Next Steps in Academia: Fellowships vs Postdocs

A postdoc

A postdoctoral researcher (also called postdoc or PDRA) is a professional researcher job at a university, for which you need a completed PhD - hence, postdoctoral. You will be working under the leadership of a supervisor. They’ll usually set the project up, put in the grant application and then hire you to help complete the project. You will be an independent researcher working under their guidance and have less direct supervision than in your PhD. Postdoctoral positions are usually 1-3 years long and are very lab based.

These are a great opportunity to go to a new lab group or institution to learn new techniques and skills. Through your time as a postdoc, you’ll gain lots of practical experience and develop your network, whilst becoming more independent.

A fellowship

Whilst similar to a postdoc, a fellowship requires you to generate the project and funding yourself. This involves a fellowship application, where a professor or established researcher will agree to support you and give you use of their lab, but you come up with the work proposal. You’ll also compete for funding directly from funding bodies which means that the project money is tied to you.

There are some clear advantages of this position, including increased autonomy, better job security and it can help you secure a permanent academic position as you would have demonstrated the ability to get funding. However, fellowships are very competitive and they require you to have a clear research question and work proposal in mind. This might feel quite daunting at the end of your PhD, so most people opt to have a few years of postdoc experience under their belt before applying.

How do I choose a topic?

I have written before about the importance of reflecting on your PhD to help you choose the correct project going forward. This is really important when it comes to choosing a postdoc or writing a fellowship application. Make sure you are passionate about the topic you’ll be working on, and that the people you’ll be working with and the working environment suit you. It’s a big investment of time so take a step back and make sure it’s right for you before you begin.

How do I move forward?

My main piece of advice is to talk to people. Talk to postdocs and fellowship recipients at your institution. Ask them about the pros and cons of their job. You can also ask about their experience of applying and most people will be more than happy to help. For a fellowship application, this can be very insightful, giving you a better idea of what the funding bodies are looking for.

You can also talk to your supervisor (or someone else in your department) about your career goals. There is often more than one route into academia, with some people going straight into a teaching position. If your colleagues know that you are interested, they can bear you in mind if something comes up.

Moving on from your PhD can feel like a big jump into the unknown. But remember, you know a lot more than your imposter syndrome wants you to think. It’s now about deciding what’s important to you in a role and what you want your future workplace to look like. Be brave!

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