Post doc proposal
To primary to secondary →blog→landing your tenure track job→the postdoc app: how it’s different and the next few months i will be posting the “best of the best” professor is in blog posts on the job market, for the benefit of all those girding their loins for the 2013-2014 market. Has come to my attention that many junior people do not have a clear picture in their minds of the requirements of a postdoc treat it too much like the job application. Yet many of the same principles the purposes of this post, i’m going to assume that the postdoc application is requiring a cover letter, a 4 page research proposal, a description of a proposed course, and a brief statement articulating how you will participate in the scholarly community of the campus. While not all postdocs will require this exact set of documents, by discussing these here, we can address the major requirements, expectations, and potential pitfalls of the typical postdoc application effort. I will take them in cover letter will be very similar to your job cover letter as explained in this post. In all of this first part, the relevance of your work to the stated mission of the postdoc will be emphasized clearly. If your topic is mexican women immigrant workers, then for a gender postdoc, you will emphasize how the phenomenon reflects changing gender relations at home or abroad; for a globalization postdoc, you will emphasize how the phenomenon reflects changing labor mobility globally; for a latin american studies postdoc, you will emphasize how the phenomenon reflects new economic circumstances in mexico. This tailoring requires an original recasting or reframing of your work to meet the mission of the postdoc! Failure to do this reframing means failure to get the the discussion of research, the postdoc app letter will specifically discuss the plan of work for the postdoc year–ie, month by month, what new research and revisions will be will then include a very brief discussion of teaching experience (much shorter than for a regular job cover letter), followed by a discussion of the proposed class required by the postdoc, and how the proposed class will also advance the mission of the , in place of the typical tailoring paragraph, the letter will conclude with a brief paragraph explaining how the research and writing time of the postdoc will be used, how the scholarly community on campus will advance the project, and how the candidate will participate in said scholarly community. The letter will be no more than 2 pages principle in operation here—and the one that too many applicants don’t seem to grasp—is that the campus is funding this expensive postdoc not so some random academic can come and sit in an office and write for a year, but rather, to “buy” the energy, contributions, and participation of an additional world-class scholar to their campus community for the period of that year. As in all research proposals you will want to open by proving the importance and urgency of your topic. Karen template, you will construct the proposal as hero narrative, with yourself in the role of may follow the foolproof grant template all the way through to the point where it breaks off into things like budget and methodology. The point of a postdoc research proposal is to, first, articulate an important and significant project, and second, articulate a coherent and feasible plan of work. It is this second element that most applicants fail to er: the postdoc is not there to serve you, you are there to serve the postdoc. The postdoc wants to be in the line, in the footnote, “this research was supported by generous funding from xxxxx. The postdoc committee is going to judge the applications based on how likely it is that the applicant is going to efficiently and effectively use the time on campus to complete a specified set of publications. Research you will conduct, and when, what book chapters you will complete, and when, and what journal articles you will finish and submit, and will conclude this document with a strong and expansive conclusion that clearly shows how the postdoc year will play into your larger scholarly and career trajectory as a world-class scholar. Because the postdoc wants to get part of the fame and glory that attaches to you as you move ahead in the cs are in the business of supporting the next generation of leaders in the scholarly world. Be aware that the vast majority of postdoc applications are written by the ed class description. Point of vast confusion among postdoc applicants seems to be how to pitch the required class. That means, they want a highly specialized course, that reflects the postdoc’s unique and distinctive scholarly program. The final choice for how to pitch the course will hinge on the climate of the department and the campus, and the postdoc mission itself—if it’s an asian area studies postdoc, then you’d prioritize se asia, if it’s a gender postdoc, then you’d prioritize global sexualities, if it’s a transnational studies postdoc, then you’d prioritize queer globalizations. The tailoring happens ent of participation in campus ’s what the postdoc committee does not want: someone who arrives, walks into their allotted office, and is never seen again for the rest of the year. The proper stance here is that of a colleague who brings her own dynamic field of expertise to the campus, and who looks forward to energetic and innovative interactions with the colleagues sum, remember that, no matter how much you need that postdoc to get your book written, the postdoc is not there to serve you. You are there to serve the postdoc, but as a first-rank, world-class scholar and specialist in your field whose work speaks directly—directly—to the mission of the postdoc. By virtue of your energy and brilliance, you cause the postdoc committee to pick you, out of all the competitors, to spend the year on their campus, sharing your work, and augmenting their teaching and intellectual profile and advancing their scholarly cause. Remember, make them want advice– and also great insight into the expectations for those who are fortunate to have a postdoc position! I’m currently applying for postdocs here in australia, and your tips have been really useful so far! Was wondering if you could comment specifically on how to pitch the research proposal aspect of the postdoc in a way that is both different from but still speaks to your dissertation research.
