post doc cover letter examples

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Postdoc cover letter example

Cover letter header

Cover letter greeting, cover letter introduction, cover letter closing , writing psychology: one step further.

You wrote a successful dissertation to get your PhD. How hard can it be to write the papers needed to get a postdoc job? 

With 125+ cover letter examples and occupation-specific writing guides, Resume.io is here to make an impressive postdoc cover letter easier than you think. This guide, along with our postdoc cover letter examples, will cover these topics:

• The best format for structuring a postdoc cover letter
• How each cover letter section speaks to your strengths as an ideal postdoc job match: header, greeting, introduction, body and conclusion
• Writing psychology to persuade the person making hiring decisions
• Common cover letter mistakes to avoid.

Best format for a postdoc cover letter

The simplicity of structuring a postdoc cover letter may seem like a treat when you’re accustomed to writing academic research papers. Like any type of letter, it includes these sections:

Cover letter body

• Cover letter closing.

Before taking a closer look at each part to ensure it hits the mark, here are a few general tips. Always assume the PI or search committee recipient is busy with many preoccupations — including other postdoc job applications to weed through. Making that person’s life easier will automatically earn you bonus marks when your cover letter is:

• Short — no more 400 words on a single page.
• Inviting to read at first glance — neat, clean, streamlined and professionally polished, with ample white space.
• Easy to read all the way through — reflecting suitable choices of fonts and sparing graphic touches.

Here is an adaptable postdoc cover letter example that you can customize for the position and hiring organization:

Dear Professor Knightly, Having completed my doctorate in Slavonic Studies last semester, I am applying to continue my Postdoc research in the area of the Old Church Slavonic language. Researching the homeland and language of the Slavs has always been a passion and I have undertaken many translation projects that have contributed to the modern understanding of how language influenced the early Slavonic church in the Moravian Empire. I will be spending much of my Postdoc period in libraries across Eastern Europe, presenting at local symposia and writing my second book on the development of early Proto Slavic and Common Slavonic languages in conjunction with a number of leaders in the field. My travel has mostly been funded by the publishers, but given the considerable expense in my work I am continuing to request the bursary from the university. I teach classes for local students and will continue to lead seminars six times a year on my return trips to Chicago. I enclose my latest research paper for your interest. It has received critical acclaim in over 15 industry publications. After analyzing over 2,000 church manuscripts, it is fascinating to see the evolution. I was proud to receive my doctorate, but the work is just beginning. Understanding the origins of language is helping to unlock the secrets of the early Slav Church – exploring many of the rituals that still hold firm to this day. Sincerely, Simon Bartley

The header of your postdoc cover letter sets you apart from other job candidates in a visually distinctive manner. It also serves the important practical purpose of making your contact information readily available for recruiters to get in touch. In addition to your name, phone number, email and relevant address or location information such as city, include your LinkedIn and possibly other social media or website links. Check out our postdoc cover letter sample for more ideas on creating a great header.

A good match The minimal extra effort it takes to create a visually matched cover letter and resume design — notably in the header — is a worthwhile way to impress recruiters who may be inundated with postdoc application documents.

Goal of the cover letter header: Stand out from scores of other postdoc candidates with a distinctive-looking header that identifies who you are and how recruiters can reach you.

Typically, postdoc cover letters are addressed to a professor, often the principal investigator (PI) for the research position in question. Try to find out who your cover letter recipient will be so you can address that person by name. Check the institution’s website or LinkedIn profiles, or just make a phone call and ask.  This traditional cover letter greeting is recommended: “Dear <Dr.> <Mr.> <Ms.> Surname.” Unless you’re confident the workplace culture is informal enough, “Dear” alternatives such as “Hi,” “Hello” or “Greetings” are not a good idea.. If you’re unable to identify any specific recruiter by name, address your letter to “Search Committee Chair” or “Search Team Members.” The ill-advised option “To Whom It May Concern” sounds lazy as well as cold and pompous. 

Goal of the cover letter greeting: Start off by directly addressing the postdoc recruiter in a friendly, professional manner.

Dear Professor Knightly,

The introduction is where your postdoc cover letter seeks to intrigue the PI or search team members enough to keep reading and then learn more in your CV.

Ensure the basics are covered somewhere in these two or three opening sentences: the status of your PhD — earned or still in progress — the field and institution, your dissertation title and supervising professor. Strike the most relevant high notes of your academic background in ways that resonate right off the top. A mere synopsis of your brightest research accomplishments does not go far enough. A successful cover letter introduction helps postdoc employers understand your motivation and potential contributions to their research projects. How does this institution stand to benefit from your expertise and enthusiasm? And how compatible are your career goals with the institution’s investigative mission? What about your personality and work style? For recruiters to envision whether you are a good lab team fit, they need evidence of your efforts to learn everything possible about the postdoc role in question. They are interested in the research skills you brought to bear for that purpose, not just for your dissertation.

If your postdoc job application was prompted by a lead from another university professor or someone you and the hiring PI know in common, mention it in your cover letter introduction.

Goal of the cover letter introduction: Appeal to the specific postdoc hiring needs by emphasizing the value you would bring to this research project.

Here’s an introduction idea from our postdoc cover letter sample:

Having completed my doctorate in Slavonic Studies last semester, I am applying to continue my Postdoc research in the area of the Old Church Slavonic language.

The middle section, or body, of your postdoc cover letter substantiates why you belong in this research lab. It’s the place to elaborate on your most directly relatable accomplishments from the recruiter’s standpoint.

Citing facts and figures to illustrate your most impressive investigative findings should come naturally to postdoc job candidates. For added impact, anecdotal accounts also have their place in this cover letter section. Tell a story or two about unique or unexpected outcomes that reflect your curiosity, creativity and determination in pursuing discoveries. Goal of the cover letter body: Build the recruiter’s confidence in your ability to help advance research project goals. This postdoc cover letter sample illustrates what you might include in the middle part:

Researching the homeland and language of the Slavs has always been a passion and I have undertaken many translation projects that have contributed to the modern understanding of how language influenced the early Slavonic church in the Moravian Empire. I will be spending much of my Postdoc period in libraries across Eastern Europe, presenting at local symposia and writing my second book on the development of early Proto Slavic and Common Slavonic languages in conjunction with a number of leaders in the field. My travel has mostly been funded by the publishers, but given the considerable expense in my work I am continuing to request the bursary from the university. I teach classes for local students and will continue to lead seminars six times a year on my return trips to Chicago. I enclose my latest research paper for your interest. It has received critical acclaim in over 15 industry publications. After analyzing over 2,000 church manuscripts, it is fascinating to see the evolution.

The concluding paragraph of your postdoc cover letter is more than just a final formality. Yes, do the courtesy of thanking the PI or search committee members for their time and interest in your application. And remind them why you are an ideal match for this postdoc position, perhaps offering to discuss ideas or otherwise contribute in some specific way. In addition, be sure to include a call to action that puts some onus on the postdoc recruiter to respond. Ask for a phone call or meeting, and even propose a time when this might be possible.

At least express how much you look forward to hearing back.

Finally, close with a professional sign-off: your full name below “Sincerely,” or “Best regards.” 

Aim of the cover letter closing: End with a call to action, ideally resulting in an interview.

Below is the closing section of our postdoc cover letter example.

I was proud to receive my doctorate, but the work is just beginning. Understanding the origins of language is helping to unlock the secrets of the early Slav Church – exploring many of the rituals that still hold firm to this day. Sincerely, Simon Bartley

An average postdoc cover letter makes connections between your PhD accomplishments and potential contributions in this postdoc role. An excellent cover letter takes that one persuasive step further by showing you’ve done your homework. Thoroughly research the research project itself and the lab setting, along with the PI, co-investigators and perhaps even their mentors. Review team members’ recent papers to become as familiar with their background as you are with the goals you aspire to help achieve. An exceptional postdoc cover letter also reveals your “why.” Obviously, with a newly acquired PhD, you’re ready for the next academic career stepping stone. But why do you want this postdoc job more than any other? What excites you most and makes you eager to make your mark? Why would the PI and others on the research team consider you an asset and enjoy working with you?

A complimentary remark about the hiring institution’s academic accomplishments could be an interview-winning way to command attention in your cover letter introduction. Implying that your motivation to work in this lab shows long-term promise could also make a difference.

Common cover letter mistakes to avoid

All scholars know how critically important it is to get their writing right, well before submitting a paper for peer review . A postdoc cover letter requires just as much diligence. Make no mistakes that could jeopardize your chances, including any of the following.

• Losing full marks for a mass-produced generic cover letter evidently going to multiple employers would serve you right for obvious reasons: failure to research each postdoc position and demonstrate your findings.
• Dwelling on your academic background and career goals without giving enough sense of how hiring professors stand to benefit is a job interview deterrent.
• If precision, conciseness and clarity are academic writing hallmarks, then meaningless clichés and fluff are the last things recruiters want to see in a postdoc cover letter.
• Again, no slack will be cut for any PhD-level document containing typos, spelling mistakes and grammatical goofs.
• Design and formatting flaws can be perceived as carelessness, if not disregard for the research institute’s credibility, reputation and image. A professionally-designed cover letter template can help eliminate these errors.

Key takeaways for a postdoc cover letter

• Starting with an outstanding cover letter, postdoc job applicants can take advantage of the essential writing skills they’ve relied on in all of their academic pursuits and research endeavors.
• Every postdoc cover letter calls for a customized approach reflecting your knowledge of the position and hiring institution. This in itself showcases your research strengths.
• To a greater extent than a resume allows, cover letters can shed light on the curiosity, creativity and determination driving your research endeavors.
• Check out our postdoc cover letter sample for more ideas on designing a great page layout.

Best of luck at this pivotal postdoc career turning point! For related education cover letter examples and writing guides, check out the following:

• Graduate cover letter example
• Student cover letter sample
• University cover letter sample
• Teacher cover letter example
• Scholarship cover letter sample
• Masters cover letter example

Free professionally designed templates

How to Write a Great Postdoc Cover Letter

While a good cover letter makes an explicit connection between how your past experience will help you succeed in the postdoc position, a great cover letter sparks the PI’s interest and ensures they read your CV. Here are some tips to make sure your cover letter is a great one.

Before you start writing, learn as much as you can about the position and the lab. Do some research on the department’s website and talk to your mentors about the group. It’s also a good idea to take a look at their recent papers to familiarize yourself with the kind of work they do. Once you have a good understanding of the position and group, you can determine which of your qualifications would be most applicable. Be sure to emphasize them in your cover letter.

The Cover Letter Format

A cover letter starts like a formal letter with the date at the top followed by the name and work address of the job poster. This is followed by the salutation. For a postdoc position, you will often be addressing your letter to the PI. However, if it is not clear from the advertisement who the job poster is, you can always address the letter to “members of the search committee).

The Introduction

The opening paragraph should explain why you are writing this letter. Indicate the specific position you are applying for and where you saw it advertised. If another professor at the university or someone the PI knows suggested that you apply for the position, mention it here. Follow it up with a short description of yourself that will allow the reader to place you academically. This could be something like “I am in the final year of my PhD in (field) at (name of university) and will be graduating/defending/finishing in (month). My dissertation is titled (title) and is supervised by Professor (name)”.

The Body Paragraphs

The bulk of your cover letter will be spent demonstrating how you are the right candidate for this postdoc by highlighting your qualifications and showing how they will benefit this specific project. One of the biggest mistakes you make is not tailoring this section to each position you apply for.

In a postdoc cover letter, it is common to dedicate one paragraph to your dissertation or current research project. Summarize your research topic, your key findings or arguments and why they matter to the field.

Now, this next step is important: you must translate your dissertation and previous research to the postdoc project. What expertise will you bring to the project by virtue of your past research that no one else can? Give specific examples that show you understand the proposed projects. Work in reference to you major awards and accomplishments while doing so. Depending on the requirements of the position, it might also be relevant to discuss your teaching experience here. Remember, the theme throughout the body paragraphs should be how your research experience will make this postdoc project successful.

The Final Paragraph

This last paragraph covers some job applicant formalities. In it, you should write that you have attached your CV and other necessary documents in your application. Mention that you look forward to hearing from them and are available to discuss the position further in an interview. Finally, thank them for their consideration before signing off.

Get Feedback

Once you have written your postdoc cover letter, ask your supervisor or a mentor to review it for you. They are likely to have had some experience hiring and will be able to make valuable suggestions from the other side of the table. They can also check that your cover letter is formatted according to the conventions of your field.

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Postdoc Cover Letter & Writing Guide

A postdoc cover letter is a document to use when you’re applying for a postdoctoral research position . It’s an academic role where those with PhDs can continue their work, using it to transition from being students to full-time professionals.

A well-written postdoc cover letter should showcase your highly specialized knowledge in the field of interest, along with your motivation and passion for research . In this article, we’ll show you how to achieve that in a concise and information-packed letter to land an interview and, afterward, a postdoc fellowship. 

Let’s dive right in!

Key Takeaways

A business letter format is the best one for a postdoc cover letter.

The ideal length for your postdoc cover letter is one page, 250–400 words, or 3–5 paragraphs.

The first paragraph should explain what position you’re after while highlighting your key strengths.

