Here are my tips for applying for post-docs from an international student’s perspective:
Generally speaking, there are two types of post-docs: one funded by Principal Investigator through a grant and the other funded by external funding (e.g., NIH, NSF, University-wide fellowship/scholarship). Unfortunately, there are very few government-funded opportunities for international students. Based on my “homework,” K99/R00 is the only one that does not require US citizenship. However, K99/R00 is highly competitive and tend to fund senior post-docs. International students could apply but should expect the application process to be lots of effort and low chances to get it.
Besides the government-funded post-doc program, there are university-wide fellowships/scholarships, which offer more opportunities for international students. The one I received is called Inequality in America Initiative Post-Doc Program funded by Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. A university-funded post-doc program usually posts its positions in the listserv. BUT, sometimes, they might not. The Harvard post-doc position I got was not posted in a listserv, or at least I did not receive it. I knew the position because I have been watching for Harvard University (and Dr. Mahzarin Banaji) for almost half a year. So, the take-home message here is to always keep an eye on the University/department announcement of open positions.
Another common way is to apply for funds under the name of the professor you want to work through non-government (private) organizations, such as John Templeton Foundation or William T Grant Foundation (or others relevant to your field). For example, the William T Grant Foundation focuses on reducing inequality in youth outcomes. Students are usually not eligible to apply as PI. The typical way is to apply with the professor whom you want to work with. The agreement is that if granted, your post-doc salary and benefits would be supported by the grant. I applied for the William T Grant Foundation with a professor at Yale but did not get it.
My very first tip is to start as early as possible. What to start? Create an excel sheet compiling the professors you want to work with. I started creating my sheet in my second year, listing the names in my field. When attending conferences, I usually go to their talks and approach them personally, not talking about post-doc positions but discussing their research. This gave me ideas about their research style, personality, recent funding or research work, and mentoring style (sometimes!)
You should approach prof(s) 1 year before you decided on your defense date. By the end of my third year, I started to approach the prof(s) listed in my excel sheet. You don’t have to start at the end of your third year; the idea is to start one or one and a half years before your defense. The main reason is that first, you want to know ahead of time whether the prof(s) have funding available and whether you need to apply for the external or private fund. Second, certain funding agencies have rigid deadlines, and you don’t want to miss them. You won’t know about the details until you ask. You might also want to avoid putting yourself in the middle of nowhere. The idea is that if you did not get a post-doc position, you, at least, want to be enrolled in your Ph.D. program. I think most universities have funding for the 5th, or 6th year, such as dissertation award (ask your department chair).
I approached three professors that ranked #1, #2, and #3 on my list. I approached #1 first, and then #2, #3, one after another, instead of simultaneously. People might have different ideas, but I think approaching too many professors at the same time is not good, especially when some of them work very closely. When I approached the three professors, I was also explicit about the fact that I applied to work with other professors and that I hope they could understand.
Get your thesis ready as early as possible. I think a good way to avoid chaos is to get your thesis out of your way when you are applying for post-doc positions. Why? Applying for post-doc is not only about getting your research statement, CV ready but also means preparing for interviews, job talks. It is not uncommon that some PIs would like to invite you to visit the campus and give a job talk. At least, this is what I have been asked. Get your thesis ready and prepare your 1-, 5-, 10-, 30-, 60-minute research talk (and slides) ! ALL THE TIME!
Miao Qian
Post-doctoral fellow
Harvard University
Sep 20, 2019