I am having trouble understanding how to manage the fact that i still will be publishing articles and working on turning my dissertation into a book, and yet they are asking for a research proposal that is distinct from that. Especially for a field like anthropology where “research” typically means a fieldwork project (yet postdocs aren’t fieldwork grants) i’m curious about what to say. I find myself re-explaining my dissertation research and i’m worried i’m not making enough of a distinction between dissertation and postdoc research. Wonder this as well, is it understood that most people don’t tackle the “next project” until later in the post doc as they are still dealing with their first project even thoug that was the project they pitched? I sometimes lose track of comments and queries on the blog, when a large number come for different posts at the same is the answer. In most cases, in the humanities and social sciences, what a one year postdoc calls “research” is in fact the transformation of your dissertation into a book or series of articles. This is not the case for science postdocs, so for information on those, please seek advice of specialists in your field. Many postdocs have a light teaching load and some limited research funding precisely to offer you the opportunity to do a bit more research in the archives or your field site, perhaps over winter break or a short visit, but it is understood that this is merely to augment the research you have already done for the dissertation. You will mention this in the 4-page proposal as precisely that—a short-term research stint to provide you with needed materials to complete your revisions of chapter 4, for example, or to form the basis of a new final chapter, the postdoc is a two year postdoc, then the situation changes to some extent. Then, typically, your research proposal will clearly articulate a plan not merely for completing the new manuscript(s), but also submitting them to presses/journals. Weird things happen when cutting and pasting, so i find handling it post-paste is often the simplest (as always) sounds like great advice! Thing you said made me think of a tangential question: how should a postdoc initiate casual meetings to get to know individual faculty members? The postdoc announcement calls for “a statement of interest, curriculum vitae, sample publications, and three letters of recommendation. Ing a research proposal be too much to include with the standard 2-page cover letter? I plan to apply for postdocs, but i am in research transition and my new research is not related at all to my past research. Postdocs go to more junior people, typically, and you’d be unlikely to get one. Because there are very few jobs in my area and i would like to work in a related, but different, discipline, i am considering a postdoc to get the training that i would need to do so. Am curious how you would adjust the postdoc cover letter to cater for a postdoc fellowship that is working on someone else’s project. Was accepted as an academic visitor (3-12 months) in warwick by a professor there who asked me to propose my own idea, secure my own funding and he will supervise and support my government offers postdoc fellowships and i’m supposed to submit a proposal, get warwick approval, then send it to them to get the funding. Never wrote a postdoctoral proposal before and made a lot of research and came to the conclusion that it ranges from something like a graduate research proposal, to something with cover letter, and budget. Think in my case it’s sufficient to have a 4-page research proposal, including the abstract, intro (state-of-the-art, limitations), objectives, work plan (methodology, timeline), and references. I’ve read the comments and questions above, some imply that postdoc is intended as a continuation of parts of the phd work into books chapters and articles. Does that mean my proposal can include my future plans i had in my thesis? Understanding seems to be accurate—but generally any postdoc competition will be very clear about the required docs and their length! So check that thoroughly and don’t hesitate to call someone at the agency to proposal must reflect the work you’ll actually do during the funded period. If your previous phd work can be brought to completion with time left over, then the proposal should clearly indicate what new research you’ll be of the post-docs i’m applying to requires the following application materials:A detailed statement of research interests and teaching methods. Writing sample of 20-30 ed proposals for the two courses mentioned letters of is the “detailed statement of research interests and teaching methods”? The best piece of writing i have that directly relates to my research proposal and is under the 40 page limit is a combination of two chapters of my dissertation. I am a bit con fused that shall my proposal aim at doing something new or i aim or concentarte on the aspect of my research which i think needs further unfolding.
