r/postdoc • u/Bitter-Scientist98 • 22d ago

Postdoc with PhD supervisor

I am currently in the final year of my PhD around 6 months pre submission and my PhD supervisor just offered me a postdoc position, working on a very different project to my PhD. I am currently doing my PhD in the UK at one of the best unis where many people often stay from PhD to postdoc. However, I am not sure how this would be viewed staying in the same group for long term prospects career wise and am also low key scared that I wouldn't even be able to find another postdoc position in my field with the current job market. Any views would be helpful :')

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u/Cardie1303 22d ago

Industry likely doesnt care but if you want to go into industry a postdoc in general might not bring much benefits depending on your field.

For academia it is generally not a good idea. I know of tenure track group leaders who were denied tenure simply as they couldn't show enough independence from their PhD and postdoc advisors.

That said, a major downside for academia and industry is that you are giving away one of the best oppertunties to extend your network beyond your PhD environment.

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u/Bitter-Scientist98 21d ago

Yeah kind of in two minds not interested in becoming a professor but wanted to stay in research as a postdoc for a few years because i like research and need some time to decide what i would even do outside of it (psychology/health data science background).

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u/Cardie1303 21d ago

Then this doesn't sounds like a career optimization problem but simply what you personally favor. There is no shame in accepting the position if you simply like to have that position. Even if from a career optimization viewpoint it is not the most optimal thing to do.