1. Academic Track

• Focus: Centered on teaching, research, and theoretical development. Scholars engage in producing original research, publishing in academic journals, and contributing to scholarly discussions on topics like grief, death rituals, and communication around end-of-life care.
   

• Work Environment: Typically based in universities or research institutions. Responsibilities include teaching students, mentoring, and conducting interdisciplinary research. Academia prioritizes theory, ethics, and conceptual understanding.
   

• Intended Outcomes: Advancement of knowledge and education in the field. Impact is often measured through publications, presentations at conferences, and contributions to academic curricula.​​​

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Academic roles may include...

• Tenure-Track Professor or Lecturer specializing in fields like thanatology, bioethics, or death and grief communication.
   

• Researcher working in university research centers, think tanks, or interdisciplinary death studies institutes to advance theoretical knowledge.
   

• Public Health Faculty involved in educating future healthcare professionals on bereavement and end-of-life communication.
   

• Visiting Scholar or Adjunct Professor involves teaching death-related topics in sociology, psychology, or medical humanities at multiple institutions.
   

• Consulting involves advising organizations on death policies, funeral practices, and grief support based on research findings.
   

• Grant-Funded Project Lead includes leading long-term academic projects focused on bereavement policies or death education.

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2. Industry Track

• Focus: Applied work, providing direct services and solutions in end-of-life care. Professionals help individuals and organizations manage death-related matters, such as grief counseling, funeral services, hospice care, and policy development.
   

• Work Environment: Varied, including hospitals, hospice centers, funeral homes, nonprofit organizations, and private practices. Industry roles are more client-centered, focusing on practical support, service delivery, and implementing programs.
   

• Intended Outcomes: Immediate and tangible impact, such as helping individuals navigate loss or supporting families in bereavement. Success is often measured by client satisfaction, service efficiency, or policy improvements.

 

Industry roles may include...

a. Technology & Innovation Careers

• Memorial Technology Developer who may be responsible for creating platforms for digital memorials, grief support apps, or virtual/augmented reality spaces for remembrance.
   

• Livestream Funeral Services Provider who may be responsible for innovating ways to connect grieving families with funerals remotely through digital platforms.
   

• Digital Death Consultant who may be tasked with helping organizations and individuals manage online legacies, digital wills, and post-mortem data handling.
   

• AI Developer for Bereavement who may be tasked with designing AI tools to support mental health, grief counseling, or automated estate planning.
   

b. Misc. Industry Careers

• Bereavement and End-of-Life Policy Analyst who may be tasked with influencing public and private sector policies on grief leave, funeral practices, and end-of-life care.
   

• Nonprofit Manager who may be responsible for running organizations that focus on grief support, hospice care, or death education.
   

• Palliative Care Program Director who may manage end-of-life care services in healthcare settings, such as hospitals or hospices.
   

• Grief and Trauma Counselor who is tasked with supporting individuals and families through bereavement in private practice or community centers.
   

• Death Care Consultant who may be responsible for advising funeral homes or death care services on best practices for serving diverse populations and incorporating new technologies.
   

• End-of-Life Doula who is responsible for providing emotional and practical support to individuals nearing death and their families.

 

3. Hybrid

Hybrid careers merge academic and industry professions. A career trajectory may look like...

Early Career (Academic-Focused)

• Ph.D. or Postdoctoral Research: Conducting interdisciplinary research on death and bereavement, publishing in academic journals, and presenting at conferences.
   

• Adjunct or Assistant Professor: Teaching courses in death studies, grief communication, or bioethics, while building an academic profile.
   

• Research Collaboration: Partnering with nonprofit organizations, funeral homes, or hospitals to apply research in real-world settings, such as developing improved bereavement policies or communication strategies for palliative care.
   

Mid-Career (Bridging Academia and Industry)

• Consulting: Offering expertise to industry sectors, such as funeral services, healthcare, or tech startups developing memorial or grief support technologies. This could involve advising on ethical use of technology in bereavement or helping organizations integrate death-positive practices.
   

• Grant-Funded Research in Collaboration with Industry: Leading research projects with direct industry application, such as exploring the efficacy of grief apps or livestream funeral services, while maintaining academic publishing and conference presentations.
   

• Workshop and Training Development: Designing training programs and workshops for both academic and industry professionals on ethical, peer-reviewed practices in end-of-life care and policy.
   

Late Career (Industry-Focused)

• Leadership in Nonprofit or Private Sector: Transitioning to an executive role in an organization focused on death care, grief counseling, or end-of-life services. This might involve managing teams, shaping policy, or overseeing the integration of new technologies (like virtual memorials).
   

• Thought Leadership & Public Speaking: Using academic credentials to influence public discourse through media, speaking at industry conferences, and publishing books on death, grief, and bereavement.
   

• Academic-Industry Partnerships: Acting as a liaison between universities and industry to foster collaborative projects that blend theory with application, such as working on grants that connect academia with healthcare, funeral services, or tech companies.
   

Example Career Milestones:

1. Teaching Faculty: Publishing research on bereavement and offering guest lectures at industry events.
    

2. Consultant for Tech Startups: Helping develop ethical digital grief and memorial platforms while continuing academic work.
    

3. Administrative Leadership: Managing organizations that specialize in sensitive information handling, health and human services, digital product development, and consulting services.