In this episode of Exiting Academia, I sit down with a guest who made a big pivot: they took a PhD in Civil Engineering and transitioned into a Design Engineer role. We talk through what that move actually looks like in practice—how to translate a highly specialized doctoral background into industry language, what kinds of design/engineering responsibilities show up on the other side, and how to position yourself when your identity (and CV) has been built around academia. A big takeaway is that “leaving” isn’t the same as “starting over.” The skills you built in a PhD—problem framing, systems thinking, technical communication, and delivering complex work under ambiguity—are exactly what many engineering teams need. I also emphasize being intentional about your next step: clarify what you want, map your experience to the job’s outcomes, and then tell that story in a way hiring managers recognize. If you’re a grad student or PhD wondering whether industry design engineering is realistic, this conversation is meant to give you a clear, grounded path forward—and a reminder that you don’t have to figure it out alone.