The final paragraph should feature a call to action to increase your chances of success.

Your letter should have a professional tone and no typos or mistakes.

Postdoc Cover Letter Format

A postdoc cover letter format should be the same as for a standard cover letter, which is the business letter format . This is an established way of writing letters in professional circles, ensuring an organized and easy-to-follow structure.

Here’s what that format should look like and how you should arrange the parts of your cover letter:

Cover Letter Mandatory Details

Contact information should be in the header.

A polite greeting addresses the reader.

The body of the letter should consist of three parts: a. An introductory paragraph to grab attention b. The summary of your research to emphasize your qualifications c. A closing paragraph with a call to action

A polite conclusion closes the cover letter.

In addition to optimizing the format of your letter, you also need a strong layout to create an enticing visual experience .

Here are some guidelines to help you achieve that:

Cover Letter Layout Guidelines

Your cover letter should be one page long .

The writing should be concise and information-packed, no more than 250–400 words and 3–5 paragraphs .

You should pick an established font for your cover letter , such as Arial or Calibri.

An optimal font size is between 10 and 12 pt .

Margins should be at least 1 inch .

Typical line spacing is 1.0 , with an extra line of space between paragraphs.

While following these guidelines is a simple way to get a professional postdoc cover letter, it’s entirely possible that you don’t want to bother formatting your document from scratch. In that case, you can use our cover letter builder to simplify the process and ensure maximum accuracy .

You’ll find a number of expertly made postdoc cover letter templates that you can fully customize . With preset formats and layouts, all you need to do is add your writing and download a finished product.

Postdoc Cover Letter: 7 Fundamental Parts

Let’s learn how to write a postdoc cover letter by examining each of the seven fundamental parts. You’ll discover what each section of your cover letter should have and how you can make it perfect.

#1. Heading

A cover letter heading should showcase contact information and the date of writing .

You should start with your details and include:

Heading Mandatory Details

Mailing address

Phone number

Email address

Following that, you should specify the location and date of writing the cover letter before listing the recipient’s details , such as:

Recipient's Mandatory Details

The recipient’s name

The university or the company’s name

The university or the company’s address

Let’s see all that in an example:

Header Example

James Brown 3451 Quiet Valley Lane Woodland Hills, CA 91303 818-883-3690 [email protected]

Berkeley, 03/11/2024

Dr. George Cooper University of California, Berkeley University Avenue and Oxford St Berkeley, CA 94720

#2. Greeting

Every postdoc cover letter should start with a polite greeting. You want to address the reader and introduce them to your writing cordially. For the most impact, you want to include the recipient’s name.

This creates a personalized experience , builds rapport with the reader, and maximizes the chances of them focusing on your writing.

Here’s an example:

Greeting Example

Dear Dr. Cooper,

If you researched the company or institution and didn’t find the name of the recipient, you can include their job title, department, or similar information. Avoid using generic greetings , like “To Whom It May Concern,” as they are too impersonal.

#3. Introduction

The introduction of your postdoc cover letter should be catchy while explaining its purpose . To start your cover letter , you should state why you’re writing it and what position you’re applying for.

After that, you want to highlight a couple of your most notable strengths to outright convince the reader that you’re a strong candidate. This is also the place to include a professional reference if you have one.

Let’s see that in an example:

Introduction Example

I am writing to express my enthusiasm for the postdoctoral position in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. As a recent graduate from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where I focused on nanomaterials in energy storage, I would love to continue my pursuit in the field as a part of your team. You may recall I was referred by Dr. Jane Doherty, who speaks highly of your department.

#4. Summary of Your Research

The central part of your postdoc cover letter should represent the summary of your research. You want to talk about your work and efforts and, through that, emphasize your skills and qualifications .

You can mention relevant information, such as your field of study or dissertation topic. However, keep the details relevant to the position that you’re applying for . You want to make sure you’re emphasizing those abilities that the reader wants in candidates.

Here’s a good example:

Summary of Your Research Example

During my doctoral studies, I focused on the research and synthesis of innovative nanomaterials, with the goal of improving their efficiency and creating sustainable systems for storing energy. One of the greatest challenges I tackled was the issue of material degradation, which I approached by developing a new grade of anode material. During trial testing, we achieved a 39% increase in capacity with up to a 31% improvement in sustainability after 50 cycles.

#5. Reasons for Applying

When you state the specific reason for applying to the particular institution or company, you demonstrate in-depth knowledge of its organization .

This allows you to get ahead of the competition, as members of the hiring committee often look for more in candidates than just their skills and qualifications . For instance, familiarity with the goals and aspirations of the organization that you want to join indicates that you’ll likely be a good cultural fit .

Reasons for Applying Example

I would be excited to continue my work in your laboratory. Your department’s focus on sustainable chemistry aligns with my academic aspirations, and I’d like to keep researching advanced materials as a member of UC Berkeley. I admire your reputation for leveraging cutting-edge research to address global concerns, and I believe my research on nanomaterials can contribute to your efforts.

#6. Call to Action

A call to action in the final paragraph of your postdoctoral cover letter draws on human psychology to increase your chances of getting a response . You can use it to mention your CV or emphasize that you’d be happy to discuss your application further over an interview.

Call to Action Example

Thank you for considering my application. I have attached my CV, which contains detailed information about all my relevant skills, experience, and publications, for your review. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss our potential future together further over an interview.

#7. Conclusion & Sign-Off

A conclusion and sign-off—much like a greeting—should be polite and to the point . You should use any of the cordial closing phrases followed by your name.

Check out the following example:

Conclusion & Sign-Off Example

Sincerely, James Brown

Here’s a complete example of a chemistry postdoc cover letter:

Postdoc Cover Letter Example

Cover letter templates

With a postdoc cover letter example out of the way, let’s finish this comprehensive guide with a couple of expert tips that will help you take it to the next level:

5 Best Tips for Writing a Postdoc Cover Letter

Leverage numbers to quantify your accomplishments. If your work has already provided substantial results, including numbers can help you add measurable value and further validate your skills and qualifications.

Don’t forget to highlight your motivation in addition to your competence. The power of a postdoc cover letter lies in its ability to demonstrate your drive and career goals in addition to factual details about your abilities.

Make sure to proofread your cover letter before submitting it. When it comes to academic writing , proofreading is essential. Any typos or errors can draw the wrong kind of attention. You can even ask a friend or a mentor to go through your letter before you submit it.

You should write a new postdoc cover letter every time you apply for a new position. This way, you’ll ensure that your document is perfectly tailored to the needs of the organization that you’re applying to, maximizing your chances of success.

Maintain a professional tone throughout your cover letter. Even though you want to highlight drive and enthusiasm, you should still remain courteous and professional.

Final Thoughts

Now you know how to write a compelling postdoc cover letter for Harvard, Caltech, or any other institute or organization. Formats and layouts remain the same, regardless of the position or the institution that you’re applying to.

Moreover, the writing rules don’t change based on the field of study , so a postdoc cover letter in the humanities and social sciences will be rather similar to a physics or biology one. Your goal is to concisely explain what you’re applying for, highlight your strongest qualifications, and emphasize your motivation.

Now, all you need to know is how to write a CV , and you’re ready to apply for a postdoc and get your new role in academia. Best of luck in your future efforts!

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Postdoc Cover Letter Example

Written by Mark DeGrasso

May 4, 2023.

A postdoctoral position is an excellent opportunity for early-career scientists to develop their research skills and make significant contributions to their chosen field. However, before securing a postdoc position, you must write a compelling postdoc cover letter that captures the attention of potential employers. In this article, we will discuss the essential components of an effective postdoc cover letter, common mistakes to avoid, and provide an example to guide you in crafting a cover letter that will help you stand out in the fierce competition.

What Employers Look for In A Postdoc Cover Letter

Postdoctoral positions are highly competitive, and employers receive numerous applications from qualified candidates. A well-written postdoc cover letter can make a significant difference in your chances of getting selected. Employers use postdoc cover letters to assess your qualifications and determine if you are a suitable candidate for the position. To increase your chances of getting selected, it’s essential to identify the needs of your potential employer and tailor your cover letter accordingly.

One of the critical factors that employers look out for in postdoc cover letters is relevant research experience. Employers seek postdocs who are skilled in conducting research and have experience in the field. Highlighting your research experience and how it aligns with the position you are applying for can make you a desirable candidate.

Another essential factor that employers consider is publications. Having one or more scholarly publications to your name is a valuable asset. It shows that you have a track record of producing high-quality research that has been peer-reviewed and published in reputable journals. If you have publications, be sure to mention them in your cover letter and highlight their relevance to the position.

Collaboration is an essential aspect of postdoc research. Employers look for candidates who can work effectively in a team and collaborate with others. Highlighting your ability and experience in collaboration can make you a desirable candidate. Provide examples of collaborative projects you have undertaken and how you contributed to their success.

Finally, employers also look for unique qualifications. Emphasizing your unique skills and experience relevant to the postdoc position can distinguish you from other candidates. If you have specialized skills or experience that aligns with the position, be sure to highlight them in your cover letter.

In conclusion, keeping these factors in mind as you write your postdoc cover letter ensures that you capture your potential employer’s attention and improves your chances of success. Remember to tailor your cover letter to the specific position and employer, highlighting your qualifications and how they align with the job requirements. Good luck!

A postdoctoral position is an exciting opportunity to further your research career and gain valuable experience. As such, it is essential to craft a cover letter that showcases your skills and experiences in a clear and concise manner. In the header section of your cover letter, include your full name, address, phone number, and email address. Additionally, add the date of writing the cover letter to show that you are timely and organized. When addressing your cover letter, it is crucial to avoid using a generic ‘Dear Sir/Madam.’ Instead, research the name of the person who will be reviewing your application, and address them directly. This personal touch shows that you have put in effort and are genuinely interested in the position. In the introduction section, introduce yourself and state the postdoctoral position you are applying for. Keep this section brief, as the body of your cover letter will provide more detail about your qualifications. The body of your cover letter should address the essential components of the postdoc position. For example, if the position requires experience in a specific research technique, highlight your experience in that area. Additionally, highlight any publications, presentations, or awards that demonstrate your research skills. Be sure to connect your skills and experiences to the requirements of the position. In the conclusion section, summarize your main points and express your enthusiasm for the position. This section is your final opportunity to make a strong impression on the hiring committee, so make it count. Finally, end your cover letter with a professional sign-off and your name. Ensure that your formatting is appropriate and that your letter does not exceed two pages. These factors demonstrate your attention to detail and professionalism, which can set you apart from other applicants. In conclusion, crafting a well-organized and professional postdoc cover letter can increase your chances of being selected for an interview. Highlight your skills and experiences, connect them to the requirements of the position, and express your enthusiasm for the opportunity. Good luck!When it comes to applying for a postdoc position, the cover letter is one of the most important documents you’ll submit. It’s your chance to showcase your skills, experience, and passion for the field. However, there are several common mistakes that applicants make that can hurt their chances of getting the job.One of the most common mistakes is not following the instructions provided in the job advertisement. Employers often provide specific guidelines on what they want to see in a cover letter, such as the skills and experiences they’re looking for. If you don’t follow these instructions, you risk coming across as unprofessional or not paying attention to detail.Another mistake is forgetting to address the cover letter to the potential employer. Using a generic salutation such as “To Whom It May Concern” can give the impression that you didn’t take the time to research the company or the person who will be reading your cover letter. It’s important to personalize the letter and make a connection with the reader.Failing to demonstrate compatibility with the postdoc position advertised is another common mistake. Your cover letter should show that you have the skills and experience needed to excel in the position. It’s important to highlight your relevant accomplishments and explain how they make you a good fit for the job.Using too much technical jargon and acronyms is also a mistake that can make your cover letter difficult to read and understand. While it’s important to showcase your knowledge and expertise, it’s equally important to communicate clearly and concisely. Always define technical terms if necessary.Lastly, including information that is not relevant to the postdoc position that you’re applying for is a mistake that can make your cover letter seem unfocused and unprofessional. Stick to the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the job and explain how they make you a good fit for the position.By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your cover letter stands out and gains the attention of your potential employer. Remember to personalize the letter, highlight your relevant accomplishments, and communicate clearly and concisely. With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to landing your dream postdoc position.

Final Steps On Writing Your Postdoc Cover Letter

Writing a postdoc cover letter can be a daunting task, but with the right approach, it can be a rewarding experience. As you near the end of the writing process, there are a few final steps you should take to ensure your cover letter is as strong as possible.

First and foremost, it’s important to proofread your cover letter thoroughly. This means checking for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and formatting issues. Even the smallest typo can detract from the overall quality of your letter, so it’s worth taking the time to go over it with a fine-tooth comb.

Once you’ve proofread your cover letter, it’s a good idea to have someone else read it as well. This could be an academic mentor, a colleague, or a career development officer. Getting an outside perspective can help you identify any areas that may need improvement, and can give you valuable feedback on how to make your cover letter even stronger.

When you receive feedback on your cover letter, it’s important to take it seriously and make any necessary changes. This may involve rewording certain sentences, expanding on certain points, or reorganizing the overall structure of your letter. Remember, the goal of your cover letter is to convey your suitability for the postdoc position you’re applying for, so every word and sentence counts.

