Postdoc Definition and 64 Threads

I'm finishing up a physics postdoc in experimental condensed matter physics, and I'm looking to go into industry. I'm aware that one avenue is programming, but I would be competing for entry-level positions against people fresh out of college who are specifically trained in the field, while my...

So I plan on defending my PhD in the summer. I want to continue my career as a physicist, however I have not applied for any postdocs yet, the reason being I technically have not gotten any published yet, however, I should be getting published within the next month. My question is what are my...

In the past, when I was younger i was under the impression that after a phd. Before becoming a lecturer, you have to complete post doc positions, and that the transition between a post doc and successful entry into academia is very low statistically. Sometimes people are stuck in post doc...

I already have a PhD in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and I will start an M.S. in Physics at SJSU next Monday (August 21 2023). I am interested in Particle Physics. A professor at my institution working in the field told me the following "For you, since you already have a PhD, I don’t think it...

Hello PF, I am about to defend my PhD in some area of Physics/Materials Science. I am also currently working at a company, but I want to resign after I defend my PhD thesis. I am offered a postdoc position and a salary raise if I stay in my current company but I feel I would mostly apply some...

I 'am 40 years old. I 'am from Sudamerica. - Between my 19 and 25 years , i studied Industrial Enginer. - Between 26 and 29 years old i worked as Industrial Enginer. - Between 30 and 32 years old i studied a Master in Physics (branewold models). (1 publication) -Between 33 and 36 years old i...

I have recently moved into a new University for a postdoc position. A couple of questions if I may: 1. My previous supervisor was expert in my field. On occasion I would like to email them for guidance in my new project. Would this be acceptable considering I have now completed my work with...

Hi all, I'm entering the last year of my PhD on the interface of quantum optics and condensed matter (theoretical) in Europe. At this point, I am happy to have started it and now love doing research (even when being stuck on a problem-because this usually means something interesting will appear...

Hi! I would like to apply to a postdoc position, but one of the requirements is to detail at least a 2-page research plan on a certain topic. I haven't worked on that topic specifically before, so, I would need to research it. However, this may take sometime to know exactly what to do, and I...

Hi! I am on my way to complete a two-year postdoc. I have BSc, MSc and PhD in nuclear engineering. My research focuses are severe accident analysis, thermal-hydraulics and CFD. Since it is very likely that my current employer cannot ensure a future temporary/permanent position, I am looking for...

My story is that I finished my theoretical physics PhD about two years ago and immediately got a postdoc position in another university. Towards the end of my PhD and certainly during my postdoc years I've felt more and more that physics is, after all, not for me. Probably because of this...

Does grades on transcript matter when you apply for postdoc positions? If you fail one graduate level course, will that affect your getting a postdoc position?

Hello all, I was looking for a position in data science for a while, but I need time to develop the skills and experience since I have non. So, I was thinking to do another year as postdoc in a university in Canada or US or Europe in wireless communication to survive financially while...

Hi All, Please bear with me, you can skip to the LSS (Long Story Short) line if you do not want to go through the wall of text. But the complete story carries important information regarding my demise :). After a painful 7 years, I managed to obtain my PhD in Physics. My Thesis and...

I have worked on environmental radiation levels n determining the radioactivity in the environmental samples. I would like to do post doc in the field. I request to suggest me the posts available all over the world.

Hello. I've got two questions: 1) In the U.S., what's the average time per week that a graduate student doing a PhD in astronomy work? 2) In the U.S., what's the average time per week that a postdoctoral researcher in astronomy work? Thanks in advance for your answers.

I got a BS in physics from MIT (high energy particle physics), and now I'm in a graduate program in physics at a mid-tier school, like top 20-ish. I always assumed I would get a PhD in physics, and eventually become a research professor, but I'm starting to reconsider. So the tldr of this post...

Now a days coursera and edx courses are becoming popular. I too did few courses. I am just curious how much the Universities consider these courses as supplements with college regular degrees for admission for Ph.D or getting into Postdoc.

How many years does a postdoc have to spent active in researches before he can attain a full position as a professor and has his own laboratory? Not too long ago I found a PhD thesis of my current group leader, it was written in 2000 or so and now (after 14 years) he has become a prof and has...

I like academic work, and I am fairly good at it, but not good enough to get on the tenure track. Postdoctoral salary for me is sufficient to comfortably support a family of four, and we don't mind moving from time to time, since my wife is not working. Is expecting to work as a postdoc for the...

Some university research groups offer postdoctoral positions sponsored by industry and focused on industrial R&D. That means mostly technical work and little-to-no publishing. Also such positions often don't have strict time limits, allowing postdocs to stay as long as this arrangement remains...

Are there websites that specialize in listing postdoc position for biophysics, computational/mathematical biology? I looked through higheredjobs and aps but found very few positions. Are the available positions this few?

I'm nearing the end of choosing a physics graduate school to attend and the decision is coming down to what research groups I'm interested in. My area of interest is in biological physics but I'm not quite sure whether I want to do computational or experimental work. A major factor in choosing...

Hello all! I'm getting my PhD in theoretical cosmology in August and I'm trying to figure out the intersection between what I WANT to do and what I CAN do. Does anyone know much about Physics Education Research? I find education fascinating and I'm seriously considering applying to some great...

Hi Everyone, I am about to finish my PhD in underwater acoustics. I am thinking of postdoc positions and research areas which might cover: oceanography and optics with acoustics. I still have to learn a lot before generating any ideas on my individual research career. But was wondering if...

