A postdoctoral position is one in which someone who has completed his or her doctoral studies and been awarded a Ph.D. goes on to conduct more research in order to gain more experience, expertise, or specialized knowledge after the doctorate has been awarded. It’s possible that the applicant for the position must have received his or her doctorate within the last five years. A postdoctoral position can be obtained in a variety of ways.
One obvious place to look for a postdoctoral position is at the university where you received your doctorate. If you want to pursue your research elsewhere, you can look for job listings specifically for the department of the university where you studied, as well as through the university’s career counseling center.
Second, there are specialized job sites that connect applicants seeking postdoctoral positions with employers looking to hire them. A simple internet search will yield these results. Postdoctoral positions may be advertised in professional journals in your field.
The National Postdoctoral Association, which aims to “enhance the quality of the postdoctoral experience for all participants,” is another resource that could help you find a postdoctoral position. In this capacity, the organization provides postdoctoral resources, such as helpful materials for those seeking postdoctoral appointments and reviews of specific positions. Despite the fact that the job board link leads to the journal Science’s job listings, the career materials do take Humanities and Social Science postdoc applicants into consideration.
When looking at job postings for postdoctoral positions, keep in mind that there are several different types. Some postdoctoral positions are designed to support the applicant’s independently-conceived research, while others are designed to train the applicant further in his or her field through participation in a set project. Teaching postdoctoral programs exist in the humanities and social sciences, as well as in the sciences.
In many cases, a postdoctoral position is required before becoming a principal investigator and conducting independent research. For academics, it may also be a necessary step toward a tenure-track position.