Finally, before you hit send on your cover letter, take a moment to review the job posting one last time. Make sure you’ve addressed all of the key requirements and qualifications mentioned in the posting, and that you’ve highlighted your relevant skills and experience. By doing so, you’ll increase your chances of standing out from the competition and landing the postdoc position you’ve been dreaming of.

Example Postdoc Cover Letter

Here’s an example postdoc cover letter to help you write your cover letter.

Overall, I believe that my research experience, teaching and mentoring skills, and collaborative nature make me a strong candidate for this position. I am excited about the opportunity to work with your team and contribute to the ongoing research projects in your department. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Postdoc Cover Letter FAQ

Are you looking to apply for a postdoc position? Do you want to make your application stand out from the rest? Here are some frequently asked questions about a postdoc cover letter to help you get started:

What is the purpose of a postdoc cover letter?

A postdoc cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself to your potential employer and showcase your skills and qualifications. It is a critical component of your application that can help you stand out from other candidates. Your cover letter should highlight your achievements, research experience, and your passion for the field.

How long should a postdoc cover letter be?

A postdoc cover letter should be concise and not exceed more than two pages. It is essential to keep your cover letter brief and to the point while still providing enough information to convince the hiring manager that you are the best candidate for the position.

When writing your cover letter, ensure that you use a simple font and spacing to give your cover letter an organized appearance. The hiring manager should be able to read your letter easily without any distractions.

Should I follow up after submitting a postdoc cover letter?

Yes, it’s ok to follow up with an email to check the status of your application. Following up shows that you’re interested and keeps your application at the top of the hiring manager’s mind. However, avoid making multiple follow-up attempts, which can seem pushy and harm your chances.

When following up, make sure to be polite and professional. Thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration and express your continued interest in the position. This gesture can go a long way in showing your enthusiasm for the postdoc position.

Can I use the same cover letter for different postdoc positions?

While it may be tempting to use the same cover letter for different postdoc positions, it’s best to tailor your cover letter to the specific job that you are applying for. Employers appreciate when applicants take the time to customize their cover letters to the job advertisement.

Make sure to highlight the skills and experiences that align with the requirements of the position you are seeking. This approach shows the hiring manager that you have taken the time to research the position and that you are genuinely interested in the job.

In conclusion, writing an effective postdoc cover letter requires understanding the essential components, crafting it to fit the job advertisement, and proofreading it to eliminate errors. Follow our recommendations, avoid common mistakes and use our example to guide you in writing an excellent cover letter. With these tips, you can improve your postdoc application and increase your chances of securing the postdoc position you seek in your field.

Remember, your cover letter is your chance to make a great first impression. Take the time to craft a compelling letter that showcases your skills, experience, and passion for the field. Good luck with your postdoc application!

Table of Contents

• Your Job Search
• Developing Application Materials
• Academic Job Market

Academic Cover Letters

The cover letter is a single spaced, two-page introductory document that creates a narrative for your application package. It introduces the search committee to your:

• Enthusiasm for the position and your expected availability (e.g., expected defense date)
• Teaching and teaching assistantships
• Other relevant experience (internships, previous professional experience, etc.)
• Fit (why you are the right person for the position, understanding of campus culture and values, etc.)

Because no cover letter can convey all this information appropriately in only two pages, you will need to tailor your letter depending on the department, the university, the requirements specified in the job call, your application package, etc.

Keep in mind, the cover letter should not directly lift content from other supporting material. For example, if a job call also asks for a Teaching Statement or Philosophy, you should not feel pressure to condense all of that content into a paragraph. Rather use the cover letter to illustrate how your teaching fits into your scholarly identity. Consider how it is informed by your research, commitment to equity and inclusion, etc.

• How the job call is written, which responsibilities are presented and in what order – is teaching prioritized over research?
• What application documents are requested – is there something not requested that you could elaborate on in the cover letter?
• What student populations would you engage with as a faculty member in the department – undergraduate? graduate? both?
• Is the institution mission-driven – how does that impact your professional narrative?

The cover letter could include a combination of the following paragraphs:

Opening Paragraph

Just like articles and dissertations have a central “thesis” or research question, this paragraph gives the letter’s thesis statement, clarifying how your mix of experience makes you the best candidate for the job. This paragraph lists the basics of the cover letter:

• Introduce yourself
• Explain your interest in the position and institution
• Basic rundown of who you are as a scholar in relation to the role

Body Paragraphs

This content could address your research project(s), areas of interest, methodological training, and future research agendas. Think about how you would fit into the department and the expertise you would provide. If you are applying to a research institution, your research paragraphs should come first.

You will want to include some of the following points:

• Your current research project (dissertation)
• Potential future projects (dissertation to book, next research project, etc.)
• Impact of your project(s) (publications, conference or poster presentations, public lectures, etc.)
• Other achievements (grants and funding won, awards earned, public-facing work, etc.)
• Potential collaborations within the department and/or across the institution, depending on the interdisciplinary nature of the position.

This content discusses your teaching experience, whether as an instructor of record or a TA, your pedagogical training, and any mentoring/advising. If the job is teaching-focused, this should be where you start. Use this space to introduce how your teaching is a part of who you are as a scholar.

• Your approach to teaching
• Other ways you have engaged with and/or mentored students (office hours, summer research opportunities, etc.)
• Expertise in relation to courses you are prepared to teach

This content communicates how you contribute to the collegial nature of the institution or department to which you are applying. It might range from a full paragraph to a few sentences supplementing your research or teaching paragraphs.

You can pull from:

• Graduate Assistantships or other service you have done within your department (e.g., serving on committees), the institution, or professional organizations
• Conference volunteering and service
• Search committee participation
• Other volunteer work and community involvement

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

This content discusses how your current and future experiences consider diversity, equity, inclusivity, and accessibility. Commitment to DEI can be shown through:

• Research areas, pedagogical applications, or service in and outside of institutions
• Where you align with the mission statement of the institution and/or department
• How you can contribute to the student population or wider community

These considerations are communicated most seamlessly not as stand-alone paragraphs, but woven into your document as a whole.

Closing Paragraph

Think back to your thesis statement and reinforce your excitement about the role. Keep it short and to the point – thank them for their time and consideration, ending with a professional sign off and full name.

General Tips Before Submission

• Prior to submitting, double check that the cover letter is signed and saved as a PDF (preferably on Northwestern letterhead).
• As with all application documents, make sure to have multiple eyes on the content before submitting it to the hiring committee.
• Take advantage of the support Northwestern provides from the Graduate Writing Place and Northwestern Career Advancement.
• Postdocs can make appointments for individualized feedback with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.

Clinical psychology

Psychotherapy, personality, cover letter for a postdoc (5 samples).

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Samples of postdoc cover letters

To get a postdoc position, you need a well-written cover letter that showcases your passion for and dedication to the industry. When writing a postdoc cover letter, these are some of the essential things to include in your letter:

Dr. Harold Bergman

Enteny University

Enteny, Illinois, 60002

I would appreciate the opportunity to continue my research in your laboratory and pursue a long-term future with Enteny University. I believe the nature of my research relates to your lab because, as the leading institution in fuel cell research, my chosen field of study is extremely relevant to your efforts. I think my knowledge and experience surrounding PEDs and battery longevity could aid in your research.

[123 Company Address]

Kajol Samra

Head of the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Pondicherry University

Chinna Kalapet

As an alumnus of Pondicherry University, I was thrilled to learn about the Post-Doctoral Fellow position available at the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. During my PhD studies at Pondicherry University, I researched the relationship between circadian regulation and neurodegenerative diseases and wrote my doctoral thesis “Circadian activity and memory performance in Alzheimer’s patients” under the supervision of professor Qadim Ray. Seeing that Pondicherry University hopes to move to the forefront of neurodegenerative disease research with a new team led by professor Abbas Sengupta, I believe that my analytical skills and academic experience could be a great asset to this programme.

The fellowship offer mentions you’re looking for candidates skilled in the areas of lab management, cytometry for apoptosis detection, and data collection. I am happy to say that I possess all of those qualities:

What makes me particularly interested in your post-doctorate fellowship program is the chance to continue my research. Having worked with Alzheimer’s patients, I have seen first-hand how this disease influences the quality of life of not just the patients themselves, but also their loved ones. I believe that working together with other researchers under the guidance of professor Abbas Sengupta can lead to significant discoveries in the nature of neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, I have observed how another team of researchers at Pondicherry University achieved a major breakthrough in the study of endosome function and dysfunction. I believe that professor Sengupta’s team can replicate this success and lead to a better understanding of diseases that afflict over 50 million people worldwide.

Anshu Mahajan

linkedin.com/in/anshu.mahajan”

Having completed my doctorate in Slavonic Studies last semester, I am applying to continue my Postdoc research in the area of the Old Church Slavonic language.

Researching the homeland and language of the Slavs has always been a passion and I have undertaken many translation projects that have contributed to the modern understanding of how language influenced the early Slavonic church in the Moravian Empire.

I will be spending much of my Postdoc period in libraries across Eastern Europe, presenting at local symposia and writing my second book on the development of early Proto Slavic and Common Slavonic languages in conjunction with a number of leaders in the field. My travel has mostly been funded by the publishers, but given the considerable expense in my work I am continuing to request the bursary from the university.

I teach classes for local students and will continue to lead seminars six times a year on my return trips to Chicago. I enclose my latest research paper for your interest. It has received critical acclaim in over 15 industry publications. After analyzing over 2,000 church manuscripts, it is fascinating to see the evolution.

Simon Bartley”

“New Haven, June 26, 2020

Professor B. Hawthorne

Faculty Search Committee

Stanford University

Stanford, CA 94305

Dear Professor Hawthorne,

It was found that severity of suicidal ideation didn’t reliably predict the severity of NSSH, i.e. its actual objective risk to life. However, it was found that gender was a reliable predictor of location of NSSH, with females mostly harming their arms and legs, while males were more likely to harm their chest and private areas. It was also found that the combined strength of social support was a significant predictor in the severity of NSSH, i.e. depth and angle. Early time of contact with a therapist was not affecting severity of NSSH, but had a significant correlation with frequency of harm.

Best Regards,

211-978-1043

[email protected]”

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do i write a cover letter for healthcare.

“I am writing to express my interest in applying for the [specific position name] listed on your website. Between my educational background and relevant experience, I am confident that I can help support your hospital’s mission of [reference to facility’s specific values and mission].”

How do you grab attention in a cover letter?

How to Create an Attention-Grabbing Cover Letter: 

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/postdoc-cover-letter#:~:text=Post%20doc%20cover%20letter%20template&text=I%20am%20writing%20to%20express,%5Bsummary%20of%20your%20research%5D.

https://resumegenius.com/cover-letter-examples/postdoc-cover-letter

https://zety.com/in/blog/postdoc-cover-letter-example

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Cornell University --> Graduate School

Office of postdoctoral studies.

Job-search and other career-related letters are as important as resumes in conveying your value to employers. You can demonstrate good writing skills as well as courtesy and professionalism. Letters enable you to introduce yourself, state your career interests, and  highlight your strengths. There are several types of letters that you’ll need to develop.

Informational Interview Letters

Sample informational interview letter, cover letters and letters of inquiry, sample letter of inquiry, letters of application, sample letter of application, follow-up letters and thank-you letters, sample thank-you letter, offer-acceptance letters, offer-decline letters, guidelines for writing letters, email etiquette.

• Letter Don’ts

Write to a professional working in a career field to request an informational interview, in person or by phone, to learn about the person’s work.

• Make it clear that you are seeking information, not applying for a position.
• State how you identified the person, what you would like to learn, and when/how long you would like to meet or talk with them.
• See Networking to learn more about talking with professionals.

128 State Street Ithaca, NY 14850 April 20, 2010

Mr. James Ingraham, Associate Director Virginia Small Business Commission 3190 West Canton Street Richmond, VA 26811

Dear Mr. Ingraham:

After reading the article in the March 26 Wall Street Journal featuring your work with the Virginia Small Business Commission, I am interested in learning more about your experiences in retail development. I am currently a postdoc at Cornell University and am seeking information about retail and warehouse management, particularly for businesses in rural communities. I would appreciate hearing your assessment of where the industry is headed and where you think job opportunities will develop. Any suggestions for how to prepare to enter this field, both in terms of experience and course work, would be very helpful.

I will contact your office in a week to discuss the possibility of scheduling a twenty- to thirty-minute appointment. I have noted that you have registered with the Cornell Career Contact Network and would be happy to communicate through the Network if you prefer. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to talking with you.

(SIGNATURE) Heather O’Hara

Explore employment possibilities at an organization through an inquiry letter.

• Target the organization’s hiring needs by learning about jobs for which you may be qualified.
• Visit the website and/or call the organization to obtain information.

