From PhD student to

postdoctoral research fellow

Flora Gröning
Overview

• Introduction
• Funding types
• Funding sources
• How to write a successful proposal?
• Being a postdoc
• Improving chances for permanent
positions
Different options

Shall I apply Shall I

for advertised apply for a
postdoc fellowship
positions? ?

Will my
supervisor write Shall I apply
a grant proposal for a standard
for me? research
grant?
Typical routes

PhD

Postdoctoral
Fellowship
research assistant

Academic post
Decision process

Passionate Do something
about science? no else!

yes

Improve it! Good track record?

no

yes

Some good ideas?

no yes
yes
Apply for Apply for Apply for
postdoc positions fellowships standard grants*

*jointly with a principal investigator

Applying for existing postdoc positions

• Preparing a standard application is less time-consuming

than writing a grant or fellowship proposal
• Working for somebody else’s project
• Has to fit your special skills and interests
Fellowships

• Funding for an individual and his/her own research project

• Host organisation needed
• Many different schemes, targeted at different career stages

• Prestigious
• Working for your own project
• BUT:
intense competition, low success rates
(e.g. Leverhulme Early Career
Fellowship 2010: 12%)
Standard research grants

• Higher success rates than fellowships

(e.g. BBSRC: 28% in 2010-2011)
• Larger scale than fellowships, e.g. additional postdocs, new
equipment
• Many forms and additional documents required
• Precise costing needed, e.g. salaries
• Need a permanent member of staff as a principal
investigator
Application process

Preparing your
Submission Basic checks
proposal

Responding to
Panel meeting(s) reviewers’ Peer-review
comments

Determining how
Ranking of
many projects Final decision
proposals
can be funded
Funding sources

• UK research councils
• European Commission
• The Leverhulme Trust
• The Royal Society
• Alexander von Humboldt
Foundation
• and many more
UK research councils
• Arts and Humanities (AHRC)

• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences (BBSRC)

• Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPSRC)

• Economic and Social (ESRC)

• Medical (MRC)

• Natural Environment (NERC)

• Science and Technology Facilities (STFC)

European Commission

Marie Curie fellowships

(funding mobility of researchers within and into/out of EU,
ca. 25% success rates)
• Intra-European: to move to another EU country
• Incoming International: for non-EU researchers to move to
an EU country
• International Outgoing: to move from an EU country to a
non-EU country
Other funding sources

• The Leverhulme Trust

– Leverhulme Early Career fellowship

• The Royal Society

– Dorothy Hodgkin fellowship
– Newton International fellowship

• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

– Humboldt postdoc fellowship

• ...
How to write a successful project proposal?
What makes a good project?

novel

hypothesis-
feasible
driven

Project

well
high impact
thought-out
What are the right partners?

supportive

experienced competent

Team/
Institution

right high
location reputation

well
equipped
How to write the proposal?

• Start early
• Discuss ideas with colleagues
• Detailed research plan
• Detailed costs
• Provide preliminary data
(if available)
• Place your proposal in the big picture
• Consider a reader outside of your research area
• Sell yourself and appear ambitious
• Read the guidance notes and instructions
Being a postdoc

• (finally) a proper salary

• (typically) more responsibilities
–Conducting research with less supervision
–Writing papers
–Supervision of students
–Managing your own
project (if applicable)
–…
Improving chances for permanent positions

• Publications
– Number
– Citations
– Impact factors
• Successful grant/fellowship applications
• Teaching experience
• Supervising/mentoring students
• Networking
Thank you!