Pleae let me thanks the blog has cleared many other confusions i had in post!!! I am trying to write a proposal and tried the link above for the template to sort of get me started but it is not working. He is looking for a postdoc and we have had a very nice chat, so after experssing my interest in his work he asked me to submit a detailed cv and a (statement of work). I came to understand from him is that i should submit a project proposal, provide a summar of my skills and explain how would i fit in their question is how detailed should the statement of work be? If you’re putting a project proposal, summary of skills, and a brief statement of fit, then that could certainly be 4-5 doublespaced pages you again for the speedy i honestly do not know if i should submit a detailed proposal, since the prof. A cover letter with an indication of (and justification for) the level of support requested” means (the application is for a visiting scholar fellowship, suitable also for postdocs) ? In europe, most of postdoc app require the candidate to demonstrate “how you meet the criteria of the post” (generally there is a list of essential and desire criteria), rather than a research proposal, or teaching statement i still need to do project and teaching plan or i can just “show” them how i have met the general, the postdoc/direction topic is already given when they advertised the advice for this type of application? M applying for a post-doc that specifically asks for a bibliography as part of the (3,000 word) research statement. The ad for the postdoc i’m applying to asks for a research statement of no more than 2000 words, without specifying whether or not i should include bibliography in those 2000 words. Blbio will not count against the word for the information here, it has really been helpful in getting my post-doc applications together . There are no deadlines per se, the lab websites only request post-doc applicants to write to the pi. Appreciate your post and have an atypical query i was wondering if you could answer? I then did a post doc from 2006-11 but finances cut so my position was eliminated…that would be fine but my marraige was going south as we had a new child an i was working hard to save that, had a trauma based degenerative issue requiring several surgeries, my father died at 59 in a protracted death in 2011 which i spent with him blah blah. The post doc position i am applying for includes a question of “advantages of doing post doc at the university”. Wonder if there is any difference in applying for so-called “teaching post-docs,” where the aim is to support the post-doc as s/he increases his/her teaching experience, with some research being expected but not specified… in fact, the one i’m thinking of doesn’t even want a research outline, just a cover letter and cv! I had no idea on how to apply for a post doc, but i followed your suggestions and not only did i get the job, my application was very complimented! Have a bad experience when i sent a comprehensive research proposal with full technical details of my own idea to one of the “great” professors in one of the top east coast universities. My application was rejected and the professor said he is not interested in my proposal. I am considering applying for another lab, with another topic and proposal, but i afraid if the same experience question is, if i don’t send a proposal and just send a cover letter including my research interests would be workable? Have just come across this blog post as well as your previous one for crafting cover letters for academic positions. Apologize if you’ve dealt with this in other comments, there are just so many comments because of the fantastic quality of your posts. It possible to sound too far along with turning your diss into a book for a postdoc? I’m applying for several 3-year postdocs, and they generally say that typically the first 2 years are devoted to turning the diss into a book and the 3rd year to a new book project. I finished my diss over a year ago, am in conversation with a major press about publication, and ideally plan to send them the manuscript for review next summer, before the postdoc would start. So there are a number of ways i could lay out my 3-yr postdoc research plan. But are postdoc search committees more interested in your first than your second book, in terms of their place in your acknowledgments, etc? I am abd in anthropology, finishing in june, and currently applying for two 3-year postdocs. Should i assume (and write into the proposal) that i can travel and collect data in the summer and analyze during the year? I’m currently applying for a post-doc that does *not* ask for a cover letter, but it does ask for a “personal statement” of 2000 words “outlining their completed research (including dissertation), work in progress, professional goals and plans for publication, and any other information relevant to their candidacy.