211 Dryden Road Ithaca, NY 14850 February 21, 2010

Mr. Carl Whitaker, Director Federal Reserve Bank of New York 33 Liberty Street New York, NY 10045

Dear Mr. Whitaker:

After studying and conducting research for my Ph.D. in economic theory, I have a strong desire to apply what I have learned in a practical setting, working with data and analyzing economic phenomena. Reading the Federal Reserve System: Purposes and Functions , I was struck by the broad array of functions carried out by the Federal Reserve, the significant role it plays in both the money and financial markets, and the influence it exerts on the economy as a whole. I would value the opportunity to work as a researcher alongside some of the best people in the field for the Federal Reserve. With additional significant course work in mathematics and experience using statistical packages such as SAS and Data Desk, I believe I have the academic background necessary to do excellent work as an economics researcher.

As reflected in the enclosed resume, my academic and work experience have helped me develop skills that should be useful in any research setting. Writing articles for economic journals, such as on the West’s response to the crisis in Eastern Europe, taught me to research extensively, analyze my findings, and communicate my conclusions clearly.

I look forward to speaking with you and learning more about the Federal Reserve. I believe that with my strong background in economics and my experience as a researcher, I would make a valuable contribution to your organization. I will call you next week to see if it would be possible to arrange an interview.

Yours truly,

(SIGNATURE) (Ms.) Tomika Kim

Write to a prospective employer about a specific job you have seen advertised or have identified through networking.

• Motivate employers to read your resume through a well-written cover letter.
• Encourage employers to interview you by reading your cover letter and resume.

321 Linden Avenue Ithaca, New York 14850 January 10, 2010

Mary Smith, Outreach Director People for a Livable Planet 40 West 20th Street, 9th Floor New York, New York 10011

Dear Ms. Smith:

A natural resources Ph.D student at Cornell University, I have focused my studies on the connections between agricultural, environmental, and economic sustainability. The efforts of People for a Livable Planet to promote consumer choices that are ecologically sustainable and thus conserve natural resources are of great interest to me. I would therefore like to be considered for the consumer outreach and marketing specialist position advertised in Nonprofit Times . I enclose my resume for your consideration.

Through volunteer activities, I have promoted sustainable agriculture and environmental issues. As president of the Cornell Greens, I organized meetings, workshops, rallies, and Earth Day activities for the Cornell campus, and also established an environmental educational curriculum for an after-school program. Last year, I helped found the Student Garden Group to introduce organic gardening to Cornell students and promote local agriculture to the Ithaca community. We ran produce stands at apartment complexes for economically disadvantaged families and senior citizens, and expanded Cornell Cooperative Extension to develop outreach programs.

A confident public speaker, I have participated in a training course for peer counselors, completed a course in oral communication, spoken at rallies and festivals, and worked as an educator in a variety of teaching situations.

I am eager to apply my knowledge and experience to an educational advocacy organization when I graduate in May. I will call you next week to schedule a time to discuss my interest in increasing public awareness about ecological agriculture and environmental conservation at People for a Livable Planet. Thank you for your consideration.

(SIGNATURE) Jessica Jones

Thank interviewers for meeting with you following information or job interviews.

• Reiterate your interest in the field or the position, and recall aspects of the interview that were especially enlightening.
• Speak with a career advisor if you have concerns about sending an email, a handwritten note, or a more formal letter, and whom to write to if you spoke with more than one person.

125 College Avenue Ithaca, New York 14850 May 15, 2010

Julie Blair, Vice President Reed Putnam Investments 30 Wall Street, 17th Floor New York, New York 10022

Dear Ms. Blair:

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with you and your staff yesterday when I interviewed for the financial analyst position. The discussions were highly informative, and I was impressed with the planned addition of a mentoring component to the training program. This is precisely the kind of training program I am seeking.

My visit strengthened my interest in the financial analyst position and my enthusiasm for working at Reed Putnam. I believe that my master’s in economics, my leadership position in the graduate student business association, and an internship with Davidson Sack last summer have prepared me to make a significant contribution.

As you requested, I am enclosing a summary of the research project I completed in a course in financial economics. Please do not hesitate to call me at (607) 555-1824 if I can provide additional information. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Thank you again for your time and the courtesy you extended to me.

Sincerely yours,

(SIGNATURE) Wayne Duffield

Enclosure: Research Project Summary

Respond to the employer to express your pleasure at receiving the offer.

• Confirm the terms and conditions of your employment, including salary, start date, benefits, etc.
• Request a written confirmation of the detailed offer if you have not received one.

Decline an offer of employment once you have decided to take another position.

• Thank the employer for the offer and for the opportunity to interview.
• State that your decision is based on careful consideration of your current interests and goals.
• Pave the way for future opportunities with the employer and networking with individuals you met there through a cordial decline letter.

Prepare well-written career-related letters. For more information and guidance, see Sample Letter of Application above.

• Describe how your qualifications meet the employer’s hiring needs.
• Convey that you are informed about the organization and enthusiastic about the position.
• Learn the name and title of the person responsible for hiring in the department of interest; address your letter to that person.
• Demonstrate your competency in communicating.
• Refer in your opening sentences to a personal or professional contact who has directed you to the organization, if applicable.

If you decide to correspond with employers via email, follow these guidelines.

• Introduce yourself early in the message and state your reason for writing.
• Include your cover letter as well as resume in the body of the message since employers may not be able to open attachments.
• Keep the tone of your message professional and positive, and proofread your message carefully.
• Delete distractions at the bottom of your messages, such as annoying or cute signatures, standard quotes, etc.
• Use standard business-letter format and generous margins.
• Limit letter to 3–4 short paragraphs.
• Single-space paragraphs and double-space between paragraphs.
• Address the individual by name and use his/her appropriate title.
• Use the person’s full name (e.g. “Dear Pat Smith”) if you don’t know his/her gender.
• Attract attention with a strong first paragraph.
• Refer to your enclosed resume.
• Use specific examples to document skills, experience, and accomplishments.
• Highlight and expand upon the most relevant information in your resume.
• Emphasize what you can do for the employer, not what you hope to gain.
• Keep the tone positive, natural, and professional. Be persuasive.
• Make sure grammar and sentence structure are correct.
• Have someone proofread letters to make sure they are error-free.
• Use good quality bond paper and envelopes in white, ivory, or light gray.
• Sign letters.
• Keep copies of your letters.

Letter Don’ts

• Use the passive voice.
• Include extraneous information.
• Reiterate verbatim what’s in your resume.
• Point out weaknesses or lack of experience.
• Begin too many sentences and paragraphs with “I.”
• Use jargon or excessive wordiness.
• Exceed one page.
• Copy exact wording from letter examples in this web guide.
• Assume spellcheck will identify all errors.

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5 Tips for a Great Cover Letter (and samples)

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Cover Letter Format & Samples

Cover letters are a fantastic tool to introduce oneself in the job search process and are as significant as the resume. A cover letter provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate one’s interest in the organization and establish direct connections between the employer’s job description and one’s professional background. A well-crafted cover letter, tailored to the specific job and company of interest, and addressed to the right person, can make a lasting impression on the employer.

To make the cover letter effective, one must consider some universal tips and considerations when writing it. It is crucial to ensure that the cover letter is clear, concise, and free of errors. Using formal language and avoiding contractions can help maintain a professional tone. Choosing appropriate vocabulary and grammar can help maintain the original meaning of the text and convey a sense of expertise and professionalism, which is suitable for a business or academic setting. So, it is essential to take the time to craft a compelling cover letter that showcases one’s qualifications and skills to the employer in the best possible light.

In addition to the suggestions above, see our list of key considerations to crafting effective and valuable cover letters.

Cover Letter Tips

1. ) All margins should be approximately one-inch. Typically, a cover letter consists of three to four paragraphs.

2.) The font size should be easy to read. Times, Palatino or Helvetica are good choices. A font size of 12 pt. is preferable, but in some cases you may need to use 10.5 or 11 pt. font.

3.) Don’t be tempted to send “generic” letters. Each cover letter you write should be different, because each job and company you’re writing to is different. Make it easy for the reader to see the relevance of your qualifications to the job in question.

4.) Be sure to proofread each new cover letter you create so that it is free of errors.

5.) It is important to write to a specific person whenever possible.

In addition to these quick tips, check out our comprehensive  Job Search Letters  guide for more information on structuring cover letters and other job search documents.

• Sample 1:  Application Letter
• Sample 2:  Prospecting Letter

Finally, we know that some people work best when they have a format to follow. Especially when they are writing a document, like a cover letter for the first time. The following example reflects the correct business format to use when writing a cover letter:

Your name Return address City, State, Zip

Name of the contact person Title Company Name Address City, State, Zip

Dear Mr./Ms./First name Last name:

The opening paragraph states your reason for writing the letter. Mention a specific job of interest, or a particular department in which you are seeking work. If possible, mention how and when you learned about the job opening or the company, i.e., through a classified advertisement, a contact person or a career services professional. Be sure to mention the name of the person who suggested this job to you, especially if that person is highly respected within the company.

The middle paragraph is an opportunity to expand on the skills you have developed as they relate to this position. This should not merely repeat your resume. You can discuss your education and particular courses or skills attained while in college. If you’re an experienced person, you may wish to use this paragraph to describe your professional background and highlight any specific job experience that may be of particular interest to the organization and that will differentiate you from other applicants. You may need a second paragraph to fully describe your related abilities.

The next paragraph reflects the research you have done on that particular organization. Use company literature, a web site, or conversation with an employee of the organization as ways to gain knowledge about the organization. Explain why you are interested in the job, and convey your awareness of what the company does to show that you have done careful research.

In closing, reiterate your enthusiasm to be considered and ask for an interview. Either state a specific week you’ll make a follow-up phone call or mention an interest in having the contacted person call to set up an interview date. Specify how you can be contacted. Remember to thank the person for considering your application.

• Career Advice
• Carpe Careers

Navigating the Postdoc Office: Part 2

Victoria Hallinan and Karena Nguyen share their advice, as well as that of a postdoc and several other administrators, about pursuing this career path.

By  Victoria Hallinan and Karena Nguyen

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Rudzhan Nagiev/iStock/Getty Images Plus

In a previous article , we discussed why you might want to consider a career in academic administration. Yet we also recognize that many grad students, postdocs and junior faculty members know relatively little about the trajectories of individuals who pursue administrative roles—and, in particular, positions in postdoc offices. Here, we address this knowledge gap by sharing our own experiences and those of a postdoc and other administrators, as well as by providing advice if you are interested in pursuing this career path.

Skills for the Field

Although we have different backgrounds and trajectories, we both found that pivoting into a different field took time, reflection and reframing our professional identity and priorities. In an administrative role, you need a broader skill set than you usually do as a tenure-track faculty member, and the measures of success are different. While the transition can be difficult, we have both grown personally and professionally in our new roles and value the networks we have built in this arena. Below, we list the skills we have found useful and our suggestions for how you might cultivate them.

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Communication. You will want to:

• Communicate with multiple constituencies—for example, to hear postdoc experiences and feedback on policy and programming; to address faculty mentorship challenges and keep them up-to-date on postdoc policy, needs, and resources; and to collaborate with offices that support mental health or immigration for holistic postdoc support.
• Create awareness throughout the campus of postdocs’ work and needs individually and as a population.
• Share program outcomes and climate survey data institutionally with the administration and leadership, and/or externally via publications and conferences.
• Practice active listening to integrate leadership priorities with your office mission to advance policy change, and to collaborate effectively with campus partners or organizations that provide additional services for your postdoc population, for instance.

Ways to cultivate those skills:

• Present at society conferences.
• Participate in communications workshops.
• Volunteer as a communications officer for an organization like a postdoc association or graduate student group.
• Coordinate an event for an organization, such as inviting an expert guest speaker or facilitating a workshop on your area of expertise.

Educating, coaching or programming. You will want to:

• Guide postdocs in prioritizing short-term and long-term goals.
• Facilitate workshops covering topics such as mentorship, leadership and career planning.
• Coach postdocs to support their professional development.
• Support postdocs facing personal and/or professional challenges.
• Mentor students and document the impacts of your mentorship.
• Guest lecture or teach a course for postdocs.
• Facilitate a workshop for your research group, department or postdoc association.
• Engage with teaching resources offered by your institution.
• Volunteer on a committee that is graduate student or postdoc-centered, such as the National Postdoctoral Association ( NPA ) or Graduate Career Consortium ( GCC ).

Strategic thinking and negotiation. You will want to:

• Understand institutional culture, norms and change-making processes to achieve your goals.
• Create and/or revise policy addressing topics such as postdoc compensation and mentorship best practices.
• Weigh priorities and decide whether to say “yes,” “no” or “later” to different opportunities.
• Strategically plan the distribution of resources and the timing of programming and assessment.
• Join a departmental or institutional committee.
• Co-write a grant to gain insights into budgeting, purchasing and reporting.
• Lead a collaborative research project across units or institutions.
• Take part in your postdoc association’s strategic planning.

Perspectives From the Field

In this section, we will offer advice from academic administrators at different career stages including a postdoc and more advanced leaders, as well as our own perspectives as early career administrators.

A postdoc now in academic administration. Postdoctoral positions are available specifically for individuals who want to work in a postdoc office or similar department. We spoke with Claire Perrott , a professional development postdoctoral fellow at Syracuse University, to learn about her experience.

