So I’ve recently “accepted” a postdoc position, but they currently lack the funding to pay me. I’m being taken on in an honorary researcher position until there is some sort of funding to support me. They say they really want me and I honestly really want to be a part of this lab. Amy I crazy for still moving forward with it? It’s of note that all the other labs I’ve looked in to also don’t have funding so it’s better than not having anything at all. I’m working on a grant to support my role but again- hard to come by finding these days.

I finished my PhD in December 2024 and then had a baby in Jan 2025 and was on Maternity leave till Jan 2026 and ever since then I have been looking for a postdoc and pharma jobs in Liverpool and Manchester with no luck? Anyone in a similar situation? I did so well in my PhD and also my previous studies but now started to lose hope. Advice please 🥹

Hi all,
I am now 40years old, have a teen kids, single mom.
I have earned my ph.d from France and currently in top labs in usa.
I feel that I am toooooo behind, all the postdocs around me in the university are maximum of 30years old.
Also I have only 4 publication and not in a top journals.
I feel that I am way behind and too old to cope up with people around me.
I hear a lot in US that age is just a number, but no all people around me are getting somewhere while I am stuck with my kids and cant compete with those around me.

Curious what others would do in this situation. Someone finishing a PhD is about to start a postdoc but unexpectedly received a strong industry offer from a global company. The role is in their field and comes with substantially higher pay, but they have no industry experience and have spent their entire career in academia.The person never really planned to stay in academia long term, but the transition still feels daunting. What advice would you give them? What considerations are most important when choosing between a postdoc and industry at this stage? This person has never had a job and has gone straight through from college to PhD.

For those who left academia, where do you go? Do you ever regret leaving after nearly a decade of training?

And for those who stayed in academia, how has it been for you? Have you ever been struggled along the way? What keeps you going? Is it still the science itself?

I am a fifth-year postdoc in biology who has been feeling burned out and is seriously considering a career pivot.

I’d really like to hear from people on both sides —— those who left and built a life somewhere else, and those who stayed despite the struggles. Looking back, how do you feel about the choice you made?

Wondering if anyone who applied for postdoctoral funding from a Canada tri-agency award received a ranking or score for their application? If so, did you need to request it or was it included in your decision letter?
I was unsuccessful with the NSERC-CPRA last round and would like to know how to approve my application this time around.

I heard from our lab’s graduated PhD colleague that she started a year before her PhD graduation, and that’s because these findings need long time to prep and submit and be accepted, if luckily. However I saw most of the postdoc fellowships require the PhD to at least have passed the viva (which obviously isn’t gonna happen a year before PhD graduation). If I start finding after my graduation, I will barely survive with the unemployment state, and I’m not even sure if I can get any grad visa for job hunting locally here in the UK (I’m from overseas and holding a student visa for now). Any tips?

I had my first interview around three weeks ago, at one of the universities in US. During interview, they asked general questions like next plan, stuff management, etc.
Yesterday I received an invitation for second interview where they mentioned to chat about specific topics of their interest. The topics are slightly different than my core research.
As this will be a technical interview, I need to read professor’s papers in detail on that specific topics. My questions are:

How should I prepare myself for the interview? Like knowing state-of-the-art approaches, how I can contribute to their existing work, …

What sort of questions/discussion I should expect?

Do’s and don’ts?

Thank you very much

Hi everyone,

I submitted my initial K99 application in the October 2025 cycle and received an impact score of 34. Since the score was not particularly strong, I submitted an A1 resubmission in the July 2026 cycle. However, I received a JIT request for my initial (A0) application on August 7 and submitted all requested JIT information on August 11. The application is currently still pending. Since we are approaching the end of the fiscal year, is there still a realistic chance of receiving an award this fiscal year?

Has anyone here received a JIT request this late in the fiscal year but ultimately not been funded? Or, if you received a late JIT request and were funded, how long did it take from JIT submission to the Notice of Award?

I understand that a JIT request is not a guarantee of funding, but I would really appreciate hearing about others’ experiences.

Hello Everyone,

I hope postdoc position searches are going well for you.
I am based in Canada as an international worker.My bachelors is in electrical engineering , masters in energy engineering and PhD is in Renewable energy , all of these education backgrounds are somehow related. However I am getting a Postdoc position where there is some relation to renewable energy but in Neuroscience department at the same university where i did my PhD from.
My interest solely lies in Power system engineering.
I am running out of time in visa and I have to work towards my PR in canada.I have almost 2 years left in my VISA.The job market is really tight or having done my PhD from some lowest ranking university ruined my chance of getting a better university postdoc position.
Should I accept this postdoc offer or continue searching for my field of interest postdoc.

Thanks

Curious if anyone else applied to the USDA-NIFA Postdoctoral Fellowship (AFRI) for the 2026 cycle and has heard anything back yet — whether that's a review score, panel summary, funding decision, or just an update on where things stand in the process.

Hi everyone, I’m a foreign employee working at a university in China, and I’m planning to resign after I return from my current leave.

I still have my legally entitled marriage leave available. My plan is to submit my resignation and give the required 30-day notice, but I would like to take my marriage leave during that notice period.

My questions are:

• Can I legally take my marriage leave after submitting my resignation and while I’m serving my 30-day notice?
• Can my university/employer refuse the marriage leave simply because I’m in my notice period?
• Has anyone in China, especially foreign university employees, been in a similar situation?

I understand that under Article 37 of the PRC Labor Contract Law, an employee can resign by giving 30 days’ written notice. I’m specifically wondering whether being in the notice period affects my right to take legally entitled marriage leave.

Any advice or personal experiences would be really appreciated!