We’ve been asked many times here at Versatile PhD that basic question: what can I do with my PhD if not teach or conduct academic research? Well, quite a lot actually. Perhaps more than you can imagine.
Here are some of the top non-academic jobs that may require or benefit from a PhD in ANTHROPOLOGY:
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Forensic Anthropologist: Work with law enforcement agencies and medical examiners to identify human remains and determine causes of death2.
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Biostatistician: Analyze biological and health-related data in public health, medical research, or biological research settings2.
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Epidemiologist: Study the distribution and determinants of health and diseases in populations2.
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Cultural Resource Management (CRM) Specialist: Manage and protect cultural heritage sites and artifacts5.
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International Development Consultant: Work on projects related to global development and cultural understanding14.
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Market Researcher: Apply anthropological methods to understand consumer behavior and cultural trends1.
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User Experience (UX) Researcher: Analyze how people interact with products and services in tech companies4.
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Policy Analyst: Work in government agencies or think tanks to develop and evaluate policies14.
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Corporate Anthropologist: Help businesses understand cultural dynamics in the workplace or market4.
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Museum Curator or Researcher: Manage collections and conduct research in museums1.
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Public Health Researcher: Apply anthropological perspectives to health issues and interventions26.
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Environmental Anthropologist: Work on issues related to human-environment interactions and sustainability1.
These positions often value the research skills, cultural understanding, and analytical abilities developed during a PhD in anthropology. While some roles may not explicitly require a PhD, having one can be advantageous for securing senior positions or roles that involve complex research and analysis26.
Who might hire you? Here are more examples from the tech industry alone:
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Google: They often hire PhDs for long-term research projects and user experience roles3.
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Facebook: They have recruited anthropologists for internships and research positions, such as studying social media’s impact on government preparations for elections2.
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Intel: They have a history of including anthropologists on their teams, with notable examples like Genevieve Bell who worked on product design1.
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Xerox: Another tech giant mentioned as having employed anthropologists for years3.
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Adobe: They have hired anthropology PhDs for non-academic roles, as mentioned in the example of David Platzner’s career path1.
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Uber: They have employed anthropologists to investigate broad topics like the future of travel2.
- Photo by Tanya Kukarkina on Unsplash
