R&D presents more job opportunities in 2011

More research and development (R&D) activities can be expected in Malaysia this year as the government has allocated as much as RM411 million for the purposes of R&D and commercialisation under Budget 2011 . A Special Innovation Unit (UNIK) has also been established in the Prime Minister's Department as a means of further cultivating scientific innovation within the country.

Candidates who are seeking to advance their careers in R&D can thus look forward to better job prospects in 2011, provided they have equipped themselves adequately with the necessary experience and skill to meet market demands.

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) is the authority on R&D matters in the country and all who are keen on developing their career in R&D ought to stay updated with the activities and policies formulated by this ministry.

Under the Tenth Malaysia Plan, government grants can be sought from MOSTI for R&D projects.

An example of such a grant is the eScienceFund , which provides funding for initial research stages all the way up to the pre-commercialisation stage. This grant is applicable to research scientists and engineers from government agencies and institutions as well as academicians from both public and private institutions of higher learning and is valid for a maximum period of 30 months.

Research priority areas for this fund includes life sciences, computer sciences and information and communication technology (ICT), agriculture sciences/engineering, environmental sciences, advanced material science, chemical sciences, physical and mathematical sciences, engineering, medical and health sciences, and social sciences and humanities.

The decision by MOSTI to fund such research areas can be taken as an indication of which R&D fields are being given more emphasis within the nation at present. Jobseekers should therefore consider looking for jobs that fall within any one of these areas, as there would greater opportunities available.

Here are just some of the current trends for R&D in Malaysia:

Medical and health sciences
Pharmaceutical research is one of the sectors which may present good prospects in the year 2011. Lately, the government has been imposing changes to some of its existing regulations in an effort to stimulate growth in this industry. For instance, the approval period required to register pharmaceutical products bearing single ingredients has been shortened from its previous six month period to only 60 days, as has been confirmed by Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai. Business Monitor International anticipates growth in the market at a rate of around 6.76% between the years 2009 and 2019 in local currency terms.

Agricultural sciences
This sector has received significant attention under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), with as many as 16 Entry Point Projects (EPP) that fall under this sector. It is estimated that as many as 74,600 jobs are expected to be created as a result of these EPPs. Examples of the agricultural EPPs include efforts by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) to cultivate and market specialty fragrant rice in non-granary areas , the development of palm-based products for home and personal wellness by Emery Oleochemicals Group and the goal of increasing oil extraction rate from palm oil fruits by 23% by the year 2020 .

Engineering
This is another sector that the government has regarded as a crucial for the ETP. In particular, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, has encouraged the adoption of digital engineering into R&D processes. This is especially applicable for the manufacturing industry, and is seen as a means of improving the competitiveness of local industries as part of the global supply chain. Innovation efforts such as that of Malaysia's national car manufacturer, Proton, which plans to market a new breed of hybrid electric vehicles by 2012 also presents great opportunities for those with experience in R&D.

In general, if you desire to pursue a career in R&D, you will need to make sure that you possess good problem solving skills, strong technical skills, relevant laboratory experience, good time management skills and excellent communication skills in both written and spoken form.

A key characteristic which every person involved in R&D should have is perseverance, as inevitably some of the projects you undertake may occasionally fail or in other cases, repetitive trials may be required in order achieve a desired result.

Other important skills which may help to enhance your career are administrative abilities , leadership capabilities, good interpersonal skills and the ability to thrive when placed in a team setting.

It may also be useful for you to pursue post-graduate studies to obtain higher qualifications such as a doctorate as this may help you when it comes to matters such as qualifying for a promotion.

Besides being a researcher, there are other avenues you can explore to expand your R&D career; for instance, working in the area of production and quality assurance, doing patent related work, being part of a regulatory body, getting involved in technical sales and marketing, or writing for scientific publications.