In this case, would you suggest combining the first few paragraphs of a standard job letter with a more detailed research proposal (as outlined above)? I’ve been drafting a letter that goes into teaching for my 2nd & 3rd paragraphs, then goes on to discuss dissertation and research that i plan to pursue in the 4th you in advance for your i need different letters of recommendation for postdocs and job applications? Karen has insight on the “personal statement,” which is required by many post-docs and dissertation year fellowships? I’m currently working on two post-doc applications, for example, that ask for statements of research, teaching philosophy, and a “personal statement. As both of these are minority post-docs, i’m tempted to infer that they want applicants to tell them stories about overcoming racism/sexism, and how these struggles inform their research. Personal statement is a constant headache, and i don’t yet have a post on it, although i definitely will when i’m back to blogging (or in the book that i’m writing). I showed a draft to my advisor & she indicated that i needed more specifics about what i expected out of the postdoc than the personal related narrative. Also have a quick question that is related to the ps or rather, via ps, to the diversity postdoc positions. One of the conditions i negotiated was being able to postpone my start date for a post-doc. I was wondering if you had any strong feelings about whether or not to include this new job in my post-doc application as i’ve received mixed advice from my dissertation committee and colleagues. Stumbled across this website the other day while searching for tips on writing job and post doc applications. Writers of successful proposals will be asked to later submit a longer application that includes g sample–but not a more detailed proposal–for the final selection process). Karen, i am a finalist for a postdoc and i have a skype interview scheduled. Is there a major difference between preparing for a postdoc skype interview and a tenure track one? All the regular interviewing rules apply (read all my posts on interviewing) but you’ll be focused on the specific things to be accomplished during the postdoc term, and in terms of teaching–only the course or courses that are required under the postdoc (if any). I was pretty stressed that i dont have a chance to be accepted there, but reading your post helped me to make sure i have done my best in preparing a cover letter which speaks of my experience and presents my personality well. Can you advise me on writing a cover letter to a post-doc positon, where its research is new for me, and not connected to my previous researches. I am currently writing an application for a philosophy postdoc and find some parts of it rather difficult (btw, it is a pure research position, which is a good thing because i do not have the people skills to be a teacher, even “participation” is a stretch for me). Writing articles the cdn front postdocs are highly centralised (mostly done through the federal tri-council online application system). On this end proposals are evaluated independently (and paid from govt funds) and we can choose where to hold them (assuming that department is willing to host us). The relative enthusiasm of the department that would host you is also important (and sussing out what kind of space they have for you, whether they will have other postdocs, what kinds of opportunities there may be). Is really helpful to hear – i am in the process of preparing my sshrc postdoc application and trying to understand what aspects seem to really count. I am applying for a one year postdoc in social sciences which puts particularly emphasis on the training it offers to develop skills for future academic career. A 2 pages “academic career statement” and a 2 pages “research proposal” are among the requested documents. M applying for a postdoc that requires both a research proposal (and assumes that you’ll be revising your dissertation into a book manuscript) and a dissertation abstract. With this in mind, i’m unsure of what “problem” i should highlight in the proposal–the one geared for the manuscript, or the one that drove the dissertation. About the cover letter for cover letter you state: “after the discussion of research, the postdoc app letter will specifically discuss the plan of work for the postdoc year–ie, month by month, what new research and revisions will be made. The end of the letter you say: “lastly, in place of the typical tailoring paragraph, the letter will conclude with a brief paragraph explaining how the research and writing time of the postdoc will be used, how the scholarly community on campus will advance the project, and how the candidate will participate in said scholarly community. Am wondering if there is a distinction between “research and writing time” and plan for the postdoc year re: research and revisions?
