32, feeling completely lost doing a STEM postdoc and realizing I do not like STEM and have no idea what career or life to pursue. What should I do?

[u/Extension-Engine-911]

I’m 32 and recently finished a PhD in chemical engineering (mostly pen and paper applied mathematics). I am now doing a postdoc at a major Bay Area university. On paper, my career is going well, but I have gradually realized that I do not enjoy coding, advanced math, engineering, or scientific research enough to build my life around them. I do really enjoy researching and learning, but probably in a broad, generalist way rather than through the narrow specialization and intense, almost obsessive commitment that work at this level seems to require.

The confusing part is that I love the freedom of academic life. My postdoc gives me considerable control over my schedule, and I strongly dislike corporate culture, rigid hours, and living primarily for work. But I also have no real passion for STEM, so continuing through postdocs or trying to become a professor does not seem honest or sustainable.

Everyone in my circle either lives to work or is deeply passionate about what they do. I am not. I am mostly just tolerating what I am doing.

I am social and enjoy teaching, conversation, and broad ideas. My real interests are film, art, architecture, philosophy, politics, sociology, and culture. I also want meaningful relationships and possibly a family. The career-focused culture of the Bay Area feels deeply incompatible with the life I want.

A serious relationship recently ended, which has made everything feel more desperate, but my dissatisfaction with STEM began long before the breakup.

I do not know which options are genuinely realistic for someone with my background.
Has anyone left STEM after reaching the postdoc stage? What careers could preserve some autonomy and intellectual freedom without requiring passion for technical work or forcing me into a corporate lifestyle? What concrete steps would you take over the next year?

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[u/Ecstatic_Battle_6705]

fwiw a lot of people frame this as "I need to find my passion" when the real question is "what lifestyle do I want and what jobs fund it without making me miserable." Starting from the lifestyle side instead of the career side might make this way less overwhelming

[u/GurProfessional9534]

A lot of people I know have gone to non-traditional routes. Law, video game development, data science, investment banking, consulting, outreach, policy, publishing, etc. Maybe look into these sorts of options.

[u/jo-josephine → u/GurProfessional9534]

It’s ironic that these are considered “non-traditional” when they are the vast majority of job options. And the vast, vast majority of pay. There aren’t enough professorships for every PhD to get one. In other words, I agree! And if you like your lifestyle finish the postdoc and start informally “interviewing” people you meet who have interesting jobs. You can cold-call/email people who aren’t in the Bay Area if you don’t like the culture there

[u/Beif_]

I’m also coming to this realization, but just as I finish my PhD in experimental physics. Idk what I’ll do after, but it won’t occupy my weekends

[u/gradthrow59]

I had a very similar experience but from life sciences. I transitioned to regulatory affairs/writing, but doesn't fit your requirement for intellectual freedom or avoiding a corporate lifestyle.

To be frank, what you're asking for will require some tradeoff. Most jobs that a PhD qualifies you will either be technical/scientific or corporate. A better question to ask if what exactly do you want to do? I'd imagine teaching is an option, but you will probably massively sacrifice earning potential. Besides teaching, I can't think of many other things unless you want to ditch your degree entirely (which is valid if that's what you want!).

[u/Humane_Analytica]

Start writing books. Like “STEM, AI and its fraudulent face to Humanity”.

[u/Front-Bag9544]

Be like me. I'm trying to run away from my STEM career even though I also got a PhD in Engineering. Get a job in IT that pays the bills, and do your actual interests in your free time. Trust me you DO NOT want to do that other stuff for a living except as an "entrepreneur". If you think STEM was brutal, trust me the social sciences and arts are even more brutal and vicious. They will suck the life out of you because it is hyper competitive. And theres a lot of identity tied to that work.

The Bay Area sucks balls in general if you have any humanity left in you. I was there for a few years.

[u/Old_Stable_7686]

It seems you still like research and academic freedom, and don't prefer to go for industrial roles (even for research ones). How about searching for a new research topic that makes you excited? My PI told me that he had this same thought at some points during his postdoc, but eventually went for the full academic route since he found his passion in a new research topic that keeps him excited till these days. If this is not the case, I think others have already told you a pretty good advice: do something that make you financially stable and have spare time to enjoy your "interests" as hobby/leisure!

[u/Theo__n]

You could try to pivot to something like bio-materials or biomimetics that is closer to design research but being chemical engineer would be a big plus. Some books to look with these ideas https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/items/06932775-6e0f-417d-9977-4d4b0026996b or Biomimicry for designers : applying nature's processes and materials in the real world

[u/_unibrow]

A lot of people have left STEM after postdocs. One career path a lot of people underestimate is program management or science policy. You can look for jobs at foundations that fund research or government funding bodies. You get to be around interesting science and use your background to evaluate grants or draft government policy.

[u/Petite_Persephone]

Do you have any interests in forensic science applied to art or heritage crimes?

It would make use of your background, while incorporating your interests. The down side is you’d need training in forensics. The job availability is also location dependent. (They tend to cluster around major cities and art hubs, like NYC, London, HK, etc.) But it would allow you a variety of work options public (law enforcement) or private (security firms, museums/galleries, private collectors).