During a global pandemic, when the world seems to have been shut down, our work suffers as much as the economy does. Especially for researchers, going out for population surveys, data collection and collaboration with fellow researchers, students and professors, everything come to a hault. COVID-19 is one such global pandemic where all of the nightmares are coming true for mankind. To maintain order and stay safe, the only thing that we can do is stay at home. But enclosing ourselves also means that our work is paused; out thesis is punctuated midway. Since, colleges, universities and offices are closed, probably a researcher cannot do the needful finding during a homestay. Moreover, earnings are also paused due to office and job closures. So how to get the money to conduct surveys? How to attend to journal call for papers when you do not have the proper resources at hand? How to keep yourself in a comfortable situation with your research as well as funds when everything sounds like a blocker in the path of your research? Work from home facilities have really made things easier these days. With the growth of technology, we now have access to high speed internet and using that we can deliver almost everything through web services. Working from home on a part-time or full-time basis has also helped many scientists and researchers who cannot dedicate that huge amount of time required on a daily basis to achieve a successful research thesis. Those who have to cohabit with their family and give quality time to both personal and professional life, have found work-from-home on part time jobs, really useful and lucrative in terms of balance and money. In fact, working from home can also help researchers and scientists during a lockdown situation like the present.
Let’s look at some of the part-time jobs that a researcher can adhere to while staying at home-
- Be a Peer-Reviewer– With emergence of open-access publications, demand for peer-reviewers are on the high. The added benefit is that, these works are fulfilled and delivered online, so they can be done from anywhere in the world; no location restriction. Peer-reviews are performed by scientific experts who have specialized knowledge on the scope of the journal. Hence, for a researcher, taking up the part-time work of a peer-reviewer can be beneficial in not only practicing your skills, but also sharing knowledge for greater academic growth.
- Write and Submit Research Articles– Again, if you want to be engaged with only your field of work and knowledge, you can actually finish some meaningful research or scientific articles (on which you may have worked before) but never written them or published. This is the time, when you can complete those works (when your main thesis is on pause) and look for journal call for papers to publish them online. This may not always be beneficial monetarily, but these smaller works will improve your citations. As an author, you can reach out to a greater audience through open-access publications. This will ensure your viewership is ready when your main research will be out. Such publications may also earn you some money if you have good credibility as a scientific writer; you may also get invitations for global seminars and scientific conferences which have immense value in the academic world.
- Be a Part-time Scientific Writer– Many technical organizations and telecommunication companies are on lookout for technical writers and scientific writers for content creation. They need someone who has the knowledge of science and the skills of scientific writing. These positions are usually work-from-home structure. Also, many scientific journals require writers to build their website with content regarding what is scientific writing, methodology tips, relevance to scope etc. Sometime, they require data collection on certain topics and subjects or situations. You can always use your skills to help them when you are home. Not a bad option to earn on a temporary basis.
- Be a Grant Writer– Many non-profit organizations require writers to develop proposal for getting funding for multiple purposes from larger business organizations or the Government. Now it is your regular job as a research scientist to prepare funding proposals right? Then why not do the same job and earn some money from home?
- Be a Part-time Fellow– Many Scientific Organizations across the world require scientific researchers and writers to be part-time Fellows with them. The tasks are to communicate and collaborate with other members, researchers and professors of the organization to keep things systematic. Sometimes they have to review scientific submissions or interview authors etc. These jobs are mostly conducted remotely hence best for a lockdown situation.
- Be an Instructional Mentor– With the education system also evolving with each passing day, requirement for online teachers and mentors is also increasing. Several governmental and non-governmental educational programs require volunteer and part-time mentors to support their enrolled students in a course. The work may not be direct instruction or teaching, rather, it is helping students to complete their course successfully. Besides, earning, this job profile gives enough free time. As a researcher, you can have the time to do your personal academic works, while still earning.
- Be a Blogger– Blogging is becoming a booming avenue for earning money creatively. You have the knowledge and you have the technique; you can start your own blog, or you can also post on websites available as knowledge-sharing platforms.
- Be a Part-time Developer– If you are experienced in web science and technology, or data science, analytics, Artificial Intelligence and other technical fields, you can always put your academic knowledge into practical application when your thesis is on hold. Freelancing and part-time job profiles are widespread in the technological world and web developers can make a lot of money even without being employed to an organization. And most of these profiles require work-from-home doers.
- Data Management– If you want to benefit yourself as well as the company from a job, this can be cool. Many scientific/medical and technical organizations require specialists for data entry and management. Data is perhaps the most valuable thing on Earth today, so there is no reason to look down upon this job profile. But if you are a researcher, you have to choose your company carefully; you need to associate yourself with those which are related to your field of study. E.g. if you are writing your thesis on medicine, you can become a data entry specialist at a pharmaceuticals company or a medical industry. The data you collect and manage for the company, can also fuel your research. You are not having to go to the field, but you are getting information from a work-from-home job.
- Teach Teach Teach!– If you are a life-long academician, teaching can be the best part of doing something, even from home. In a lockdown situation, especially COVID-19, online learning is also taking a soar. Even schools and regular colleges are trying to implement online learning, so you can associate yourself with that. There are several web platforms which are specialized for making online courses available to students. Enroll yourself as an instructor there. Use your niche knowledge to develop quality content for needy students and make money (as more students register to your course). Keep an eye for journal call for papers; many young researchers or upcoming scientific authors require training and coaching on how to write and submit research paper during these times. Make a platform or your own website to assist them with your experienced knowledge in the field.
Working from home can be really helpful in maintaining a healthy work-life balance for anyone. Moreover, it makes people productive and more output in got from work-from-home model and thus many organizations are implementing it in their system. Especially during a pandemic lockdown it can be a serious boon for workers and scientific researchers, students and academicians.
