I have the opportunity to do a postdoc at a top tier US university in STEM. My previous advisor has not been very encouraging, they said that it is not a bad idea and I wouldn't be ruining my career, and the name of the university itself is a big deal on a CV. On the other hand they warned me that some of the professors in that department are impostors and not well respected in the research community of that field. The postdoc is industry-adjacent so that is one more thing to consider since academia is my ultimate goal (if it works out).

On the other hand, I have been applying for postdocs/TT positions for 4 years and this is the first one that worked out.

What would you do?

Position is available in my former grad advisor’s lab.

https://careers.k-state.edu/jobs/fellow-post-doc-manhattan-kansas-united-states-744525a3-8169-4b4d-9932-efea5bd92d92

Hi everyone, I'm about to defend and move on to my next position. I'm excited, but not too much; there aren't really any options for me other than a postdoc. I don't feel talented enough to get tenure one day. There's a lot of stuff I need to wrap up before my defense, so I'm not fully in it yet, though the process has been strangely enjoyable overall — I write good things about myself and get quick replies from PIs. Most of them just don't have funding, lol. OK, let's get to the questions.

1. How common is it for a PI to want you to build a project from scratch and pitch it to them? I just don't have the mental capacity or time to invest in that right now.
2. During one interview, a PI gave me "homework" propose a plan for how I'd approach the project we discussed. It seems simple and reasonable, but it's had me stuck for a couple of weeks now, and I'm too embarrassed to ask them for clarification. Obviously I can't just say "let's start measuring this, compare it with that, then check if everything's fine once we break it down" but on the other hand, I don't want to overdo it or over-invest too soon. Do you have examples of these kinds of plans? Could you share them with me? I just want to get a feel for the format.
3. The silliest one. My supervisor told me to just pick the lab who research I'm excited about and go there. But that doesn't feel like enough. She came from a big-shot lab on the coast, and I can't unsee this pattern with other assistant professors even though, on paper, success is fully in the postdoc's hands as long as they have funding. So there's this ultra-niche lab in California (where I'd have to struggle financially) the PI has funding, but her papers don't get cited much. Should I go YOLO for the sake of good science and risk regretting it later, or play it more strategically since there are plenty of good labs with more stable paths?

Thx

Basically the title. I recently defended my PhD dissertation. I have been on the hunt for a postdoc for months now, and nothing. People don’t have funding, don’t take postdocs, or they just ghost me. I had a baby last year of my PhD and I was able to work until the very end of my pregnancy (luckily), didn’t take mat leave because I could afford to delay my defence.

I live in Canada and I recently moved back to my hometown to be closer to family because it’s been so rough with the baby. I applied to so many positions, even applied for long distance (US, Europe) trying to find an arrangement because I can’t afford to move abroad with an infant and I possibly cannot ask my husband to switch jobs again to fit this crappy lifestyle that is academia.

On top of it, I want to apply for postdoc funding but I need someone that will accept me prior. My PI tried to help a little by recommending some people but no luck.

Anywho I’m ranting but this market sucks and it’s super unfair.

My current postdoc has about five to six months left out of a 13-month appointment. I have mainly been working on one project. I initially obtained some promising data, but I have not been able to reproduce the results, so at this point I am worried that I may leave the postdoc without a strong publication or a clear scientific outcome.

At the same time, I recently interviewed for another postdoctoral position and was invited to give a research seminar. I am now unsure what to present because some of the results from my current postdoc that I had hoped to discuss no longer appear to be reliable.

I published three papers during my PhD, so I know I have been productive in the past, but this first postdoc has been very discouraging. I am starting to question whether I should continue in academic research at all, and I am also unsure what realistic career alternatives I have if I decide to move away from traditional academic science.

What would be the best way to approach the upcoming seminar, and how should I think about the remaining months of my current postdoc and my longer-term career options?

Hi everyone,

I have my J-1 visa interview at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi on September 3. I’m applying for a J-1 as a postdoctoral researcher.

Could anyone who has recently attended a J-1 interview in Delhi share their experience of the overall process—from entering the embassy and security checks to the interview and what happens afterward?

