What is a Postdoc?

A postdoc (or “post-doc,” “postdoctoral,” or “postdoctoral research”) fellowship is a training-focused position available to people who have earned a doctorate. Postdoc positions usually act as a stepping-stone between the student experience and the full-time professional experience.

For the postdoc appointee, a postdoc position offers in-depth training. For the postdoc institution or organization, a postdoc is a dedicated researcher, with specialized knowledge but flexible to explore other topics, often with lower a financial cost than a permanent employee.

The most common type of postdoc position is a research-focused position at an academic institution, but postdocs also exist in industry, government, non-profit, and other non-academic organizations.

Most postdocs are focused on research, but there are also opportunities in specialized areas such as technology transfer and policy at all types of organizations. Credit: https://orise.orau.gov/

Types of Postdocs

1. Academic Postdocs

Academic postdocs tend to be focused on research and the academic experience. A postdoc typically has a higher degree of freedom in determining the direction of their research than a PhD student.

Postdocs are often expected to secure grants (as lead principal investigators or collaborators) and teach courses in addition to completing research objectives and publishing results.

2. Industry Postdocs

Industry postdocs can vary significantly between organizations. Most have a focus on teamwork, while valuing independent thought and development.

A postdoc may be viewed as a “stepping stone” position, somewhere between an entry-level position and a higher-value research position… or it could be a distinguished staff scientist position with an opportunity for higher pay.

3. Government Postdocs

Government postdocs have some similarities with academic and industry postdocs. Like academic positions, there is often an expectation to publish a high number of manuscripts; however, the salary offered may be higher than that of an academic postdoc.

There may be fewer opportunities to write external grants, which could be a detriment to any future applications to an academic (especially tenure-track) position.

4. Non-profit Postdocs

Non-profit postdocs can offer a less traditional option with similar benefits to academic postdocs. The focus of a non-profit postdoc can cover any topic, from food scarcity to sports management.

There is likely a strong focus on grant writing and collaborative efforts, although possibly fewer opportunities to teach.

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What are Postdoctoral Fellowships?

Postdoctoral fellows and postdoctoral associates are appointed to the research staff where their primary goals are to extend their own education and experience. Although they hold a doctoral degree, they are not considered independent researchers and cannot serve as principal investigators.

Persons appointed to postdoctoral titles often participate in the research training of graduate students and sometimes teach informally. Although these are research titles, there are circumstances that permit teaching.

The humanities and other non-laboratory-based disciplines may use postdocs in the classroom as a form of scholarship.

Postdoctoral associates/fellows also may teach as a way of developing academic skills in anticipation of a faculty career, if the experience is formally mentored and appropriate attention continues to be devoted to development of the research program.

Postdoctoral associates/fellows must not be used to supplant the use of lecturers and senior lecturers in the curriculum. (Credit: https://theuniversityfaculty.cornell.edu/)

Postdoc vs Postdoctoral Fellowship

In general, both are same or different side of same coin. Postdocs are appointed with the title Postdoctoral Fellow or Postdoctoral Associate depending on the type and source of funding. Credit: https://postdocs.mit.edu/

How Much do Postdocs Make?

As of now, the average monthly pay for a Postdoc in the United States is $5,884 a month. However, in European Union the postdocs’ annual pay ranged from about €5,000 (US$5,668) to more than €70,000, with a median of €32,000.

How Long is a Postdoc?

Postdocs usually work on short-term contracts — typically two or three years at a time — but many find themselves in a long-term holding pattern as they look for permanent work such as faculty position in academic settings.

Should I do a Postdoc?

Many young scientists start a postdoc because they have no clue what they should do with their PhD. Some may think that a postdoc is a nice way of extending the student lifestyle for a few years. Others may consider it as an important additional training to qualify for industry positions.

Average Postdoc Salary

The average postdoc salary in the USA is $58,500 per year or $30 per hour. Entry level positions start at $50,072 per year while most experienced workers make up to $90,100 per year.

NIH Postdoc Salary 2022

UCSF Postdoc Salary 2022

Stanford Postdoc Salary 2022

UCLA Postdoc Salary 2022

MSKCC Postdoc Salary 2022

* Federal sources (salary could be supplemented with institutional and/or philanthropic funds)

UCSD Postdoc Salary 2022

Harvard Postdoc Salary 2022

MIT Postdoc Salary 2022

Yale Postdoc Salary 2022