Exploring Research Consulting as a Scientist-in-Training

Federica Mossa is a final-year PhD student at Queen Mary University of London, conducting research at the Blizard Institute as part of the London Interdisciplinary Doctoral Programme (LIDo). In January 2025, she joined the inaugural cohort of the PhD Accelerator course developed by Kohlrabi – a programme designed to help early-career researchers explore a transition into research consulting. 

In this interview, Federica reflects on her experience working with a real client, what surprised her most about the field of consulting, and how her PhD prepared her in unexpected ways.

Q: Why did you sign up for the PhD Accelerator? 

Federica: I'm currently in my final year of my PhD – actually wrapping up things in the lab and hoping to submit in September. I do enjoy wet lab research, but I'm also exploring other career options for the future, with the idea that I'd like to do something impactful, where I can see the impact of my work on a shorter time scale.

Research consulting was one of those options, but I didn't know much about it before starting the programme. I thought it could be a good opportunity to learn what the field entails whether it might be a good fit for me.  

Q: What assumptions did you have about consulting before the programme, and did they change? 

Federica: I had a vague idea of what research consulting was like. Some of the stereotypes I held were that it's really fast paced and mostly about pleasing the client – delivering what they already expect. That was my thought coming into the programme.

I changed my mind, particularly about the client relationship. For example, I realised that you actually drive the project and can suggest what you believe is the best solution, even if it's not what the client initially had in mind. That was really encouraging.

As for the pace, that part was pretty much confirmed. Compared to my PhD, the timeline is much more compressed – everything moves quickly. Also, the amount of time you can dedicate to each project is quite limited, which is very different from what I'm used to in my PhD. It was also really helpful to learn about the different types of consulting. I discovered that research consultancy in a small, boutique firm could actually be quite a good fit for me. 

Q: What was it like working with a real client? 

Federica: It was such a good experience. Having a real client, and knowing that the final product was actually going to be used, really changed my perspective. It was the first time I had to interact directly with a client or third party, where I was responsible for delivering something to someone outside my academic environment.

I learned a lot, especially about time management, managing expectations, and building relationships. That was one of the main reasons I applied to this particular project. The opportunity to work on a real case study with a real client, and to have something tangible to reference on my CV, was truly invaluable.

Q: Did your PhD skills come in handy? 

One key skill I think all PhD students acquired through PhD is time management. And also having an idea of how long things take for you, how good you are at researching a completely new topic et cetera. That was helpful. In general, my work is a biology kind of project. So, my skills and knowledge were not directly useful. But the mindset of a scientist, being used to reading papers and learning new things on a daily basis that was really helpful, especially considering that the client project was completely outside of my area of expertise. The project was with the centre for sustainable action working on plastic credits and plastic waste and my PhD is on cellular aging. So, it was quite a challenge.  

Q: Did your PhD skills come in handy? 

Federica: One key skill I think all PhD students develop is time management — and also knowing how long things typically take you, how to structure your workload, and how comfortable you are researching completely new topics. That was definitely helpful.

The project I worked on was with the Centre for Sustainable Action, focusing on plastic credits and plastic waste. This was completely outside my area of expertise, as my PhD research is on cellular aging, so it was definitely a challenge.

While my specific skills and knowledge were not directly applicable, the mindset you develop as a scientist was really helpful. Being used to reading papers and learning new concepts quickly made it easier to adapt and contribute to the project.

Q: Has this experience influenced your plans after your PhD? 

Federica: Yes, I think it was quite helpful in helping me understand what I enjoy, what I don't enjoy, and what I need in a role to feel fulfilled. I haven’t made up my mind yet about what to do after my PhD, because I genuinely enjoy wet lab research. But I do think it would be interesting to take on some consulting projects on the side, especially ones that are closer to my area of expertise, and maybe start from there.

If I ever decide to leave academia, that could be a natural way into the consulting world. One thing I realised is that I need to be able to drive the project I’m working on. I don’t like being micromanaged, and I don’t think anyone does, or being given tasks without understanding the bigger picture. In consulting, you work on shorter timelines, and you’re the one leading the research and delivering the outcome. That’s why I think it could be a good option for the future.

Q: How would you describe research consulting to another PhD student? 

Federica: The first thing I’d say is: you can do it. Before the programme, I didn’t think I’d be able to manage working with a client or handle a completely new project. But actually, everyone in the cohort picked things up really quickly. So we do have those soft skills that people often talk about — we just don’t always realise it.

Consulting is really about understanding a new topic quickly and translating it into something useful for the client. It’s about asking the right questions, figuring out what the client truly needs, and then delivering that in a clear and focused way.

I would say consulting is about being able to understand a new topic quickly. It might be a topic that is quite different from what you are working on at the moment, and the key is to translate that in a sensible way into something the client can understand. It is also about trying to understand the client's needs and delivering results in the shortest amount of time, and sometimes with the least amount of resources.

 About Federica Mossa

Federica is a final-year PhD student at Queen Mary University of London, where she is studying the relationship between proteasome stress, cellular senescence, and tissue ageing. When she is not in the lab, you can find her playing beach volleyball (yes, in London!) or having brunch.