Tips to select a lab and project for your postdoctoral research
1.Select a research area that excites you
Discuss the position fully with your proposed mentor, review the literature on the proposed project, and discuss it with others to get a balanced view. Try and evaluate what will be published during the process of your research.
2: Select a laboratory and a project that stands out within a competitive field
Maximizing your versatility increases your marketability. Balance this against the need to ultimately be recognized for a particular set of contributions. Avoid strictly continuing the work you did in graduate school. A postdoctoral position is an extension of your graduate training; maximize your gain in knowledge and experience. Think very carefully before extending your graduate work into a postdoc in the same laboratory where you are at.
New areas of science emerge and become highly attractive. Getting involved in an area early on has advantages, since you will be more easily recognized. Consider a laboratory and mentor that have a track record in pioneering new areas.
3.Have a backup plan for you main research project
Do not be afraid to take risks, high risk is high gain, although keep in mind that pursuing a risky project will not always lead to publishable results. Thus make sure to have a backup plan? Consider working on at least two projects. One to which you devote most of your time and energy and the second as a fallback. The second project should be more of the “bread and butter” type, guaranteed to generate good (if not exciting) results no matter what happens.
4.Choose a project with tangible outcomes that match your career goals
For a future in academia, the most tangible outcomes are high quality publications. When considering a hosting you should consider if the laboratory you are entering has a track record in producing such publications? Is your future mentor well-respected and recognized by the community?
5. Select a Laboratory that suits your work and lifestyle
If at all possible, visit the laboratory physically before making a decision. Try not to decided based on zoom only. Laboratories vary widely in scope and size. Talk to other graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the laboratory and determine the work style of the laboratory. Does the location of the laboratory and the surrounding environment suitable for you and your family (if joining you).
6.Strive to get your own funding
Entering a position with a fellowship gives you a level of independence and an important extra line on your resume. See list of available fellowships for postdoc abroad. Applying for a fellowship requires to plan long time in advance. The major postdoctoral fellowships have a strict deadline and several require an acceptance letter from your supervisor prior to submission your application.
In addition to the major postdoctoral fellowship there are many specific fellowships that can be applied in the country you are conducting your postdoc. Make sure to check with your mentor or hosting institute for postdoctoral opportunities
Adjusted from Philip Bourne and Iddo Friedberg,2006
https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.0020121
