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Beyond the Post-Doc…. Dr Oscar Ces Department of Chemistry Imperial College London UK. 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 Record. Obvious.... Quantity and quality
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Beyond the Post-Doc…. Dr Oscar Ces Department of Chemistry Imperial College London UK
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 Record • Obvious.... • Quantity and quality • Impact factor/citations • First authorships (or joint) • Corresponding author (or joint) • 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 • Tutorials or small group teaching • Lab demonstrating (+help design an experiment) • Undergraduate project supervision (BSc/MSci/UROP/Socrates) • MRes/PhD supervision • 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 quality • Free • Looks 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.
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 • 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
Grants Lots 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
Miscellaneous • UCAS interviews • Organising symposia/colloquia • Outreach activities (Chemistry Taster Days/Pimlico Connection) • “Ownership”-discuss with your supervisor/PI if you can do your own research within the framework of your post-doc (10% of your time?) • AWARDS-put yourselves forwards or ask to be nominated by your supervisor!! http://www.rsc.org/ScienceAndTechnology/Awards/BySubject/index.asp