Getting an “Academic” Job

Bilge Birsoy, MD, PhDPost-doctoral Fellow

Rothman Lab.UC Santa Barbara

Overview Yes, you can get a job (and keep it, too).

It does not have to be in the academia (consider alternatives such as “the industry”)

Everyone/every department is different.

Decide what YOU want! Publish. Learn how the system works (soft vs hard money,

FTEs, two-body problem etc.). Publish some more. Interact with people. Apply.

Yes, you can do it.

What I did to prepare this talk

Interviewed 6 men, 4 women faculty (UCSB Dept. MCDB, 34 faculty (only 4 women!)

Interviewed 6 post-docs

Participated in the recruitment effort

Read papers on the topic

Recruitment @ UCSB MCDB: 300 applicants (80% men, 20% women), 6 interviewees

They want you to be

productive independent innovative funded/fundable collaborative able/willing to teach good fit

In the Academia

productive able to work in teams

able to network

In the Industry

3 major factors that determine the interview decision

1) Publications

2) Publications

3) Recommendation letters and an exciting research plan

To get the interview

Very good track record Strong and personalized recommendation

letters (from your mentor plus people who know you/your work well)

Does pedigree matter?PhD, South Harmon Institute of Technology Post-doctoral advisor Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde

Concise but clear and personalized cover letter (show you are a good fit to the department, show your strengths)

They want you to be “Productive”

High quality and high quantity publications

High impact work (it helps to have people well-known in the field know about your work and write letters for you)

Publications: Quantity vs Quality

To a lower degree: Presentations at meetings

Good excuse why you took 8 years to finish your post-doc

They want you to be “Independent and Innovative”

These have to come through in your cover letter, your recommendation letters and your research plan

Have a vision: Make a clear plan for the next 3-5-10 years

Compare your vision with the vision of the departments you apply to (find out how long the chair/dean will remain in office).

They want you to be “Fundable”

Make sure you and your mentor have an understanding about your project:

Can you take it with you? Will you be competing with them?

Try to generate preliminary data for your first grant in the final years of post-doc

Get your mentor to help you write your first grant

Write a clear, exciting and novel research proposal

Some Funding Resources

http://fundingopps.cos.com/http://www.library.uiuc.edu/iris/http://www.spo.berkeley.edu/Fund/biopostdoc.htmlhttp://www.spo.berkeley.edu/Fund/newfaculty.htmlhttp://www.postdocjobs.com/jobseekers/search_fellowships.shtml

What can the mentor do for the post-doc?

Allow them the opportunity to develop their independent research

Network

Provide good rec. letters (give specific examples about the candidates strengths and no BS!)

Put out papers in a timely fashion

Help write grants/fellowships and the cover letters

Continue to mentor them even after post-doc has left the lab

What can the institute do for the post-doc/new faculty?

Organize workshops on Career development Funding Time management People management Conflict resolution

On campus affordable, day- care (Guaranteed for all)

Encourage interdisciplinary interactions

Provide supplemental funding

Solve the two-body problem

Provide flexibility for families (need this from funding agencies as well)

Things to consider when interviewing Startup money/ Salary/ Summer support

Space

Teaching/Service responsibilities

Grad student profile

Collaboration among faculty/other departments

Facilities/Library-journal access

Tenure

Formal mentoring system for new faculty

Benefits

Strengths and weaknesses of the department

Highest ranking woman/minority in the department

Where/how do you want to live outside of work?

Why did the faculty choose UCSB?

Location (California) Weather Personal reasons

Nice people/Collegiality/Good fit To be in the academia, to be my own boss To teach Because I got the offer

UC Santa Barbara Dept. MCDBRothman Lab.

Chris Wylie and Janet HeasmanFunding Agency: My husband