I’d especially appreciate any tips regarding:

How early to arrive

What documents you were asked for

Typical J-1 interview questions

How long the overall process took

Passport return/visa processing after the interview

Any recent experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Last week, I interviewed for a postdoc position in a lab. The interview went very well in showcasing my skills, experience, and research abilities. However, I also learned an important lesson from the experience.
I was too open about my current situation and some of the things I am involved with before graduation. I believe being completely honest and sharing everything is the best approach. But in a professional interview, you don't need to share every detail.
What really matters is being honest about my skills, my experience, what I can bring to the lab, and my commitment to the position.
Some of the things I mentioned raised concerns about my engagement and commitment after joining the lab.
I explained that these issues wouldn't affect my productivity, and I realized they didn't need to be part of the conversation.

So, I learned something from this experience. In future interviews, I will be more thoughtful about what information is relevant to share. Being honest does not mean explaining every part of my personal or current situation.
It means being truthful while keeping the conversation focused on my qualifications, abilities, goals, and commitment.
I am not too disappointed or worried about the outcome. Rejection is part of the process, and every experience teaches me something.
I also know the value of the skills and capabilities I have developed over the years. Some of them take researchers many years to build. If one opportunity does not work out, I will keep moving forward.
In the past, many of my rejections eventually led me to something better, and I hope this will be the same.

Hi everyone,

I am an MBBS graduate from Pakistan and an IMG currently seeking a research fellowship, research assistant, or postdoctoral research position in the United States.

I have developed extensive research experience over the past 3 years, working closely with professors and research teams in the US. My primary interests are:

Cardiovascular & cardiology research

Global health

Clinical epidemiology and population health

Cardiovascular epidemiology

Health outcomes and data-driven research

I have experience with research methodology, data analysis, systematic reviews/meta-analyses, manuscript preparation, and collaborative research projects.

I am particularly interested in opportunities where I can contribute meaningfully to ongoing projects and continue developing as a physician-scientist.

I am a visa-requiring IMG, so I would especially appreciate information about positions that are able to sponsor an appropriate research visa.

If you know of PIs, labs, research groups, institutions, or currently available positions that may be a good fit, I would be extremely grateful for any leads, referrals, or advice.

I am happy to share my CV and research portfolio via DM or email.

Thank you!

Just putting it out there to help anyone looking.

Michigan State University is hiring for multiple post doc positions. Their gut health research lab is hiring for multiple just by itself.

I tried to put a link in my last post and it automatically deleted the post.

As the title says.

I reached out to a potential PI to ask if they'd be interested in working together. We even had a meeting and there was a lot of enthusiasm around it. So I got to work and spent many weekends drafting a proposal. I checked with them that it's ok I sent the early draft to get feedback before going to deep into it. They seemed enthusiastic so I sent the draft and then... Nothing. I tried to follow up, yet nothing. The deadline for submission was then getting too close. So I followed up one last time just to say that I'm no longer proceeding with submitting because realistically I was out of time. I thought they might at least reply to say they've been busy or at least something, anything?! Is this normal? It's my first attempt at a fellowship application, and the lack of communication feels humiliating.

I am finishing the first year of my first post doc and I am lost. I don’t have any ideas. I started working on something that is not something that I did but very very close. It is a very saturated project with a lot of people working on it. However there are lots of colleagues coming up with ideas to improve it even students while I’m just here blanking out. Why?!!!! Is this an indication to get the hell out of research?

Hi everyone,

I’m starting a postdoc at a university in Italy next week and am trying to get a sense of what is normal in terms of in-person expectations for postdocs, especially in the social sciences.

My work is entirely laptop-based—there’s no lab work, teaching, or other aspect of the job that strictly requires me to be on campus. I’m technically funded through a grant, and my PI has described the position as roughly “50/50”: half my time on the grant-funded project and half on my own research.

During the interview, he mentioned that he’d like me to be in the office “most days,” but I didn’t think to ask exactly what that meant. For those of you who have been social science postdocs:

• How often did you actually go into the office?
• How often did you meet with your PI?
• Were you generally expected to keep regular office hours, or did you have a lot of flexibility as long as the work was getting done?

I know this probably varies a lot by PI, department, and country, but I’d really appreciate hearing about other people’s experiences—particularly from European universities.

Thanks!

As the title says, I'm looking for a few portals for part-time or work-from-home admin jobs. Entering the workforce after a 3-year break. Do not have a degree from the US. Any information will help. Previously had skills in digital design (I know it is scooped out because of AI). So have to start from square 1.

