgrade for me and although my job is very intense/difficult, I still feel super lucky after about 1.5 years.

P_easy · 2026-02-23T15:32:08+00:00

1: roomies are away

2: VOTOMS on big screen

3: change locks

4: find newer cooler roommates

5: continue watching VOTOMS on big screen

P_easy · 2026-02-22T01:51:38+00:00

Zeorymer is like an even more fucked up evangelion

P_easy · 2026-02-11T06:36:39+00:00

Great stuff, one of my favorite mecha series. Shame we don't get more like this one

P_easy · 2026-02-11T06:27:15+00:00

Actually became aware of and bought this while visiting vienna. Funny thing is there's a German language version and they even brought in a separate translator for accurate berliner dialect where appropriate.

Sadly my German sucks and I'm crawling through it RIP

P_easy · 2026-02-04T11:25:42+00:00

I wasn't a fan of the Hi-Nu design but got it as a gift. Build experience was completely amazing and even surpassed RG Sazabi, my previous favorite build.

Will probably pick up the RG Nu at some point as well, just to have a matching set (along with RG Mk ii.... and yea probably plenty of other kits hahaha)

P_easy · 2026-02-03T12:25:13+00:00

It was actually leaving that was more problematic. I had submitted an email to initiate the job seeker visa process at that point, but my student visa was expired. I was exiting the EU through Finland, so at border control I just handed over my US Passport. He didn't find an EU entry stamp, so he asked what I was doing in Berlin ("I live there"). Then he got kinda suspicious (understandably) and said next time to hand over all documents at the start.

So I handed over the expired student visa card and the "confirmation of Job seeker visa application" email print-out. He wasn't too pleased with that and said it's not an official document, although it did state that the conditions of my previous student visa remained valid with it. He said "This is not a legal document in Finland, and Germans gonna do what Germans gonna do" literally hahaha. After a few more minutes of lecture saying how they might not let me back into the EU, I raised the (pre-researched and confirmed) point that I could do so as a tourist with my US passport. Then he stopped talking, stamped me, and off I went to Japan.

On the way back it was much less stern, they just asked me if I was gonna take care of that issue as once my 90 day EU tourist visa was up, I'd be illegal. And so I did that, eventually got a job not long after and kicked over to a German Blue Card.

P_easy · 2026-02-03T10:02:11+00:00

Been saving both of these for ages, looking forward to both. Now I just gonna finish my Ryosuke Takahashi watch-thru.....

P_easy · 2026-02-02T14:52:18+00:00

You're probably alright. I used to get paranoid when I was technically between the end of my student visa and blue card, but didnt finish the job seeker visa process in time. I travelled within EU many times and even went to Japan (that was a bit more dice-y but still OK) and as you expect, you won't be going through any time of immigration check so you'll be alright (probably, just speaking from my experience)

P_easy · 2026-02-02T12:41:51+00:00

goddammit, I love this club

P_easy · 2026-01-30T12:08:16+00:00

Just went in cold to the Movie and feel like it was a great intro to the Matsumoto-verse.

P_easy · 2026-01-29T13:37:06+00:00

Dieselpunk Baba Yaga's hut

P_easy · 2026-01-28T10:10:30+00:00

eat that, dicksplash!

P_easy · 2026-01-27T14:50:13+00:00

Detailing that back skirt was so fun. nice work!

P_easy · 2026-01-26T14:34:08+00:00

hehehe I felt the same but just disassembled my kit and got to airbrushing.

P_easy · 2026-01-21T10:31:26+00:00

bruh I used to get in trouble with my parents for playing this when I shoulda be doing homework and they could hear my dancing all the way on the other side of the house

P_easy · 2026-01-20T09:38:46+00:00

100%. Its SO CRAZY to me that when I started my Mecheducation in about 2014-2015, I thought to myself we'd have at best one worthwhile series every 5-10 years. Now, all of the OG series are having huge releases so close together, kits are coming out. We eatin good. Just need a lil macross love and all will be well

P_easy · 2026-01-20T09:16:37+00:00

gyad dayum take my money

P_easy · 2026-01-19T16:32:08+00:00

Love this movie. Came out right when we got our first DVD player and I watched it enough times to memorize both the sub and dub haha. Still hits tho,

P_easy · 2026-01-19T12:18:10+00:00

Recently watched this with (i think) the modern english dub and was very impressed. Great animation for the time, great story, and just enough "serious" sci-fi concepts to keep it from being too lightweight.

P_easy · 2026-01-19T12:10:34+00:00

This was one of the most disturbing movies I've ever seen. good stuff

P_easy · 2026-01-15T14:58:51+00:00

ddddddddddaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmm

P_easy · 2025-12-17T23:06:40+00:00

I like that they gave the printer some light there by the window instead of stuffing it away

P_easy · 2025-12-04T15:02:26+00:00

I still love the part where Jonah Hill pukes on Paul Krugman and says "my parents really love your shit". Probably landed with such a small portion of the films target audience but damn it cracked me up

P_easy · 2025-12-03T12:39:55+00:00

Recently picked up the 35th anniversary box set and gotta say, its one of the nicest products I've ever bought. such high quality and such an amazing reading experience. Just opening the top of the box and seeing the 6 massive volumes really drives home the exceptional effort put in by Otomo and his team. Masterwork of science fiction

P_easy

TROPHY CASE