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After completing her Ph.D. in Latin American history, Claire told us, she attained a tenure-track faculty role before shifting into the museum field. Claire’s experiences in and outside academia motivated her to find a position where she could broaden her skill set, consider potential career paths and work on community building. In Claire’s current postdoctoral position, she supports postdoc professional development programming. She has enjoyed the independence to mold the role so it aligns with her interests and allows her to explore her next career steps.

That being said, Claire emphasized that the collaboration and oversight required for making policy changes takes time and is starkly different from the independence she had as a faculty member. In addition, paths for advancement are not always clear, so Claire recommends addressing this topic and other professional development opportunities during the interview stage. She herself has used the flexibility of her postdoc to investigate different career areas and acquire new skills and experiences while she plans for her next role.

Early-career administrators. We also want to share our own perspective as people who have recently pivoted into academic administration, with an overview of how we came to our current positions and then a reflection on what we have learned so far.

One of us, Victoria, now a program manager at Yale University, pursued a Ph.D. to expand her teaching experience and determine if she wanted to pursue an academic teaching career. Through Northeastern University’s world history program, she had the opportunity to teach as instructor of record for multiple courses. Recognizing the limited number of tenure-track faculty positions in history and her growing interest in enhancing student experiences over all, after completing her Ph.D., she obtained a combined faculty and administrative role at a small architecture and design school.

From there, her professional work focused on academic administration, teaching and educational development. When a position opened in Yale University’s Office for Postdoctoral Affairs, she relished the opportunity to work with postdocs and postgrads across disciplines, to support them holistically. She was also able to define this newly created role. Two years in, she has valued the opportunity to try new approaches, be OK with failure and grow her professional network.

The other of us, Karena, currently assistant director of postdoctoral services at Georgia Institute of Technology, received her Ph.D. in integrative biology from the University of South Florida, where she conducted research in environmental microbiology and disease ecology. Motivated to develop her teaching skills, she obtained a postdoc position in the Fellowships in Research and Science Teaching program at Emory University . She continued her research and developed an upper-level course in the biology department at Morehouse College. She also participated in professional development programming through Emory University’s Office of Postdoctoral Education, served on an institutional DEI strategic planning communities initiative and revived Emory’s postdoc association.

Those opportunities clarified for her that her values lay in mentoring, serving the academic community, connecting people and creating inclusive environments for individuals to thrive.

When she entered the job market, she used those values as signposts for positions that would motivate her internally, and she then aligned those skills with jobs that interested her. In her current role, she has been able to coach individual postdocs along their career journey, develop and facilitate professional development workshops, organize and host community-building events, and collaborate with different stakeholders to improve the postdoc experience at Georgia Tech.

Postdoc leaders. We also asked several postdoc leaders to share their best advice for people seeking jobs in academic administration.

Jana Stone established the Office of Postdoctoral Services at Georgia Tech in 2013. Now assistant vice provost for professional development and director of postdoctoral services there, she told us she recognizes that graduate students or postdocs wanting to enter academic administration may not have direct administrative experience. With that in mind, Jana looks for candidates who have led initiatives supporting postdocs. For example, chairing a postdoc association, organizing a career panel or serving on an institutional committee can provide insights into the duties and processes of a postdoc office.

Jana further encourages individuals applying for such positions to critically analyze their motivations for moving into this career path. Articulating your motivation in the cover letter and adapting your CV to convey an intentional pivot into academic administration is key, she advises. In addition, you should be ready to discuss ideas on what skills you would like to build and how your future supervisor or institution could support that growth.

Erin Heckler , associate provost for postdoctoral affairs at Yale University, counsels that critical thinking and communication skills are essential, given that you will work with many different constituents in a postdoc office. Before applying for an administrative position, she recommends engaging with your network and doing informational interviews with people in the field. It can help to start cultivating leadership experiences and understanding how institutions work through volunteering with an affinity group, your graduate or postdoc association, or a national organization.

Finally, Erin advises, it is crucial to work on translating how your skills would apply to an academic administrative position. You can use your mentorship team and institution’s resources to help you effectively articulate transferable skills that will speak to an ability to pivot and succeed in administration.

Melissa Ianetta , executive director of the writing and communication program at Georgia Tech, encourages postdocs in the university’s Marion L. Brittain Postdoctoral Fellowship who decide to pursue an administrative career path to participate in activities that will show proof of leadership. Depending on the type of administrative role, that may include chairing committees, conducting program assessments, developing curriculum or participating in donor relations. Postdocs should also be able to demonstrate that they can “secure funds, spend funds, prove that the funds have been spent well and publicize to key constituents the impact of your work,” she told us. Melissa stresses the importance of learning to recognize there are optics to everything you do, to apologize when you make a mistake and to build consensus to move people toward a goal.

In this article, we’ve tried to pull back the curtain a bit so you can see what a career in academic administration can look like and how you might think about pursuing one. We encourage you to think strategically about whether these roles could align with your values, skills and interests. Although we have framed our discussion from a postdoc perspective, graduate students and others can adapt much of our advice to their own circumstances. Academic administration is a dynamic and growing field, and if you are interested in playing a role to support and define it further, an exciting path awaits you.

Victoria Hallinan (she/her) is the program manager for the Office for Postdoctoral Affairs at Yale University and co-leader of the community of practice SPHERE, which aims to support non-biomedical postdocs through sharing and creation of resources and programming. Karena Nguyen (she/her) is the assistant director of postdoctoral services at the Georgia Institute of Technology and chair emeritus of the Resource Committee of the National Postdoctoral Association. They are both members of the National Postdoctoral Association and the Graduate Career Consortium—an organization that provides an international voice for graduate-level career and professional development leaders.

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Active funding opportunity

Nsf 24-593: postdoctoral research fellowships in biology (prfb), program solicitation, document information, document history.

• Posted: August 8, 2024
• Replaces: NSF 23-620

Program Solicitation NSF 24-593

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s local time):

     November 07, 2024

Important Information And Revision Notes

As indicated in the previous solicitation, Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 is the final year for the current focus area for Competitive Area 2: Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. There will be a new focus area for submissions under Competitive Area 2 for the next deadline in late 2025 (FY 2026). This new focus area will be: Biological research, understanding and solutions for a Resilient Planet . Additional details will be provided through a Dear Colleague Letter, and subsequent solicitation. In future years, it is expected that research incorporating the 'Rules of Life' criteria could be proposed under other Competitive Areas.

The total fellowship amount has increased to $90,000 per year and consists of two types of payments: a stipend ($70,000) and a research and training allowance ($20,000).

SUBMIT EARLY. Please set a calendar date for submission at least three days prior to the NSF deadline. Any number of technical or human barriers can arise during the submission process. You want to be sure to give yourself time to solve any problems before the submission window closes. Research.gov does not allow late submissions, so you must have everything in before the deadline.

Your submission deadline is based on your NSF profile address, not your physical location. Please be aware that “local” time is determined based on your institutional address. Since the PRFB is a fellowship, you (the PI) are also serving as the institution. This means that NSF considers your institutional address as the address you have listed in your NSF profile. For many fellows, this may be a different address than where they currently reside.

Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation should be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. The NSF PAPPG is regularly revised and it is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets the requirements specified in this solicitation and the applicable version of the PAPPG. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Summary Of Program Requirements

General information.

Program Title:

Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB)

The Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) awards Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) to recent recipients of the doctoral degree for research and training in selected areas supported by BIO and with special goals for human resource development in biology. For proposals under this solicitation, these areas are (1) Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology, (2) Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes, and (3) Plant Genome Postdoctoral Research Fellowships. The fellowships encourage independence at an early stage of the research career to permit Fellows to pursue their research and training goals in the most appropriate research locations in collaboration with sponsoring scientists. It is expected that the sponsoring scientists will actively mentor the Fellows and will greatly benefit from collaborating with these talented early-career scientists and incorporating them into their research groups. The research and training plan of each fellowship must address important scientific questions within the scope of BIO and the specific guidelines in this fellowship program solicitation. Because the fellowships are offered to postdoctoral scientists only early in their careers, NSF encourages doctoral students to discuss the availability of these postdoctoral fellowships with their doctoral mentors and potential postdoctoral sponsors early in their doctoral programs to take full advantage of this funding opportunity. Fellowships are awards to individuals, not institutions, and are administered by the Fellows.

Broadening Participation In Stem:

NSF recognizes the unique lived experiences of individuals from communities that are underrepresented and/or underserved in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and the barriers to inclusion and access to STEM education and careers. NSF highly encourages the leadership, partnership, and contributions in all NSF opportunities of individuals who are members of such communities supported by NSF. This includes leading and designing STEM research and education proposals for funding; serving as peer reviewers, advisory committee members, and/or committee of visitor members; and serving as NSF leadership, program, and/or administrative staff. NSF also highly encourages demographically diverse institutions of higher education (IHEs) to lead, partner, and contribute to NSF opportunities on behalf of their research and education communities. NSF expects that all individuals, including those who are members of groups that are underrepresented and/or underserved in STEM, are treated equitably and inclusively in the Foundation's proposal and award process.

NSF encourages IHEs that enroll, educate, graduate, and employ individuals who are members of groups underrepresented and/or underserved in STEM education programs and careers to lead, partner, and contribute to NSF opportunities, including leading and designing STEM research and education proposals for funding. Such IHEs include, but may not be limited to, community colleges and two-year institutions, mission-based institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), women's colleges, and institutions that primarily serve persons with disabilities, as well as institutions defined by enrollment such as Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).

"Broadening participation in STEM" is the comprehensive phrase used by NSF to refer to the Foundation's goal of increasing the representation and diversity of individuals, organizations, and geographic regions that contribute to STEM teaching, research, and innovation. To broaden participation in STEM, it is necessary to address issues of equity, inclusion, and access in STEM education, training, and careers. Whereas all NSF programs might support broadening participation components, some programs primarily focus on supporting broadening participation research and projects. Examples can be found on the NSF Broadening Participation in STEM website.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

Please note that the following information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

Joel K. Abraham (Areas 1 & 2), telephone: (703) 292-4694, email: [email protected]

Deana Erdner (Areas 1 & 2), telephone: (703) 292-2053, email: [email protected]

Daniel R. Marenda (Areas 1 & 2), telephone: (703) 292-2157, email: [email protected]

Melissa A. Pilgrim (Areas 1 & 2), telephone: (703) 292-4152, email: [email protected]

Amanda A. Simcox (Areas 1 & 2), telephone: (703) 292-8165, email: [email protected]

Pankaj Jaiswal (Area 3), telephone: (703) 292-4594, email: [email protected]

Diane Jofuku Okamuro (Area 3), telephone: (703) 292-4508, email: [email protected]

Gerald Schoenknecht (Area 3), telephone: (703) 292-5076, email: [email protected]

Shin-Han Shiu (Area 3), telephone: (703) 292-4400, email: [email protected]

Kan Wang (Area 3), telephone: (703) 292-4591, email: [email protected]

• 47.074 --- Biological Sciences

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award: Fellowship

Fellowships per year; the number of fellowship awards in each Competitive Area is contingent upon availability of funds.

Anticipated Funding Amount: $17,000,000

Approximately $14 million for Competitive Areas 1 and 2; and up to $3 million for Competitive Area 3, from the Plant Genome Research Program in the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS). Funding is contingent upon availability of funds.

Eligibility Information

Who May Submit Proposals:

Proposals may only be submitted by the following: Proposals must be submitted by the individual and not the host institution. NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology proposals are submitted directly by the fellow to NSF and the award is made directly to the postdoctoral fellow. Each postdoctoral fellow must identify a sponsoring scientist(s) and must affiliate with an appropriate U.S. or international host institution(s) at the time of proposal submission e.g. , U.S. Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), private nonprofit institutes and museums, government agencies and laboratories, and, under special conditions and with prior approval from a Program Officer, for-profit organizations. Appropriate international institutions include IHEs and private nonprofit institutes and organizations.

Who May Serve as PI:

The PRFB awards are intended primarily for graduate students who are seeking independent support for their first postdoctoral position, or postdoctoral Fellows early in their careers. Proposers are not eligible for this award if they have worked in any position that requires the doctoral degree for a combined total of more than 15 full time months prior to the deadline. An individual is eligible to submit a proposal to any Competitive Area if all of the following criteria are met: Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or U.S. permanent resident, i.e. , have a "green card," at the time of submission; Must present a research plan that falls within the purview of BIO and that focuses on one of the selected areas, as described in this solicitation; Must earn the doctoral degree in an appropriate field prior to beginning the fellowship; Must select sponsoring scientists, departments, and institutions that offer a significant opportunity to broaden the proposer’s research focus and training; and Must not have submitted the same research to another NSF postdoctoral fellowship program. Proposals that fail to meet the above eligibility requirements will be returned without review. By signing and submitting the proposal, the proposer is certifying that they meet the eligibility criteria specified in this program solicitation. Willful provision of false information in this request and its supporting documents or in reports required under an ensuing award is a criminal offense (U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001).

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

Only individuals may submit proposals. There is no limit on the number of fellows that an institution may host.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI or co-PI: 1

Individuals may submit only one fellowship proposal to BIO per fiscal year and may submit no more than twice for all Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biology.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. proposal preparation instructions.

