Hello, and welcome once again to the OITE Careers Blog! My name is Melanie Sinche, and I will serve as this blog’s primary author. Future authors may include Dr. Sharon Milgram, Director of the Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE), Dr. Patricia Sokolove, Deputy Director of OITE, and others.
Before I start posting on career-related topics, I wanted to share my background with you. I am a certified career counselor, consultant, and speaker who has given presentations and training sessions to colleges and universities, government agencies, professional associations, and non-profit organizations across the country. I currently serve as a writer, consultant, and career counselor for all NIH trainees as a member of OITE.
Prior to this position, I worked for three years as a career counselor and speaker to individuals and Chambers of Commerce in Connecticut via the Center for Professional Development (CPD) at the University of Hartford. In addition to presenting on career-related topics, I have also offered presentations on collaborating and communicating effectively with multiple generations in the workplace.
Before joining CPD, I served as Founding Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Services at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). In this role, I provided individual counseling sessions and group seminars on career-related issues for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. I also worked with faculty to build training programs on effective mentoring. Prior to this, I worked with graduate students as Assistant Director of University Career Services at UNC. I have also served as a recruiter for a diversity recruiting firm and am still active in several biomedical sciences programs across the country to promote diversity in science.
I have a Bachelor’s degree from Colgate University and a Master’s degree from the University of Michigan. More recently, I completed a second graduate degree in counseling at North Carolina State University and earned the National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential.
I look forward to sharing my knowledge and expertise with you on a variety of topics related to careers in science. I will also be sharing information about OITE’s programs and staff with you. If there is a topic you would like to hear more about, please post a comment and I will respond! All the best to you in finding a satisfying career.
