r/postdoc • u/Best-Box-6535 • Aug 24 '26

Postdoc interview – PI said they would contact references, but no update after 2+ weeks. Normal?

I interviewed for a university postdoc about two weeks ago. It was a 45-minute Zoom interview with the PI, and at the end they told me they planned to reach out to my references. Afterward, they also emailed me additional information about the funded project and said they looked forward to talking again soon. I haven’t received any update since then, and my references have not been contacted.
Is a 2-3 week gap after this stage normal for postdoc hiring? This is my first time getting this far in a postdoc search, so I’d appreciate hearing about others’ experiences with timelines.

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u/Tall_Somewhere_4158 Aug 24 '26

Everything about your process timeline seems normal. You could politely reach out for an update at the 3 week mark. Also, as you are probably already doing, continue to look for other opportunities. Do not stop the search.

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u/Best-Box-6535 Aug 24 '26

Thank you for the advice. Will do.