• Letters of Intent: Not required
• Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not required

Full Proposals:

• Full Proposals submitted via Research.gov: NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG) guidelines apply. The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg .

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing Requirements:

Inclusion of voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:

Not Applicable

Other Budgetary Limitations:

Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

C. Due Dates

Proposal review information criteria.

Merit Review Criteria:

National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review criteria apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information

Award Conditions:

Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Reporting Requirements:

Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

I. Introduction

BIO offers Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology to provide opportunities for scientists early in their careers who are ready to assume independence in their research efforts and to obtain training beyond their graduate education in preparation for scientific careers, to gain research experience in collaboration with established scientists, and to broaden their scientific horizons. Fellowships are further designed to assist new scientists to direct their research efforts beyond traditional disciplinary lines and to avail themselves of unique research resources, sites, and facilities, including international locations. Fellows must affiliate with appropriate research institutions and are expected to devote themselves full time to the fellowship activities for the duration of the fellowship. The fellowships have both research and training goals. The program welcomes submission of proposals to this funding opportunity that include the participation of the full spectrum of diverse talent in STEM.

Currently, BIO offers Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology in the following three areas:

Competitive Area 1. Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology

These fellowships have been offered since 1990, originally as the NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in biology. Through this Competitive Area BIO seeks to increase the diversity of scientists explicitly at the postdoctoral level in biology. The program supports a wide range of biological research and training across the full range of BIO's research programs.

Competitive Area 2. Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes

Through this Competitive Area, BIO aims to stimulate creative integration of diverse subdisciplines of biology using combinations of observational, experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches to discover underlying principles operating across hierarchical levels of life, from biomolecules to organisms to ecosystems. Research activities under this Competitive Area should lead to new understanding of how higher-order structures and functions of biological systems result from the interactions of heterogeneous biological components, as shaped by the environment and evolutionary processes furthering predictive capability of how key properties and mechanisms of living systems emerge from the interactions of genomes, environments, and phenotypes.

Competitive Area 3. Plant Genome Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

This Competitive Area allows recipients to focus their studies on genome-scale research at the frontier of plant biology and of broad societal importance. The research and training plan of each fellowship must address important scientific questions within the scope of the goals of the Plant Genome Research Program - to provide tools and knowledge to solve intractable, challenging biological questions, revolutionize agriculture, address fundamental societal issues, advance the bioeconomy and build a scientifically engaged population. The program has a broad scope and supports studies of plants across the kingdom. Highly competitive proposals will describe interdisciplinary training and research on a genome-wide scale to provide new insights into plant processes.

II. Program Description

Fellowship Competitive Area 1: Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology

Through this Competitive Area, BIO seeks to increase the diversity of scientists explicitly at the postdoctoral level in biology and, thereby, contribute to the future vitality of the Nation's scientific enterprise. Enhancing diversity at the postdoctoral level will depend on including the participation of the full spectrum of diverse talent in STEM. The goal of the program is to prepare biologists who are underrepresented in their fields and others who share NSF's diversity goals at the post-doctoral level for positions of scientific leadership in academia, industry, and government. The research and training plan in these proposals must fall within the purview of BIO. The proposal must explain how the fellowship award will broaden or effectively encourage broadening the participation of underrepresented individuals at the postdoctoral level in any area of biological research supported by BIO. The broadening participation component in Area 1 could involve activities at other educational or training levels provided some aspect of the project will promote postdoctoral diversity in biology.

Fellowship Competitive Area 2: Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes

Research activities under this Rules of Life Competitive Area should lead to new understanding of how higher-order structures and functions of biological systems result from the interactions of heterogeneous biological components, as shaped by the environment and evolutionary processes. Understanding how these key properties and mechanisms of living systems emerge from the interactions of genomes, environments, and phenotypes is also expected to produce theories or models with predictive capability.

Proposals submitted to this Competitive Area must use combinations of computational, observational, experimental, or conceptual approaches to elucidate the mechanistic relationships between genomes and phenomes in an environmental context. The research must also span hierarchical levels of analysis, across part or all of the continuum from biomolecules to organisms to ecosystems. Proposals should translate observational and experimental data sets into novel models and/or theories to address phenomena across multiple levels of biological organization by posing compelling research questions with well supported expectations or testable hypotheses.

It is likely successful proposers will need to choose a research environment for their fellowship that includes expertise in multiple disciplines and/or approaches. Therefore, candidates for this Competitive Area are encouraged to describe in the project description how the attributes of the proposed environment and/or other collaborating investigators, including potential co-mentor(s) if applicable, will contribute to the specific goals of the proposed project and training.

Fellowship Competitive Area 3: Plant Genome Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

Plant research is undergoing a revolution through the application of new tools for genotyping and phenotyping, and in the quantitative theory used for selection. In addition, the flood of data being generated requires new computational tools to provide an effective framework for basic plant biology research and plant improvement. The purpose of these fellowships is to provide postdoctoral training opportunities that target interdisciplinary research in plant improvement and associated sciences such as physiology and pathology, quantitative genetics, computational and plant synthetic biology. Proposers with strong backgrounds in a single disciplinary area should consider expanding their expertise through research and training in associated fields.

Successful proposers will propose research and training plans that are significantly different from their graduate research and training. By bridging basic research and plant performance in the field, the Plant Genome Research Program aims to accelerate basic discovery and innovation in economically important plants and enable enhanced management of agriculture, natural resources, and the environment to meet societal needs.

General description of BIO Postdoctoral Fellowships

A. Appropriateness for BIO and Program Priorities

For Competitive Area 1, a research and training plan with a focus within the scope of any of the core programs in BIO is eligible for support. Further restrictions apply for Competitive Areas 2 and 3 (see details in the descriptions of those competitive areas). Proposers are highly encouraged to contact one of the cognizant Program Officers to discuss the appropriateness of their research, training, or broader impacts plans under these Competitive Areas prior to submission.

While it is expected that research of fundamental biological significance may often have broader impacts to medicine and human health, proposals determined to have a clear biomedical focus will be returned without review (see the PAPPG for additional guidance). If your proposal mentions human disease , we encourage you to discuss the proposal appropriateness with one of the cognizant Program Officers prior to submission.

B. Location of Work

Research and training supported by these fellowships may be conducted at any appropriate U.S. or international host institution. Appropriate U.S. organizations include IHEs, private nonprofit institutes and museums, government agencies and laboratories, and, under special conditions and with prior approval from a Program Officer, for-profit organizations. Appropriate international institutions include IHEs and private non-profit institutes and organizations.

Because the objectives of the fellowships include broadening the perspectives and experiences of the Fellows and promoting interdisciplinary research careers, careful consideration and justification should be given to the selection of the sponsoring scientists and host institutions. Fellows who propose remaining in their current locations or positions must provide justification for this in terms of broadening the proposer’s training, perspectives, and experiences.

BIO encourages Fellows to gain international experience by selecting international hosts for at least part of the tenure of the fellowship when applying to all competitive areas. Proposers to all Competitive Areas may consider conducting research in Europe with colleagues supported through EU-funded European Research Council (ERC) grants. Dear Colleague Letter NSF 24-053 provides details on how to apply and requirements.

C. The Sponsoring Scientist(s)

The Fellow must affiliate with a host institution(s) at all times during the entire tenure of the fellowship and select a sponsoring scientist(s) whom the Fellow will collaborate with and who will provide mentoring for both the research and training proposed by the fellow. The proposer is responsible for making prior arrangements with the host institution and sponsoring scientist(s). Regardless of the number of sponsors or locations, the fellowship proposal requires a single sponsoring scientist statement. When more than one sponsor is proposed, one must be named lead sponsor and information from all sponsors must be integrated into a single statement. Likewise, if more than one site is proposed, the sponsoring scientist statement must integrate all sponsors and locations in a single statement.

An important basis for judging the suitability of the host institution is the degree to which the sponsoring scientist statement describes and offers a research environment and mentoring plan that will support the fellowship activities.

If a fellowship is offered, the proposer may be requested to provide documentation from the host institution that the terms and conditions of the fellowship are acceptable and that the Fellow will be provided adequate mentoring, space, basic services, needed resources, and supplies. Once a proposal is submitted, any changes in location or sponsorship for the fellowship must be approved in advance by a cognizant Program Officer.

III. Award Information

Estimated program budget and number of awards are subject to the availability of funds.

A. Duration and Tenure

Awards are made in the Spring following the deadline, with start dates on the first of the month from June 1 through September 1 of the following year. Interruptions in tenure or extensions without additional cost to NSF are permitted only in special circumstances, such as family or medical leave, and require NSF approval. Fellowships are not renewable.

The fellowship tenure for all Competitive Areas is 36 continuous months.

B. Stipend and Allowances

The total fellowship amount is $90,000 per year and consists of two types of payments: a stipend ($70,000) and a research and training allowance ($20,000). The stipend is paid directly to the Fellow at $5833.33 per month. The fellowship allowance is disbursed at the Fellow's discretion for allowable expenses, except foreign travel, which requires prior NSF approval. The allowance is intended to cover research- and training-related costs and fringe benefits. Allowable research and training costs include travel, such as short-term visits to other institutions or laboratories, field work, and attendance at scientific meetings; training; special equipment; IT equipment and software; supplies; publication costs; access fees for databases; and other research-related expenses. The Fellow should keep records to document expenditures. Allowable costs for fringe benefits include individual or family health insurance (any combination of medical, vision, and/or dental) whether purchased as a group or individual plan, disability insurance, retirement savings, dependent care, and moving expenses. All payments are made directly to the Fellow as an electronic funds transfer into a personal account at a U.S. financial institution.

Within the fellowship period, up to three months of fellowship duration may be used for paid leave, including parental or family leave. The paid leave cannot be used to increase the level of NSF support beyond the duration of the fellowship.

The fellowship amount can be increased to include a Facilitation Award for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED). When requesting FASED funding, proposers should contact the Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology program prior to submission. See the PAPPG for more information on FASED.

IV. Eligibility Information

V. proposal preparation and submission instructions.

Full Proposal Instructions: Proposers must submit proposals in response to this Program Solicitation via Research.gov.

Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). The complete text of the PAPPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg . Paper copies of the PAPPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-8134 or by e-mail from [email protected] . Proposers are reminded to identify this program solicitation number in the program solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National Science Foundation. The Prepare New Proposal setup will prompt you for the program solicitation number. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.

See PAPPG Chapter II.D.2 for guidance on the required sections of a full research proposal submitted to NSF. Please note that the proposal preparation instructions provided in this program solicitation may deviate from the PAPPG instructions.

Preparation Instructions that Deviate from or Supplement the PAPPG

Preparing your fellowship proposal is different in several ways from preparing a research proposal:

Registration for Fellowship Proposers

Before starting proposal preparation, a proposer must register as a new individual in Research.gov .

Fellowship proposals must be submitted by the fellowship candidate, not by the fellowship candidate's current or proposed organizational Sponsored Projects Officer.

For additional guidance on how to register and submit your proposal through Research.gov, please refer to the Additional Program Resources section on the PRFB Program Page .

Fellowship Proposal Instructions

Proposals must include all of the required sections of a full research proposal submitted to NSF as specified in the PAPPG. In cases where requirements given in this document supplement or deviate from the instructions provided in the PAPPG, this solicitation takes precedence. Include all the requested information and documentation and include only what is specifically requested in this solicitation or the PAPPG. All page limitations include pictures, figures, tables, graphics, etc. Proposers are urged to take special care to strictly adhere to page limitations. Only complete and timely proposals will be accepted. Proposals that do not conform to the requirements will not be accepted or will be returned without review.

Proposal Set-Up: Select "Prepare New Full Proposal" in Research.gov. The postdoctoral fellow/PI must select the "I am a Proposed Postdoctoral Fellow (Postdoctoral Fellowship Proposal)" option to initiate a postdoctoral fellowship proposal. If you do not see an option to apply as a Proposed Postdoctoral Fellow, this means you do not have the Proposed Postdoctoral Fellow role. Please add this role under "My Profile" and allow up to 30 minutes for the role to take effect.

Search for and select this solicitation title in Step 1 of the Full Proposal wizard.

• For Competitive Areas 1 or 2 select 'Div of Biological Infrastructure (DBI)'
• For Competitive Area 3, select 'Division of Integrative Organismal Syste (IOS)’
• For Competitive Area 1 (Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology): Select ‘Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology’
• For Competitive Area 2 (Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes): Select ‘Biology Postdoctoral Research’
• For Competitive Area 3 (Plant Genome Postdoctoral Research Fellowship): Select ‘NPGI PostDoc Rsrch Fellowship’.
• Save your selection, then click 'Next'
• NOTE: Although the system will allow you to make more than one selection, do not select more than one Competitive Area . Your proposal will ONLY be considered in your top choice.

Step 3, Select Proposal Type, is pre-populated by the system. In Step 4, your Proposal Title will be automatically populated with 'Postdoctoral Fellowship: PRFB:'.

• Enter the rest of your proposal title here. The title of the project must be brief, scientifically or technically valid, and suitable for use in the public press.

Personnel Documents: The postdoctoral fellow is automatically designated as the PI in Research.gov. For Current and Pending (Other) Support, make sure to include current and planned applications or proposals to other fellowship programs.

