Applications to the USA and Canada (unis - postdoc)

Grope

do you have hints on how to write your application to american and canadian universities as a post doctoral fellow?

i'm a biologist (biomedical research) and i'm currently writing my dissertation. i have a letter of recommendation and soon 4 to 5 publications with my name on it. hopefully two as first author early next year...

can you write unsolicited applications to profs? are there only positions that have been funded already?

in your letter of interest, are you being more honest and down-to-earth?
in germany you have exaggerate about yourself and tell how fantastic you and your skills are. i don't think it's appropriate to do that in american countries? keep it simple?

i'm really not sure how to do this. any help would be appreciated

is it like in europe?

1) letter of interest
2) CV including publications
3) letter of recommendation including three reference contacts
4) diploma, reports and references

any need for project ideas and schedules?

at last: are there a website for jobs and open positions in the usa and canada? they have that in germany and it's really a big help. most universities advertise their open potions on a website (like www.jobvector.de)

fishmongerfunk

paging big stacks and mannybolone

Big_Stacks

Hey Grope,

You have pretty much listed all of the information a search committee/department would need to determine whether to hire you as a post-doc. In our (US-based) School (consisting of HR and Labor departments), a number of people apply directly to say the department chair (or a specific professor) indicating interest in doing their post-doc in said department. So, as I see it, you can apply formally to post-doc job listings, but also seek out a post through informal channels. In making the case for hiring you, I encourage you to play up your strengths, accomplishments, potential contributions to the department (e.g., grant monies you have currently or can acquire, collaborations with current faculty and doctoral students, etc.), and also provide some idea of your project trajectories. I suggest going to the job page of the Chronicles in Higher Education (Jobs Page of Chronicles in Higher Education) to search out post-doc opportunities. I wish you well in your pursuit.

Peace,

Big Stacks from Kakalak

Grope

thank you very much. that helped

bluesnag

I am in mathematics in the U.S., and for our job applications (for postdocs, etc) we also have to include a research statement, summarizing our research so far and the direction we intend to take it, as well as a brief teaching statement (basically one-page philosophy of teaching). I have no idea if those things are expected or encouraged for applications in other sciences.

I do know that, unlike in mathematics (and perhaps unlike in Big Stacks' field), in the laboratory sciences folks often apply to post-docs to particular labs rather than particular departments. That is, post-docs are often funded by someone's grant, rather than the department (like in mathematics, most of the time), and so the lab with which the grant is associated is who is really doing the post-doc hiring. I had several friends who graduated in chemistry, and they got post-docs at certain labs, positions which they found out about through their PhD adviser.

In terms of websites for jobs, again, my only experience is math, but the main resources for that in mathematics is mathjobs.org. I would not be surprised if there was something similar for Biology if you do a web search. Another resource for me is the American Mathematical Society website for employment. I would imagine a similar Society for Biology exists and lists employment opportunities.

Good luck!

Big_Stacks

Grope said:

thank you very much. that helped

Hey Grope,

You're welcome, and I'm glad that I could be of service to you. Also, Bluesnag gave some fantastics suggestions, so you should be on your way to a great post-doc. Best of luck, my man!!!

Peace,

Big Stacks from Kakalak

Grope

thank you so much! i appreciate your answers. thanks bluesnag. thanks Big_Stacks.

sounds promising.

in germany, you have to apply for already funded positions. which is really terrible because you have to fit in perfectly in the project. most of the times, the advertised jobs are highly specified. i feel that 99% of those jobs are already gone internally. but since the government is giving the money, the positions are still being advertised... it's quite frustrating. i like the idea to apply to labs and profs directly. i know where i would fit in best and would be able to include my expertise. plus, the US and Canadian unis are so much more professional!!!

if anyone of you is a biologist physician in his/her post-doc/research position... i can highly recommend to apply as a junior prof or group leader in germany ;-)
i had the luck to have insight into the programs and the fund raising. in germany, it's super easy to get money and start your own group! with a few publications and experience as a group leader you are being considered a superstar. the project description you have to turn in for the applications at the government programs or foundations is more or less a joke and the fund raising is super fast. my prof wrote terrible project descriptions and still got the money. our junior prof had to do almost nothing for a 5 year contract.

so go for it ;-) many german profs that work in the US come back here because it's so easy to get your money. being an experienced researcher that is!

Soul Zilla

Your board name is Grope. Not sure what that means in German or if it is a nickname or what. But in English that is a very undesirable name to post under. Hope that you don't use that handle at a University in the West because it has a negative connotation attached to it. Whenever it is used in conversation it usually is in the context of a vulgar or perverted action. Just thought I would let you know. Also stay away from "Fondle" and "Molest".

Grope

very funny... ;)