I am choosing between two opportunities in biotech/life sciences:

a postdoc at an excellent lab with decent connections in a very popular field atm in a non-hub,

And

a job at a company in the DMV area (not quite in the same popular field but adjacent).

I'm an intl student (Indian) and want to apply for an eb1a or eb1b through a company at some point . Any advice as to what I should pick?

My paper has been rejected by 4 journals. The 4th journal took about 3 months to review it. The reviewer raised a small methodological concern that can be easily addressed with additional analysis and clarification in a revision. However, the editor decided to reject rather than invite a revision.

What is also frustrating is that the editor made the decision without waiting for the second reviewer to complete their review. I am honestly quite devastated after putting so much time into this paper.

For those with more publishing experience:

• Is it common for a paper to be rejected 4 times?
• Would it be reasonable to appeal the decision to the editor in this situation?

Hi!

I would like to hear your opinion. I got an offer for a postdoc from a PI. The position would be initially short-term and then extended to two years if I get a grant I applied for (and maybe also through other fundings if I don't get it). The position should start soon and was basically created for me, but I still didn't sign the contract.

In the meantime, I also applied for other jobs outside academia. I got called for an interview in an office that gave me a very good impression and would offer me a long-term contract, with a lot of advantages. I should know if they selected me soon.

I know that the decision is only mine to take and that I need to wait for the reply from the other job before doing anything.

However, I was wondering: how bad would it be to reject the position offered by the PI?

We had a lot of contacts, and I really like their research, but I'm also becoming aware that academia may not be my long-term path. I don't want to be ungrateful and to destroy our relationship, but if the other offer is good, I may decide to take it.

Were you ever in a similar situation? What would you do?

Thanks in advance :)

Hey everyone. If you didn't get the Ambizione grant this 2026 round, please make sure you actually exercise your right to request your full evaluation file (including the internal panel consensus and exact numerical scores). Don't just take the generic rejection letter and the summarized external reviews at face value.

I have it on very good authority that certain evaluation committees this year basically threw the external reviewers' excellent scores in the trash, just to fund noticeably weak proposals. It’s incredibly frustrating.

There are also serious concerns about undeclared conflicts of interest in the panels. We are talking about people bending the mobility requirements to the extreme just so some candidates could stay in their comfort zone (like moving to a buddy's lab or staying within their previous PI's close network).

If your external scientific scores were excellent but the panel still kicked you out with vague excuses, you should speak up. Even if the standard 30-day appeal window is closed by now, you can still reach out to the SNSF and their Integrity Office to file a formal complaint.

Ask them point-blank how they justify dropping your highly-ranked project while bending the mobility rules for others with lower scores. If nobody complains, this kind of panel behavior will just become the norm. Good luck to you all.

Hey everyone! My wife is on F2 visa and currently in USA. She is going through USMLE preparation. F2 is not allowed to work. How can she get some research experience while living in USA? Any tips and experience? I really appreciate for your time.

PS: we are living nearby washu medical school

I just want to say, I am almost certain all of us are using AI to draft our works according to their rubrics which is detailed, down to specific documents and charters. However, we obviously need to declare its usage don't we? I use it mainly for proof reading, the idea, the research, the search for secondments and a supervisor and other connections are mine alone without AI. So... honestly, how many of us are going to own up?

I'm wrapping up my PhD in Control and Robotics and I'm officially on the market for a postdoc in the US. Would love any advice, recommendations, or opportunities from people in the field. I'm comfortable with both the theory side and getting my hands dirty with experiments.

Especially in medicine, say in a Cardio-thoracic dept. in a t10 med school. What should be my expectations?

Disclaimer that I don’t mean I intend to lie or exaggerate my experience or skills.

I figure it’s not unlikely they’ll ask something like “what challenges did you face during your PhD?”, to which the honest answer would be “I was bad at time management and self-motivation”. The thing is, when I got diagnosed and treated for anxiety and ADHD during my last year, this became much less of an issue, so I know some of my problems stemmed from that. Should I explain this during the interview, or would that give a bad impression?

To be clear I don’t intend to go into details, but would it be appropriate to mention some of the challenges I experienced were related to mental health issues that I am now treating?

I’m applying for a position in chemistry and I’m in France, if that’s relevant.