Am currently applying for a 3-year post-doc at a university with two faculty members whose research and theory has been very influential on my own. Is it appropriate in a research proposal to mention that i would welcome interaction with these scholars, or does that sound too grad-studenty? The online application does not accommodate a cover postdoc proposals will have a paragraph on contributions to/interactions with the faculty and 3-yr. Postdoc i am applying to requires just a single, 3,000 words or less personal statement that summarizes everything (it’s a nightmare to write). I recently applied for a mellon post-doc at uoft, i did not, however, know about this page before. I’m applying for a post-doc that is specifically focused on conducting archival research for a broader project (in the humanities). This seems to be a lot different than many of the post-docs i’ve seen. Have a question about writing the research proposal for a research postdoc in which the plan is to turn the dissertation into a book. I know you very helpfully outlined this already in your comments, but i’m trying to tease apart the differences in how the dissertation is presented in the cover letter and the research proposal in this case. M wondering whether it is (a) better to focus more heavily on the content of the dissertation in the paragraph in the cover letter and then refer to that in the research proposal, or (b) whether to be more brief in the cover letter and go into the details of the dissertation in regards to how it will be turned into a book in the research proposal. I guess what i’m asking is in this case, since the research proposal is about the dissertation + new/additional research for additional chapters, how do you recommend avoiding being too redundant when talking about the dissertation in both the cover letter & research proposal. I just completed my phd in creative writing and am contemplating to apply for two year postdoctoral research in europe. Make a two year proposal and in the first year work on the publications from my theoretical phd exegesis; then embark on creation of another novel in a second year? Is it appropriate so to speak “step back” into the past study during the postgraduate research? Make a fresh proposal for a new novel and the theoretical exegesis and start all over? Forward to hearing from thing to keep in mind in 2014: a few departments (such as the one i am teaching in) have begun pitching the post-doc to the administration as the more humane alternative to an adjunct or series of adjuncts. Therefore we are seeing more post-docs expecting a 1/2 or 2/2 teaching load as well as research and publication requirements. If your post-doc ad wants you to teach more than the one course, it’s probably best to assume that you are replacing a lost tenure track line, and that teaching is really going to is valuable insight. M working on a postdoc application right now that asks only for a letter, cv, writing sample, and references. The postdoc is heavily focused on raising the department profile (so thanks for your discussion of that in your post! It seems like quite a lot of information to squeeze into two pages, and i don’t want to shortchange any of the requirements or my research proposal. I am told it is impossible to get a post doc in north america due to the number of yours spent outside academics since 2012. Find your blog of much help and i am following your rules to tailor a good postdoc application. However, i am partecipating to a call for a postdoc position that requires a project of only three pages. Karen’s foolproof grant template and i think i achieved a good proposal but i do not have any space left for a proposed timetable/timeline. Have a question about the academic career statement that is required to apply for a post-doc. M not sure what you mean by career statement, but docs for postdocs are not written as letters unless there is specifically a cover letter requested as part of the ck: apply for a hep postdoc position 2015 | ?? Following your general postdoc guidelines, i made a case for how my work both fits with what they already offer and injects some new blood. Would really appreciate your views on how to approach a potential mentor for post-doctoral research under some form of affiliation if no funding available.