The lead sponsoring scientist must be identified on the proposal. This is done by going to the Personnel Documents section, clicking on the "Add Sponsoring Scientist" tab and entering the individual's NSF ID or Email or Personnel name and Organization. The sponsoring scientist's Biographical Sketch, Current & Pending (Other) Support, Collaborators and Other Affiliations (COA) Information, and Synergistic Activities are required and must be included in the proposal. Please upload the COA document in “Additional Single Copy Documents”.

Personnel documents are also required of any co-sponsoring scientists and should be added after uploading the documents for the lead sponsoring scientist.

The following instructions supplement or deviate from the guidance in the NSF PAPPG:

• NSF Cover Sheet: Enter your requested start date (for this cycle, between June 1, 2025 and September 1, 2026). The proposed duration for a postdoctoral fellowship proposal is pre- populated, read-only (i.e., not editable), and aligns with the program solicitation selected when initiating the proposal in Research.gov. In the Primary Place of Performance section enter primary host institution information. Complete any other sections as appropriate/applicable. Compliance with these requirements is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.
• Application Forms: These forms are available in the Research.gov module for this solicitation and collect information on, among other things, the sponsoring scientist, host institution, etc. Only complete portions of the form that are labeled for PRFB Proposals. Proposals in which the Application Form is incomplete may be returned without review. Write in 'None' or 'N/A' if you have no information to provide for some of the items.
• Project Summary (limited to one page). The Project Summary must include an overview and separate statements on intellectual merit and broader impacts. List your sponsoring scientist(s) and institution(s) at the beginning of the overview section. The fellowship consists of research, training goals for the Fellow, and career development activities; therefore, all of these must be presented in the overview. The research plans and goals should be described in the section on intellectual merit; training, career development, educational or public outreach and broadening participation plans should be described in the section on broader impacts . See Section VI. A. below for guidance from the National Science Board on additional broader impacts which you may wish to include. If the project summary fails to clearly address in separate statements the intellectual merit and broader impacts of the fellowship, the proposal may be returned without review.
• A brief and informative introduction or background section;
• A statement of research questions with expectations and significance, research approaches, and methods;
• Training objectives and plan for achieving them (these may include scientific as well as other career preparation activities, such as teaching);
• An explanation of how the fellowship activities will enhance your career development and future research directions as well as describing how this research differs from your dissertation research;
• A justification of the choice of sponsoring scientist(s) and host institution(s);
• A timetable with yearly goals with benchmarks for major anticipated outcomes.

Some proposals may require other documentation before the final decision can be made, e.g. , Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) approval, Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval for research involving human subjects, government permits, letters of collaboration, and commitments from private sources. Their existence should be noted in the research and training plan, but they should not be included in the proposal . NSF may request them later.

You must also address the broader impacts of the fellowship beyond your own training in a separate section labeled "Broader Impacts" (label on a separate line with no other text); it is not adequate to address broader impacts only in the project summary. This section should include a plan for broader impacts with milestones and an approximate timeline. In addition, each proposal is expected to have a description of activities to broaden participation in biological science:

• In Competitive Area 1, these activities must have the potential to broaden participation in biology at the postdoctoral level .
• In Competitive Areas 2 and 3, at least some of the activities must have the potential to broaden participation in biology at any level .
• Budget: In Research.gov, the budget section includes the prepopulated stipend and fellowship allowance based on the requirements of this solicitation. The budget section does not display on the proposal main page after the proposal has been created but can be viewed by clicking Print Proposal. When the proposal is submitted, the budget will be displayed as read-only and will be accessible from the proposal main page. The budget section is editable during a proposal file update/budget revision; do not edit the budget unless instructed to do so by NSF.
• PhD Abstract: An abstract of your dissertation research (limited to one page).
• Two Reference Letters: References may, but are not required to, include your thesis advisor. Do not use your sponsoring scientist as a reference. The proposer will add each nominated reference letter author in the section labeled "Reference Letter Request(s)" in Research.gov. Each nominated reference letter author will receive a system-generated email with an Invitation Code to access the Reference Letter Submission module in Research.gov . Reference letters are submitted directly in the Reference Letter Submission module by the authors and are not uploaded in the proposal by the proposer. A document with additional guidance for reference letter authors can be found on the PRFB Program Page . Do not submit fewer or more than two letters of reference.
• Sponsoring Scientist(s) Statement (limited to 3 pages). The sponsoring scientist(s) statement is meant to show how the proposed host(s) and host institution(s) provide a strong environment for the Fellow's proposed research and training plan and form the basis for a future independent research career. Therefore, it should include a specific mentorship plan and a description of how the Fellow's independence will be nurtured, including, as appropriate to the career goals, how the project could continue as an independent research focus for the Fellow in a next position. Regardless of the number of sponsors, one integrated statement must be developed and submitted. If the Fellow plans to teach as part of career development activities, the Fellow is not allowed to be the instructor of record for an entire course unless other mechanisms of support are provided and prior NSF approval is obtained. The sponsoring scientist(s) statement must detail the mentoring that the Fellow will receive on teaching if applicable. Sponsors are not expected to provide all the mentoring themselves and may call on all resources available on campus or through other organizations, e.g ., professional societies, postdoctoral offices, etc. Additional guidance on the Sponsoring Scientist Statement can be found in the Additional Program Resources section on the PRFB Program Page .

Unless otherwise noted, you must include any documents required by the PAPPG (e.g., References Cited, Data Management and Sharing Plan). The 'Mentoring Plan', 'Budget Justification', and 'Facilities, Equipment, and other Resources' documents are not required; when requested in Research.gov, please upload a single sheet stating: "Not required for PRFB proposals".

The following additional documents are not required by this solicitation and must not be included in the proposal: Letters of Collaboration, Letters of Support, Host Institution Letter(s) and Research Support.

Cost Sharing:

The award amount is set for postdoctoral fellowships at $270,000 for 36 months. Research.gov generates the budget; proposers do not need to enter any budget information.

A budget justification is not required. Because the budget justification is a required section in an NSF proposal, please upload a document that states "Not required for PRFB proposals." in the Budget Justification in Research.gov.

D. Research.gov Requirements

Proposers are required to prepare and submit all proposals for this program solicitation through use of the NSF Research.gov system.

Before starting proposal preparation, the proposer must be registered as an individual. To register as a new individual in Research.gov, access the Research.gov New Account Management System . To prepare and submit a proposal via Research.gov, see detailed technical instructions available at: https://www.research.gov/research-portal/appmanager/base/desktop?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=research_node_display&_nodePath=/researchGov/Service/Desktop/ProposalPreparationandSubmission.html . For Research.gov user support, call the Research.gov Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail [email protected] . The Research.gov Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the Research.gov system. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this funding opportunity.

Submitting the Proposal: Fellowship proposals must be submitted by the Fellowship candidate, not by the Fellowship candidate's current or proposed organizational Sponsored Projects Office (SPO). The Fellowship candidate serves as his/her own SPO and Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) for the purposes of any research administration functions in Research.gov. As such, the Fellowship candidate, serving as the SPO/AOR must electronically sign and submit the proposal using the Sign and Submit button in Research.gov. The Fellowship candidate is signing on his/her own behalf and by signing the proposal NSF is in no way inferring that the proposer has assumed organizational status. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the Research.gov website: https://www.research.gov/research-web/

VI. NSF Proposal Processing And Review Procedures

Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program for acknowledgement and, if they meet NSF requirements, for review. All proposals are carefully reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and usually by three to ten other persons outside NSF either as ad hoc reviewers, panelists, or both, who are experts in the particular fields represented by the proposal. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with oversight of the review process. Proposers are invited to suggest names of persons they believe are especially well qualified to review the proposal and/or persons they would prefer not review the proposal. These suggestions may serve as one source in the reviewer selection process at the Program Officer's discretion. Submission of such names, however, is optional. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the proposal. In addition, Program Officers may obtain comments from site visits before recommending final action on proposals. Senior NSF staff further review recommendations for awards. A flowchart that depicts the entire NSF proposal and award process (and associated timeline) is included in PAPPG Exhibit III-1.

A comprehensive description of the Foundation's merit review process is available on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/merit_review/ .

Proposers should also be aware of core strategies that are essential to the fulfillment of NSF's mission, as articulated in Leading the World in Discovery and Innovation, STEM Talent Development and the Delivery of Benefits from Research - NSF Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022 - 2026 . These strategies are integrated in the program planning and implementation process, of which proposal review is one part. NSF's mission is particularly well-implemented through the integration of research and education and broadening participation in NSF programs, projects, and activities.

One of the strategic objectives in support of NSF's mission is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions must recruit, train, and prepare a diverse STEM workforce to advance the frontiers of science and participate in the U.S. technology-based economy. NSF's contribution to the national innovation ecosystem is to provide cutting-edge research under the guidance of the Nation's most creative scientists and engineers. NSF also supports development of a strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce by investing in building the knowledge that informs improvements in STEM teaching and learning.

NSF's mission calls for the broadening of opportunities and expanding participation of groups, institutions, and geographic regions that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines, which is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports.

A. Merit Review Principles and Criteria

The National Science Foundation strives to invest in a robust and diverse portfolio of projects that creates new knowledge and enables breakthroughs in understanding across all areas of science and engineering research and education. To identify which projects to support, NSF relies on a merit review process that incorporates consideration of both the technical aspects of a proposed project and its potential to contribute more broadly to advancing NSF's mission "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes." NSF makes every effort to conduct a fair, competitive, transparent merit review process for the selection of projects.

1. Merit Review Principles

These principles are to be given due diligence by PIs and organizations when preparing proposals and managing projects, by reviewers when reading and evaluating proposals, and by NSF program staff when determining whether or not to recommend proposals for funding and while overseeing awards. Given that NSF is the primary federal agency charged with nurturing and supporting excellence in basic research and education, the following three principles apply:

• All NSF projects should be of the highest quality and have the potential to advance, if not transform, the frontiers of knowledge.
• NSF projects, in the aggregate, should contribute more broadly to achieving societal goals. These "Broader Impacts" may be accomplished through the research itself, through activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to, the project. The project activities may be based on previously established and/or innovative methods and approaches, but in either case must be well justified.
• Meaningful assessment and evaluation of NSF funded projects should be based on appropriate metrics, keeping in mind the likely correlation between the effect of broader impacts and the resources provided to implement projects. If the size of the activity is limited, evaluation of that activity in isolation is not likely to be meaningful. Thus, assessing the effectiveness of these activities may best be done at a higher, more aggregated, level than the individual project.

With respect to the third principle, even if assessment of Broader Impacts outcomes for particular projects is done at an aggregated level, PIs are expected to be accountable for carrying out the activities described in the funded project. Thus, individual projects should include clearly stated goals, specific descriptions of the activities that the PI intends to do, and a plan in place to document the outputs of those activities.

These three merit review principles provide the basis for the merit review criteria, as well as a context within which the users of the criteria can better understand their intent.

2. Merit Review Criteria

All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board approved merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

The two merit review criteria are listed below. Both criteria are to be given full consideration during the review and decision-making processes; each criterion is necessary but neither, by itself, is sufficient. Therefore, proposers must fully address both criteria. (PAPPG Chapter II.C.2.d(i). contains additional information for use by proposers in development of the Project Description section of the proposal). Reviewers are strongly encouraged to review the criteria, including PAPPG Chapter II.C.2.d(i), prior to the review of a proposal.

When evaluating NSF proposals, reviewers will be asked to consider what the proposers want to do, why they want to do it, how they plan to do it, how they will know if they succeed, and what benefits could accrue if the project is successful. These issues apply both to the technical aspects of the proposal and the way in which the project may make broader contributions. To that end, reviewers will be asked to evaluate all proposals against two criteria:

• Intellectual Merit: The Intellectual Merit criterion encompasses the potential to advance knowledge; and
• Broader Impacts: The Broader Impacts criterion encompasses the potential to benefit society and contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes.

The following elements should be considered in the review for both criteria:

• Advance knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and
• Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?
• To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?
• Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?
• How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?
• Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities?

Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to, the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); improved STEM education and educator development at any level; increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology; improved well-being of individuals in society; development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce; increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others; improved national security; increased economic competitiveness of the United States; and enhanced infrastructure for research and education.

Proposers are reminded that reviewers will also be asked to review the Data Management Plan and the Postdoctoral Researcher Mentoring Plan, as appropriate.

Additional Solicitation Specific Review Criteria

Proposers are evaluated on their ability and accomplishments as evidenced by the submitted Biographical Sketch . The research plan is evaluated on scientific merit, feasibility, potential to generate new biological knowledge, and for evidence of the proposer's strong independent scientific thinking and initiative. The training plan is evaluated for how distinct the proposed research is from the dissertation, the impact on the career development of the proposer, and the sponsor’s expertise related to the proposed research and in mentoring trainees. Plans to increase diversity and broaden participation in science will also be evaluated by reviewers in all three Competitive Areas. Reviewers in all three competitive areas will also evaluate the quality of the sponsoring scientist statement for the research, professional development, and career goals of proposer. Other important evaluative factors are the suitability of the host institution(s), including colleagues and facilities.

