How to get a PhD postion/how to get a postdoc?

Transcription

1 How to get a PhD postion/how to get a postdoc? Nate Bastian (Liverpool), Paul Hewett (Cambridge), Dave Alexander (Durham), Steve Smartt (Belfast), Richard McMahon (Cambridge), Markus Kissler-Patig (ESO/Gemini)

2 First: do you want to do it? Disadvantages: Will need to move around, at least 2-3 moves past PhD No guarantee in finding a permanent job (may not find out until you are in your 30s) There are periods with little or no hiring, dependent on public sector Generally lower salaries than in private sector

3 First: do you want to do it? Disadvantages: Will need to move around, at least 2-3 moves past PhD No guarantee in finding a permanent job (may not find out until you are in your 30s) There are periods with little or no hiring, dependent on public sector Generally lower salaries than in private sector

4 First: do you want to do it? Advantages: Job satisfaction Chance to live and work abroad - lots of travel (conferences/ workshops, etc) Flexible schedule Generally don t have to deal with a boss (at least not directly) Job security (if/when you find a job) Responsible employers (maternity/paternity leave), part-time options, understanding of temporary leaves of absense

5 Where do you find a position? AAS job register - Nature jobs Links on University astro department websites (often out of date) your own initiative US - apply to departments (not individuals) - deadlines in Nov/Dec, need GRE, physics GRE, and maybe english certificate

6 Your own initiative Look at university astro websites, to look for adverts, or someone that you would like to work with them (include CV), ask about current/future positions, know what they work on! Find out what is required to apply (tests, degrees, etc) Summer research internships look great on your CV - also a great way to become known to a group/department

7 Where can you go? Options in your own countries US - deadlines in Nov/Dec to start the following autumn Other countries with high profile astro programmes that are open to foreigners: Netherlands: Leiden, Amsterdam, Groningen, Nijmegen (rolling application deadlines) - apply for specific project/supervisor Germany: IMPRS programmes in Heidelberg (December) and Munich (Nov. 15th) to start the following year - apply to programme UK: getting better, apply to individual schools, deadlines in early autumn for following year

8 Where can you go? Chile: PUC, U de Chile, Concepcion Scandinavia: Denmark (DARK institute), Sweden (Stockholm, Lund, Uppsula, Chalmers, Onsala) Australia: growing very rapidly, bright future. In particular in radio/ sub-mm, mm. Macquarie, Sydney U, ANU, Swinburn, Monash Canada: Toronto, Victoria, Vancouver Spain: not much, just Instituto de Astrofisica Canarias (IAC) European Southern Observatory (ESO): 1-2 year studentship, you start and finish your PhD in your home institute, but spend 1-2 years in either Santiago or Munich working with ESO staff Similar programme at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

9 Specific opportunities Brazil - Frontierless science (Ciencia sem fronteiras) - foreign scientists register on a Brazilian website, and Brazilian students can apply to go there for 2 years of the PhD (funded by Brazil)

10 Jumping into the unknown: What to look out for? Are the current students in the group happy? (really happy, or just won t say something bad about their supervisor?) Are the group members (especially PhD students and postdocs) publishing? Have previous members gone on to (good) postdoc positions? Is the project clearly defined (at least the beginning)? Do you like it? Do you have the freedom to change direction? Does the department have a clear way to handle it if you want to change topics/supervisors?

11 Opportunity Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Astrophysics Research Institute has one open position to work on stellar clusters, star formation or stellar populations

12 Opportunity Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Astrophysics Research Institute has one open position to work on stellar clusters, star formation or stellar populations with Dr. Bastian and (hopefully) Dr. Gieles

13 Opportunity Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Astrophysics Research Institute has one open position to work on stellar clusters, star formation or stellar populations with Dr. Bastian and (hopefully) Dr. Gieles To start this autumn/winter or the following spring/summer - let us know if you are interested...

14 How to find a postdoc? All the same links as for finding a PhD AAS job register is updated on the 1st of every month Contact collaborators (especially those at other institutes), let them know that you are finishing/looking for a position Go to conferences, workshops and give colloquia (volunteer) and try to meet people that way Talk to colleagues/friends 1-2 years ahead of you, ask questions!

15 Types of postdocs Postdoctoral Fellowships (PDFs) - you get money to do your own research, often control your own budget Postdoctoral research assistant (PDRA - in the UK) - you are hired by someone to work (usually % of your time) on a specific project Support and facility jobs (usually ~25-33% research allocation) ~70-80% of postdoctoral positions are announced between Sept. and Dec. each year to start the following autum First offers out generally in Jan. Driven largely by the mystical Feb 15th deadline

16 Fellowships Pure/mostly research Independence (defining topic, managing budget) Recognition within the community Examples: Hubble, ESO, Bolton, Zwicky, etc But... Very competitive to get You are responsible for own career...need independence

17 Fellowships - most deadlines Sept-Dec ESO fellowships (Santiago/Chile) Hubble/Jansky/Einstein Fellowships University Fellowships (mainly in US/Australia) Royal Astronomical Society Fellowship (RAS), in UK Canadian Institute of Theoretical Physics Fellowships Max Planck Fellowships (MPA, MPE, MPIA, etc) EU Marie-Curie Fellowships (August) etc...

18 Postdoctoral Research Assistants Someone hires you to work on a specific project - if it is an exciting, high-profile project, can be better than a fellowship Generally are part of a group/team. Helpful supervision, support, and possibly more papers Can allow you to move into a new field

19 Alternative paths after PhD getting a PhD makes you very attractive to industry problem solving, creative thinking, self-motivation, analytic/ numerical skills best opportunities if you are proficient in programming!