Hello all! So I need advice...any advice...on where to go in my life. You might say I'm going though an existential crisis. I'm graduating with a PhD in theoretical cosmology in August and I rather die than get a postdoc (and therefore any type of professorship/physics research position). So...

Would it be acceptable to look at post-doc offers (as a pre-PhD student) and email the offerer to ask whether they would accept a PhD in X field? If a post-doc says it requires you to have a PhD in a "closely related field", would it be alright to email them and ask if you do a PhD in something...

I am weeks away from submitting my PhD thesis (hep physics) and would like to carry on as a postdoc. However, I have made no applications so far because the job advertisements stipulate a 'statement of research interests'. This is a problem because I don't really have them. I don't mean that I...

I have a phd in pure maths from a highly ranked university in the UK. During the PhD I was quite lucky and had a good supervisor so managed to get several decent publications. I'm now half way through my first (2 year) postdoc abroad in a very good, but much smaller, university in a non English...

Dear All, Curious to know about postdoc fellowship amount. Is it really very low as 3160 polish zloty (=760 EUR) per month? Is it sufficient for two person to live in Krakow with this salary? How much would be the house rent (i cook myself)? Is it possible to save some money? Thanks all...

Hi guys!, I am in a kind of dilemma and wanted to know your opinion. I am from a very small european country and came to US for a PhD in a respectable university (top 50 in all world rankings). I just finished my PhD in mathematical modeling of turbulent flows and applied for different...

These days it seems like everywhere you apply one of the requirements is having "strong" and sometimes "extensive" "computational skills". Well I already started a masters in applied math (after my PhD in experimental physics = zero computational skills). Before starting the masters it...

Hi all, I apologize in advance for a bit of a lengthy preface on my question. I'm a PhD student in computational condensed matter (with a specialization in parallel and high-performance computing) who's just finishing off my degree. I don't want to continue in condensed matter...

After four years of postdoc I'm wondering how one develops further. I have set up a research line that is independent from my supervisors, but I'm using the lab resources. That means my supervisors are claiming the project and are closing me in. I've obtained funding for a PhD student, which was...

So I'm in the final year of my PhD and will need to find a job soon. I don't feel strongly either way about whether I'll stay in physics or leave it for a "normal" job, but I've been browsing around looking for postdoc positions recently. I've seen places advertising for applications comprised...

Do post-docs typically write their own grants and choose their own reserach direction within their field? Can you offer to teach a new course if you can import a well-known framework from another university? How free are you to engage in this kind of autonomy as a postdoc?

Hi All, I'm a PhD student in Computational Condensed Matter who is pursuing postdocs in fields closer to industry and semiconductor physics. I have a couple interviews for these positions and I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on what to expect and how to prepare. My...

So I left grad school about 3 years ago. I had some sort of breakdown and decided to leave. Well, a lot of strange things happened and I got really paranoid. One example is whenever I would search for something on my computer a postdoc would repeat it to someone else and I heard it. I...

Hi everyone, This is my first post! When done with my PhD in experimental physics, I would like to make a move to medical physics. Is it wise to jump into a postdoc in medical physics (if lucky enough to get one) or get an MS medical physics first and then do a postdoc/residency? My...

Where to people usually look for postdoc adverts? I am aware of hyperspace and academicjobsonline but are these the only places to check? (I am interested in theoretical ads, specifically gravity etc)

there is a guy in lab and he's the most amazing guy ever... I've never met anyone like him. he is the most calm person ever... I can't believe it. and I have never seen ANYONE look so good in a lab coat... omg he could totally be a model, and if he modeled labcoats... omg... that would...

Hi, I'm from the UK and I'm in my final year of an aerospace engineering PhD which focuses on civil aircraft and engine design. For some time I have felt that engineering is too restrictive in terms of the science available to use; due to it's applied nature and safety restrictions within the...

Hi, I'm from the UK and I'm in my final year of an aerospace engineering PhD which focuses on civil aircraft and engine design. For some time I have felt that engineering is too restrictive in terms of the science available to use; due to it's applied nature and safety restrictions within the...

Hi, I was wondering if people could share with me their experiences of the workload associated with postdoc positions in the states. I am thinking of applying for some positions but i am put off by what i have previously heard - that as a postdoc you can end up doing the majority of the work...

Hi, Currently my wife and I are stuck in a two body problem with a separation of about 1500 miles. I have been looking for postdocs in her area (not many but a few more within a few hundred miles). My question is whether it is at all appropriate to mention the living situation and how getting...

How tough is competition to become a perma faculty member at a third tier uni or better? Are there tons of brilliant postdocs to compete with? How many, 2, 5, 10, 50? How brilliant, just good or very good? Also, how much time in % do you estimate is spent on doing non-research as a postdoc...

If a married Indian Physics PhD holder wants to go for postdoc in US then 1. Do universities in US help him getting visa? 2. How are chances of US government granting visa to him? I mean do you guys know some people like this who got US visa?

As a second year graduate student, I've been working in a quantum chromodynamics group for some time. I haven't published, but I am getting interested in many other things such as condensed matter physics, quantum computing, etc. Also I had an engineering degree with a physics minor, and...

What is the longest amount of time you can remain a postdoc before you are no longer a viable candidate for faculty positions? Have you heard of anyone getting a faculty position if they've been a postdoc for more than 5 years? 8 years? Longer?

So it's often said that the prestige of the grad school does matter when it comes to getting a postdoc at a prestigious institution (and that the prestige of the postdoc matters the most when it comes to getting an assistant professorship). One thing I've noticed though - a lot of foreign...