Given the options of a management vs an engineer/scientist/tech’s role in a company, I would prefer to eventually end up as a manager much like many of my classmates before me have answered. However, my desired path to achieve this terminal position would be a bit different because I would like to spend a large majority of my career in a lead engineer role. Currently, my last few positions I have held are of the entry level scientist/ tech/ engineer variety and I look forward to moving up the ladder soon. Eventually, when I reach a lead engineering position, I will be in a situation where I am able to manage my staff of middle/ entry level engineers while still being able to physically be involved with the creative process. Only after many years in this role will I choose to make the final step and move into a pure management position where I am mostly hands off and purely administrative.

Also, I would make sure to spend time at each “rung of the ladder” on my way up to a management position because I have personally seen that managers who have worked the lower jobs are most effective. In my experience, I have seen both situations where a manager is hired with little background and knowledge in what his/her staff actually preform and managers that have risen through the ranks. It makes all the difference in both effectiveness of management and respect from their staff if they see that their manager is both knowledgeable what is going on in the lab and is able to effectively lead the team. Those managers that have just been ‘given’ the position due to unrelated experience or an advanced degree always seem to do worse in my opinion.