1. “Getting that first post-doc”
Jane Endicott
Professor of Cancer Structural Biology
(With thanks to Professor Anthony Moorman, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology for the slide set)

2. Overview of session Negotiating the academic career pathway
Selecting the right post-doc for you
Applying for the job
Questions

3. The dream

4. The reality

5. Career pathway of PhD graduates

6. More and more competition!

7. Academic Career Pathway
PhD Student
Tenured Academic Position
Research Technician / Assistant / Associate
Post-doc
Independent Researcher
Fellowship
Team Scientist
Lecturer
Senior Lecturer
Professor

8. Get a five year plan Where do you want to be in five years?
Fellowship
Joint application on grant
Expert in particular technique / field
Lecturing
Industry
How are you going to get?
Which elements will this post-doc fulfil?
What else do you need to do?

9. Get a mentor

10. Seek out other sources of advice
Peer support groups
Talk to visiting speakers (organised postdoc/student sessions after talks),
Colleagues at meetings
Journal web ages (E.g, Nature Career Column, see "Six project-management tips for your PhD” and
“Twenty things I wish I’d known when I started my PhD” as examples of recent relevant articles”
Colleagues at meetings.
Journal career columns (Eg. two recent articles in the Nature Career Column “Twenty things I wish I’d known when I started my PhD”) and “Six project-management tips for your PhD ”

11. Laying the foundations of a good CV
Finish your PhD on time
Publications
First author > Joint first author > Second author
Techniques (quantify)
Basic
State-of-the-art
Present research at conferences
Spoken / Platform presentation
Poster presentation
International > National > Local
Outreach, Impact and Public understanding of Science
Make the most of in-house training courses (formal training in methods, presentation, writing, management, being a mentor/supervisor)
Networking

12. Networking
It's not what you know but who you know that makes the difference. [Anon]
It isn't just what you know, and it isn't just who you know. It's actually who you know, who knows you, and what you do for a living. [Bob Burg]

13. Networking Make yourself known Attend conferences
Talk to PIs etc in your institute
Accept any invitation to meet external speakers
Do “research in progress” talks. Prepare well in advance.
Attend conferences
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Introduce yourself to leaders in the field
Ask your supervisor(s) to introduce you
If you have a poster make sure to display on time and for full length of time. Be in attendance during “poster” sessions.
Use conferences as ways to gauge where a field is going, hear potential supervisors speak- think ahead

14. External Fellowships
UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships:
See long-term, flexible, comprehensive package including fellow's salary and justified research, staff and training costs. Seven years of support available on a 4+3 model, with a review in year four. Host institution support essential.
MRC support
Wellcome Trust: Sir Henry Wellcome, Sir Henry Dale, Research Career re-entry, Seed /Springboard Awards
Other Charities.
Landscape is changing!

15. Newcastle Fellowships
Currently two main research fellowship schemes for outstanding post-doctoral scientists: Faculty Fellowships for early career scientists and Newcastle University Research Fellowships (NURF) for early to mid-career scientists. Fellows will be based in one of the following Institutes.
See
Landscape is changing!

16. Goals for your first-doc?
First author publications
Experience of grant preparation / writing
Learning new techniques/skills including management and people skills
Teaching experience – didactic/lab-based, UG

19. Selecting the right post-doc
In the same field or something different?
Technique driven/biology driven?
Start looking early- (i) you need some time to consider possibilities and giving yourself enough time to read around the subject; (ii) the best labs fill positions quickly (iii) try to attend meetings where you can hear your potential group leader speak
Explore bringing your own funding
“Should I stay or should I go”
But be careful Very important decision

20. Assessing a potential position (1)
Are they ....
... leaders in the field?
... the next big thing?
... journeymen?
... the weakest link?
What is environment like?
What would make you attractive to them?
Aim as high as possible
Look up the RAE (REF) rating of university/department/unit
Literature search – including citation index
Money
How much have they got and from where
Cross reference their website from funders’ websites

21. Assessing a potential position (2)
Group metrics / dynamics
Who is publishing as first author / corresponding author?
Size of group
Ratio of senior : junior staff
Clinically active heads of lab
Who do they collaborate with?
Website PLUS publications
Use your contacts to gather informal information

22. Preparing your CV Clear & Concise Divide into sections Publications
Qualifications (including training courses)
Research Skills
Be honest, Quantify, Official training
Other skills (e.g. languages etc)
Meetings / Conferences
Presentations
Publications
Mission / Personal Statements

23. Applying for a position
Do not apply cold.
Contact PI in advance. Ask questions about project and team.
Read their papers.
Try to find project application via funder website.
Covering letter
Write, re-write, re-write and re-write

24. Interview
Smart dress
Don’t bullshit!

25. Interview (cont’d) Be prepared to …. Ask some questions
Give a brief interesting overview of PhD – contextualise
Discuss research interests of PI offering the job
What your ideal next experiment would be if there were no financial or logistical problems.
Describe how did you trouble-shoot a technical problem
How you approach writing your first author paper
Ask some questions
Research related
What have former post-docs gone on to do?
Teaching opportunities

26. Final thoughts