Alumni Highlight: Jillian Schleicher, Senior Analytics Manager

I graduated with majors in Geology & Physics and a minor in Math from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota before coming to the Earth and Space Sciences department at UW to complete my Ph.D. At UW, I studied the dynamics of magma chambers under volcanoes, trying to understand the processes that can lead to volcanic eruptions. Because these events happen underground where we can’t directly observe them, my research relied on learning from the past eruptions and numerical simulations.

After defending my Ph.D., I stayed at UW for another 6 months as a Postdoc where I wrapped up projects from my Ph.D. and then started to look for a new career in data analytics and data science. I was accepted into a data science boot camp that was designed to help people with Ph.D.s transition from an academic career to one in data science. Through that program, I got a job as a data modeler at KPMG, one of the “Big 4” accounting firms that also has a group for data science consulting. I worked at KPMG for 5 years consulting for tech companies, banks, and state governments, specializing in fraud detection and graph databases. I decided I was ready for a new job and in April 2024, began working for a smaller consulting company, Voyatek, which does technical consulting in the public sector. I am now a Data Analytics Consultant for the IRS where I am building tools for revenue agents to identify fraud and non-compliance in the Clean Energy Credits of the Inflation Reduction Act. 

I’ve always loved learning and as an undergrad I had many opportunities to conduct research, both at St. Thomas and through an REU at Oregon State University. Getting a Ph.D. was the next logical step for me after graduation and I was excited to specialize in the physics of volcanoes. I learned a variety of technical skills by taking classes at UW in ESS, Applied Math, and Mechanical Engineering and used what I learned in those courses to further my research. I also collaborated with Department of Energy researchers at NETL, taught undergraduate courses, wrote professional papers, and gave presentations at conferences. I know I’ve benefited in my professional career from having both the technical and the communication skills I gained during my Ph.D. In data science and analytics I have to think critically about the problem and weigh potential solutions, then have the technical knowledge for implementing the approach. However, it is just as important to be able to communicate about the work I’ve done with people from a variety of backgrounds, particularly as a consultant. 

There wasn’t a particular moment where I realized I wanted to transition to a new career path but sometime during the 4th year of my Ph.D. I began exploring alternative options. I interacted with a lot of career academics while at UW and saw the motivation they had and love for their chosen field of study; I discovered that the things that motivated me were primarily problem solving, coding, and working with data. I also loved living in Seattle and didn’t want to have to move around several times for different Postdoc and teaching roles before getting a more permanent faculty position. Once I made this decision, I attended events at the UW Career Center and research conferences that were aimed at alternative paths for people with academic backgrounds. One of the events I attended through the Career Center was a presentation by the data science boot camp program that I ultimately applied for and was accepted into. This program taught me how to talk about my research and transferable skills during interviews, convert my CV into a resume, and gave me many networking opportunities with businesses and data scientists in the Seattle area. 

In my experience, having a network really does make a difference when it comes to getting a job. Because I am in a technical career in a very tech-heavy city, most of my networking happens with friends I have made doing things outside of work like being in a choir, volunteering, and even playing Dungeons & Dragons (I got my current job through my D&D dungeon master)! I have asked many friends to talk with me about their jobs or to introduce me to people who are hiring, and have done the same for several of them as well. While it’s not impossible to get a job from a cold application, it usually makes it easier if you are applying with a referral since a current employee is willing to vouch for you.

It’s okay (and good!) to try everything. Finding out what you don’t want in a career is just as important as what you do. And that doesn’t just apply to the work but to the other parts of a job too; maybe the job with the slightly lower salary will be more rewarding work and give you more time off to go on vacation. Figure out what’s important to you.