I wonder what sort of cover letter is appropriate to ask for post-doc support and whether to include a detailed research proposal. Any suggestions welcome, thank you very much for this very useful and helpful blog post, and for your very useful book. For two applications, they request me to submit a cv and a research proposal, but no cover letter. I decided to ‘integrate’ a cover letter in the research proposal (400 words over the 1500 requested for the research proposal). Two positions are fellowship where we can join as pre- or postdoc, and they main ‘obligation’ to the fellows is to publish/complete a writing over the year, either completing a chapter as pre-doc, or publishing the phd as postdoc, or write and publish an article. They ask for a 1500 words research proposal, i allocated 500 words to the publication of my thesis, giving some details on its content but mainly focusing on why i should have it published and why this publication is needed and timely, and then 9 have about 700 words and on a new project, for which i clearly state that it will be a long-run project to be completed over several year and i intend solely to initiate it during the postdoc and participate in conferences to present it. May be i could argue this will then constitute a good asset for my future ‘world class career’ as you mentioned in the blog post? Wish you a nice you so much for your work – it has been so helpful to me as i navigate the stressful job and postdoc application process. Have a specific question about how to format the documents for one postdoc in particular. Incidentally, there is no cover letter requested with this you for the post, i found it useful. I’m not sure if you are checking comments on this post anymore, but just in case, i have a question. I am working on my application for a post-doc position that asks for a “a 3-5 page (double-spaced) statement of research interest/research proposal. The research proposal that you’ve outlined here, that sort of resembles a grant proposal? Karen, a word of thanks for the tips and advises on how to compile a postdoc application. I hope to apply for a postdoc and the tips you shared here have been ant post, edgy and very informative. Couple of small suggestions:– the link to the ‘writing the cover letter’ post seems to be broken, though i found it through a site search. M so glad you wrote this post since i’m about to write said proposal and have no idea. I am applying to a humanities postdoc that asks for two courses: one, an introduction to a topic of my choice for first and second-year students from different fields, and the second, a more advanced seminar in my own discipline aimed at juniors and seniors in my host post above recommends designing a specific course that bears a clear relationship to your diss work, while speaking to a broader field. I am considering proposing an introductory lecture on film & media theory (my field), which i do not see offered in any of the university’s departments (but they do state film as one of the fields appropriate for the postdoc). M currently in the process of applying for a post-doc at a major r1 three years after the doctorate. My current position does not grant me the time or resources to commit to this project to the same degree a post-do would. Also i read elsewhere “include potential funding partners”, is it requirement to find a funding source to apply a postdoc? 10-module, self-guided course, all-online, available anytime 24/7, that walks you step by step through the planning, info-gathering, writing, and editing of your academic job cover up for the professor's newsletter "the truth zone" for exclusive posts and strator -university advisors and good proposals and te student to build your tenure to choose and manage to do to get grants and to write academic job cover ational et and social g your tenure track job market illness and -ac free-lancing and small ng–an excellent /gender/s & postac gizing your success in ing assistant ng and research /life balance in g , you can: women in second and third uk job market, part iii: “i beg your pardon, but may i have this job? Monday: brows get their own post, because of course they g presentable on webcam – a guest monday: all about uk job market part ii: research by numbers, or the 3about usabout stration & ment ies & in the ch & 2for faculty & stafffaculty & staff home ic personnel ory of 1for studentsstudents’ home ory of te and postdoctoral outgraduate studentspostdocsfaculty & / graduate and postdoctoral studies / graduate students / research ration and degree ch trackingwriting research te research te policies and tips for writing your research proposal. Break down your proposal into point form before writing your first on the total length of the proposal, decide whether you will have headings/subheadings and what they will be (e. Use clear, plain language and avoid sure your proposal is free of typographic and grammatical er that, at every level, adjudication committees are multi-disciplinary and will include researchers in fields other than your ore, follow the kis principle – keep it simple! Your proposal so that it is tight, well-integrated, and makes a point, focused on a central question (e. On the discipline, a tight proposal is often best achieved by having a clear hypothesis or research objective and by structuring the research proposal in terms of an important problem to be solved or fascinating question to be answered. The more diverse opinion and criticism you receive on your proposal the better suited it will be for a multi-disciplinary audience.
Remember that nothing is set in research proposal is not a binding document; it is a proposal. It is well understood by all concerned that the research you end up pursuing may be different from that in your d of treating your proposal as a final, binding document, think of it as a flexible way to plan an exciting (but feasible) project that you would like to ment and university te and postdoctoral administration building. 3about usabout stration & ment ies & in the ch & 2for faculty & stafffaculty & staff home ic personnel ory of 1for studentsstudents’ home ory of te and postdoctoral outgraduate studentspostdocsfaculty & / graduate and postdoctoral studies / graduate students / research ration and degree ch trackingwriting research te research te policies and tips for writing your research proposal.