Beyond the Post-Doc….

Dr Oscar CesDepartment of ChemistryImperial College LondonUK

What will employers be looking for on a CV?

The more things you can tick off in this figure the less you have to prove.......

Publication Track RecordObvious....

1.Quantity and quality

2.Impact factor/citations

3.First authorships (or joint)

4.Corresponding author (or joint)

5.Patents...often overlooked but emphasize novelty of your research• Talk to IC Innovations• Protect before you publish!! (talks/presentations/web/non-IC staff)

Some journals have specific sections where you can specify each persons contribution (e.g. Science and Nature); make sure your contribution is acknowledged.

6. Conference presentations

Refereeing papers/proposals

Teaching

1. Tutorials or small group teaching

2. Lab demonstrating (+help design an experiment)

3. Undergraduate project supervision (BSc/MSci/UROP/Socrates)

4. MRes/PhD supervision

5. Lecturing (e.g. Masters module?)

Teaching-Training

Post-doc Development Centre offers excellent resources

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/staffdevelopment/postdocs1/workshops

Courses that cover everything from PhD student supervision to small group teaching to grant writing

Excellent qualityFreeLooks good on CV-shows you are pro-active and might mean you don’t have to do them somewhere else.

Independence-Fellowships

• College has generated list of a wide variety (+50) of Fellowships for PDRAs at different levels.

http://www5.imperial.ac.uk/naturalsciences/researchinfo/

Does not cover university specific fellowships at other institutions (equivalent to IC JRFs

• There is no fellowship season-run all year round.

• Don’t just apply once-learning experience (ask for feedback)

• Start early-some fellowships such as EPSRC Postdoctoral Fellowship require no PDRA experience

• Get other PDRAs/academics to read your application. No matter how experienced someone else’s viewpoint can be crucial.

• Be bold-current climate is very competitive and “safe” may not sell.

Name Weblink Details

BBSRC David Phillips Fellowships http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/fellowships/david_phillips.html

Up to 10 per year. Scientists with 2-6 years postdoc experience

EMBO Long term fellowships http://www.embo.org/fellowships/long_term.html 2 year awards for recent PhD

EPSRC Postdoctoral fellowships http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/CallsForProposals/PostdoctoralFellowshipsCall2008.htm(5) in Theoretical Physics (supported by the Physical Sciences Programme.(5) Theoretical Computer Science.(7) Mathematical Sciences(10) Postdoc Fellowships at Life Sciences Interface (supported by the Cross-Disciplinary Interfaces Programme, C-DIP)

Recently completed PhD. Award is for a period of up to 3 years

EPSRC Career Acceleration fellowships

http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/CallsForProposals/CAF2009.htm Researchers with 3-10 years postdoc experience

Humboldt Fellowships http://www.avh.de/en/programme/ Encourages international collaboration. Awards range from young postdocs to established academics

Imperial College Junior Research Fellowships

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/juniorresearchfellowships 2-4 years postdoctoral experience with support of a sponsor at Imperial College

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships

http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/grants_awards/grants/early_career_fellowships/

Under 35

This is a small selection.....

Grants• Not just for lecturers• Publication track record does not necessarily prove you can

get your research funded-one of the big unknowns when hiring someone

• Many mechanisms for PDRAs to apply for research funding

(1) Appear as a co-researcher on a research council grant– Acknowledges your contribution to the grant writing process– Includes a salary contribution (minimum 50%, up to 100%)– Not the same as a named researcher– Effectively says you are a Co-I but because of your contract status

can’t appear as a Co-I– Need to discuss with PI as appearing on the grant as a co-researcher

has a cost implication for the grant

• Appear on the RCUK websites as a Researcher Co-investigator

• Appear on the RCUK websites as a Researcher Co-investigator

GrantsLots of other schemes where you do not have to have a permanent post to apply:

(1) Travel grants e.g. International Travel Grants (typically up to £5k)

http://royalsociety.org/International-Travel-Grants/

(2) Funding for experiments:

Brian Mercer Feasibility Awards (up to £30k) - Allow researchers to test the economic and/or scientific feasibility `of a project for commercialisation

http://royalsociety.org/Brian-Mercer-Feasibility-Awards/

Paul Instrument Fund (up to £75k)

http://royalsociety.org/Paul-Instrument-Fund/

((3) Large scale facility access: ISIS, Diamond, ESRF, Equipment transfer

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Miscellaneous

1. UCAS interviews

2. Organising symposia/colloquia

3. Outreach activities (Chemistry Taster Days/Pimlico Connection)

4. “Ownership”-discuss with your supervisor/PI if you can do your own research within the framework of your post-doc (10% of your time?)

5. AWARDS-put yourselves forwards or ask to be nominated by your supervisor!!

http://www.rsc.org/ScienceAndTechnology/Awards/BySubject/index.asp

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