Tips on Postdoctoral Jobs in the USA

Completing a Ph.D. could get overwhelming due to the heavy workload. A lot of scientists are keen to move to the USA for postdoctoral training, because of long-term career prospects. This whole process is indeed a bit challenging, hence we have decided to provide some practical tips on postdoctoral jobs in the USA, a guideline sort of thing.

The postdoctoral training period is an entry-level work experience within academia, allowing early career scientists to exercise their research proficiency. The USA specifically offers a wide range of career opportunities and scientific/network development programs.  Not only you are faced with a variety of options, moving away from home and facing a new culture can all become a bit too exciting, so what to do to ease the process?

Finding the perfect mentor: By defining your niche of research and your aim from this training you shall have a better chance of finding a mentor who is a match per say. Analyze the research record of your potential mentor: the publications, previous and current trainee success, check the availability of the mentor as well.  Knowing the values of your mentor is very critical, with values we mean leadership style, work ethics, life balance expectations, team spirits. You need to make sure whether these characteristics align with yours otherwise you will have a tough time just dealing with issues as such. Collecting information about the research group and their track records is another task you need to take care of. If you have a global outlook make sure to find out whether your mentor supports career expansion or not.

Focus on Your Career Goals: At any career-level, it is vital to form a perceptive outlook, while also looking within to understand your potential. Most early career scientists are highly skilled researchers and have proven their work throughout Ph.D. It is important for them to promote their skill set now. Hence becoming aware of the newest trend is very critical at this stage. Saying this, before finding any postdoctoral jobs in the USA, ensure you have researched available scholarships. Evaluate your expectations from the career opportunity. What would be the opportunities for you beyond the lab, teaching, writing, data presentation at conferences? Which one? You may want to consider opportunities for career development and expansion. You need to look into grant writing potentials. Writing skills are inherently useful for persuasive communication and career expansion in academia.

Mentioning all this, it is important to note that the visa process for the USA is all by itself a lengthy process.

Research mobility is a highly rewarding trait among academic nomads for international recognition and effective collaboration. Therefore for landing postdoctoral jobs in the USA or any other location, you need to plan ahead, define your expectations and actively look for career development support.

Source: https://www.enago.com/academy