Additional evaluation criteria specific for each Competitive Area:

For Competitive Area 1 , Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology , reviewers will assess the potential impact of the proposal to enhance participation explicitly at the postdoctoral level of members of underrepresented groups.

For Competitive Area 2, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes , reviewers will assess the potential for the proposed work to: 1) Lead to new understanding of how higher- order structures and functions of biological systems result from interactions of heterogeneous biological components, as shaped by the environment and evolutionary processes. 2) Produce theories or models with predictive capability of how key properties and mechanisms of living systems emerge from the interactions of genomes, environments, and phenotypes. 3) Combine observational, experimental, theoretical, or computational approaches to elucidate the mechanistic relationships between genomes and phenomes in an environmental context. 4) Span hierarchical levels of analysis and translate observational and experimental data sets into novel models and/or theories to address phenomena across multiple levels of biological organization.

For Competitive Area 3 , Plant Genome Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, reviewers will consider how the proposed activities address the research goals of the Plant Genome Research Program, focusing on interdisciplinary research on a genome-wide scale in one or more areas related to plant improvement, genomics, physiology, pathology, quantitative genetics, computational or plant synthetic biology that will provide new insights and the potential to advance food and national security and contribute to the bioeconomy.

B. Review and Selection Process

Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed by Ad hoc Review and/or Panel Review.

Reviewers will be asked to evaluate proposals using two National Science Board approved merit review criteria and, if applicable, additional program specific criteria. A summary rating and accompanying narrative will generally be completed and submitted by each reviewer and/or panel. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation.

After scientific, technical and programmatic review and consideration of appropriate factors, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the cognizant Division Director whether the proposal should be declined or recommended for award. NSF strives to be able to tell proposers whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. Large or particularly complex proposals or proposals from new recipients may require additional review and processing time. The time interval begins on the deadline or target date, or receipt date, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director acts upon the Program Officer's recommendation.

After programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements or the Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Support for review of business, financial, and policy implications. After an administrative review has occurred, Grants and Agreements Officers perform the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk.

Once an award or declination decision has been made, Principal Investigators are provided feedback about their proposals. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers or any reviewer-identifying information, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the Program Officer. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding.

VII. Award Administration Information

A. notification of the award.

Notification of the award is made to the individual by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Individuals whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the individual. (See Section VI.B. for additional information on the review process).

B. Award Conditions

An NSF award consists of: (1) the award notice, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the budget; (3) the proposal referenced in the award notice; (4) the applicable award conditions, and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award notice. NSF awards are electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and transmitted electronically to the organization via e-mail.

More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions and other important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) Chapter VII, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg .

Special Award Conditions:

The fellowship award is made to the individual, not the institution, and payments are made directly to the Fellow. Awards cannot be extended without prior NSF approval. Pre-award costs are not permitted. Federal supplements to this award are not permitted except through the EU-funded European Research Council (ERC) grants indicated above.

By accepting a fellowship award made pursuant to this solicitation, the Fellow agrees to abide by the affiliated institution’s policies or codes of conduct. The Fellow further agrees to notify NSF's Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR) if, pursuant to a complaint made under federal or state law or the institution's policies or codes of conduct relating to sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, or sexual assault, the Fellow is subjected to any "administrative leave/administrative action," (defined below) or is the subject of any "finding/determination" (defined below). Failure to notify NSF may result in termination of the fellowship.

"Administrative leave/administrative action" is defined as any temporary/interim suspension or permanent removal of the Fellow, or any administrative action imposed on the Fellow by the institution under the institution’s policies or codes of conduct, federal or state statutes, regulations, or executive orders, relating to activities, including but not limited to the following: teaching, advising, mentoring, research, management/administrative duties, or presence on campus.

"Finding/determination" is defined as the final disposition of a matter involving sexual harassment or other form of harassment under the institution’s policies and processes, to include the exhaustion of permissible appeals exercised by the Fellow, or a conviction of a sexual offense in a criminal court of law.

C. Reporting Requirements

For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the Principal Investigator must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer no later than 90 days prior to the end of the current budget period. (Some programs or awards require submission of more frequent project reports). No later than 120 days following expiration of a grant, the PI also is required to submit a final annual project report, and a project outcomes report for the general public.

Failure to provide the required annual or final annual project reports, or the project outcomes report, will delay NSF review and processing of any future funding increments as well as any pending proposals for all identified PIs and co-PIs on a given award. PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.

PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project-reporting system, available through Research.gov, for preparation and submission of annual and final annual project reports. Such reports provide information on accomplishments, project participants (individual and organizational), publications, and other specific products and impacts of the project. Submission of the report via Research.gov constitutes certification by the PI that the contents of the report are accurate and complete. The project outcomes report also must be prepared and submitted using Research.gov. This report serves as a brief summary, prepared specifically for the public, of the nature and outcomes of the project. This report will be posted on the NSF website exactly as it is submitted by the PI.

More comprehensive information on NSF Reporting Requirements and other important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) Chapter VII, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg .

Additional Reporting Requirements:

Fellows must file starting certificates in addition to annual and final technical reports.

VIII. Agency Contacts

Please note that the program contact information is current at the time of publishing. See program website for any updates to the points of contact.

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

Joel K. Abraham (Areas 1 & 2), telephone: (703) 292-4694, email: [email protected]

Deana Erdner (Areas 1 & 2), telephone: (703) 292-2053, email: [email protected]

Daniel R. Marenda (Areas 1 & 2), telephone: (703) 292-2157, email: [email protected]

For questions related to the use of NSF systems contact:

• NSF Help Desk: 1-800-381-1532
• Research.gov Help Desk e-mail: [email protected]

IX. Other Information

The NSF website provides the most comprehensive source of information on NSF Directorates (including contact information), programs and funding opportunities. Use of this website by potential proposers is strongly encouraged. In addition, "NSF Update" is an information-delivery system designed to keep potential proposers and other interested parties apprised of new NSF funding opportunities and publications, important changes in proposal and award policies and procedures, and upcoming NSF Grants Conferences . Subscribers are informed through e-mail or the user's Web browser each time new publications are issued that match their identified interests. "NSF Update" also is available on NSF's website .

Grants.gov provides an additional electronic capability to search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities. NSF funding opportunities may be accessed via this mechanism. Further information on Grants.gov may be obtained at https://www.grants.gov .

About The National Science Foundation

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent Federal agency created by the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended (42 USC 1861-75). The Act states the purpose of the NSF is "to promote the progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare by supporting research and education in all fields of science and engineering."

NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations and other research organizations throughout the US. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of Federal support to academic institutions for basic research.

NSF receives approximately 55,000 proposals each year for research, education and training projects, of which approximately 11,000 are funded. In addition, the Foundation receives several thousand applications for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships. The agency operates no laboratories itself but does support National Research Centers, user facilities, certain oceanographic vessels and Arctic and Antarctic research stations. The Foundation also supports cooperative research between universities and industry, US participation in international scientific and engineering efforts, and educational activities at every academic level.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities to work on NSF-supported projects. See the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide Chapter II.F.7 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals.

The National Science Foundation has Telephonic Device for the Deaf (TDD) and Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) capabilities that enable individuals with hearing impairments to communicate with the Foundation about NSF programs, employment or general information. TDD may be accessed at (703) 292-5090 and (800) 281-8749, FIRS at (800) 877-8339.

The National Science Foundation Information Center may be reached at (703) 292-5111.

The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering. To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the NSF Website at 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314 (NSF Information Center) (703) 292-5111 (703) 292-5090 Send an e-mail to: or telephone: (703) 292-8134 (703) 292-5111 Privacy Act And Public Burden Statements The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; and project reports submitted by proposers will be used for program evaluation and reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the proposal review process; to proposer institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies or other entities needing information regarding proposers or nominees as part of a joint application review process, or in order to coordinate programs or policy; and to another Federal agency, court, or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See System of Record Notices , NSF-50 , "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," and NSF-51 , "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records.” Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0023. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding the burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne H. 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Use a professional cover letter font in 12pt size. Read more: The Best Covering Letter Layout. 2. Create a professional postdoc cover letter header. How to Write a Postdoc Cover Letter (With Example) How to write a postdoc cover letter. You can follow these step-by-step instructions to create an engaging postdoc cover letter that increases your chances of securing the position: 1. Include a header with your contact information. It's a good practice to begin the cover letter with your name and contact information to make it easy for the ... Postdoc Cover Letter Examples & Expert Tips With 125+ cover letter examples and occupation-specific writing guides, Resume.io is here to make an impressive postdoc cover letter easier than you think. This guide, along with our postdoc cover letter examples, will cover these topics: The best format for structuring a postdoc cover letter. How each cover letter section speaks to your ... How to Write a Great Postdoc Cover Letter A cover letter starts like a formal letter with the date at the top followed by the name and work address of the job poster. This is followed by the salutation. For a postdoc position, you will often be addressing your letter to the PI. However, if it is not clear from the advertisement who the job poster is, you can always address the letter ... Postdoc Cover Letter: Full Writing Guide (w/ Examples & Tips) A business letter format is the best one for a postdoc cover letter.. The ideal length for your postdoc cover letter is one page, 250-400 words, or 3-5 paragraphs.. The first paragraph should explain what position you're after while highlighting your key strengths.. The final paragraph should feature a call to action to increase your chances of success. Cover Letter for Postdoc Position: Sample Application Letter Cover Letter for Postdoc Position: Sample ... - Zety Postdoc Cover Letter: Samples & Templates to Fill This postdoc cover letter sample comes from Sam, who was due to complete his PhD in 2023, and is applying for a research position. Let's see how he presents his arguments. Sam Marks PhD. 37 Sunset Boulevard. New Haven, CT 06520. 211-978-1043. [email protected]. New Haven, June 26, 2020. Professor B. Hawthorne. Best Postdoc Cover Letter Examples for 2024 Best Postdoc Cover Letter Examples for 2024 Cover Letter Best Practices: PhD and Postdoc Success Give a clear indication of the skills and experiences that make the applicant a good fit. Your cover letter should translate how your experiences have developed both technical and non-technical skills necessary for the role. Provide evidence of the skills in action. Show, do not tell—provide concrete examples that craft a compelling narrative. PDF CVs & COVER LETTERS FOR PhDs & POSTDOCS CVs and Cover Letters for PhDs and Postdocs Postdoc Cover Letter Example Here's an example postdoc cover letter to help you write your cover letter. Dr. John DoeDepartment of BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaCalifornia, United States 1st July, 2021 Dr. Jane SmithFaculty of MedicineUniversity of TorontoToronto, Canada Dear Dr. Smith, I am writing to apply for the postdoctoral research position advertised in your ... Academic Cover Letters: PhD and Postdoc Success Academic Cover Letters: PhD and Postdoc Success How to write a postdoc cover letter (with example) Here are the steps to writing your cover letter for postdoc jobs: 1. Provide your contact details. Including your contact information at the top of your cover letter is standard across most industries. This information makes it easy for employers to contact you if you reach the interview stage. PDF CVs and Cover Letters GSAS: CVs and Cover Letters - Harvard University PDF Sample Unsolicited Cover Letter for Postdoc SAMPLE UNSOLICITED COVER LETTER FOR POSTDOC GSAS Career Services note: The introductory paragraph of this letter is direct and draws attention to the adviser's referral. The second paragraph is especially good at succinctly presenting the topic of the author's dissertation, its significance in the context of the field, and its results. PDF Writing your CV and Cover Letter (for example, it wasn't obvious why the candidate was pivoting from their PhD work to the potential postdoc PIs lab, and they wanted to know more about the argument. Pro-tip : don't attach your cover letter as a separate document. Just make it the text of your email, and attach a CV. Cover Letter For A Postdoc (5 Samples) When writing a postdoc cover letter, these are some of the essential things to include in your letter: Address the employer with a formal salutation. For example, "Dear/Hello (name of the recipient or hiring manager).". The next step is to state the position you are applying for and how you found the opening. Letters : Office of Postdoctoral Studies Letters enable you to introduce yourself, state your career interests, and highlight your strengths. There are several types of letters that you'll need to develop. Informational Interview Letters. Sample Informational Interview Letter. Cover Letters and Letters of Inquiry. Sample Letter of Inquiry. Letters of Application. 5 Tips for a Great Cover Letter (and samples) Cover Letter Format & Samples Photo by Artem Podrez. Cover letters are a fantastic tool to introduce oneself in the job search process and are as significant as the resume. A cover letter provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate one's interest in the organization and establish direct connections between the employer's job ... Advice for pursuing a career path in a postdoc office (opinion) For example, chairing a postdoc association, organizing a career panel or serving on an institutional committee can provide insights into the duties and processes of a postdoc office. ... Articulating your motivation in the cover letter and adapting your CV to convey an intentional pivot into academic administration is key, she advises. In ... NSF 24-593: Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) NSF Cover Sheet: Enter your requested start date (for this cycle, between June 1, 2025 and September 1, 2026). The proposed duration for a postdoctoral fellowship proposal is pre- populated, read-only (i.e., not editable), and aligns with the program solicitation selected when initiating the proposal in Research.gov. essay homework paper phd project resume review speech thesis