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Contributing to our understanding of STEM fields within higher education. Depending on the specific subject, work can be experimental or theoretical. 



Research

Early career

In 2013, I obtained my BSc in Psychology from the University of East Anglia and subsequently gained extensive experience working with neurodivergent people (e.g., autism, learning disabilities) in a range of clinical, educational and community settings. This experience sparked my passion to conduct research to improve quality of life for neurodivergent people, their families and those that support them. 

In 2022, I completed my PhD at the Centre for Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CIDD), University of Warwick. My PhD explored barriers and facilitators of access to early support for neurodivergent children and their families. I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent, working on a range of research projects. 

“I grew up in a council estate in Suffolk. Growing up, I never expected to go to university – no one in my family had gone to university before me and I didn’t know I could get funding for it! I discovered I am neurodivergent during my PhD (autism diagnosis). Being neurodivergent has many benefits to conducting research, such as intense attention (for things that interest me!), attention to detail, a strong sense of justice paired and a desire to improve the world for other neurodivergent people.”


Suzi Sapiets

A Postdoctoral Researcher (commonly known as a ‘postdoc’) is a role in a research group led by a research/group leader (often called a Principal Investigator or PI). Postdoctoral researchers are recruited to focus on a specific research project and/or to assist others in their research projects. 

## Overview

Key skills:

-  A [ Higher Degree ^ Postgraduate Degree ] ([ PhD ^ PhD ]/[ DPhil ^ DPhil ]/[ MD ^ MD ]) in a relevant [ field ^ Field ] 
- Experience of the entire research process within a specific [ discipline ^ Discipline ] or subject. From planning and running experiments to analysing results. 
- A record of published research 
- Well-developed communication skills, both written and oral 
- Self-motivated; able to work independently and under pressure
- Able to integrate into a [ research group ^ Research Group ]
 
**Typical job titles:**
Postdoctoral Researcher, Postdoc, Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA), Postdoctoral Research Scientist

A postdoctoral researcher (commonly known as a ‘postdoc’) is a role in a research group led by a research/group leader (often called a Principal Investigator or PI). Postdoctoral researchers are recruited to focus on a specific research project and/or to assist others in their research projects. The vast majority of these roles will involve working closely with other scientists in a team, and are often [ lab ^ Laboratory ]-based positions (depending on what area of science the role is in). 

A postdoctoral research position is typically a necessary early-career step on the way to becoming a research leader. As the name suggests, it follows the [ doctorate ^ Doctorate ] (PhD) stage and is a common first job for those aiming for a career in research.

It is often undertaken on a fixed-term contract basis, linked to specific research funding. 


Overview

## Salary

The current annual salary range for postdoctoral researchers is around £28,000-40,000 (excluding London weightings). 

Most earn over £30,000 per year but the range is quite wide as it reflects the different levels of responsibility and experience needed for different positions.

Salary

## Skills

Pressure to publish [ papers ^ Paper ] about the research you are doing is a feature of all early- and mid-career research jobs, as this provides the evidence that you are consistently producing high-quality research. This makes sure that the group or department will continue to be funded by external sources. 

Resilience and determination are needed to cope with setbacks in a research project, and to cope with the amount of time spent at a computer analysing data and results, and writing reports and papers. 

Most postdoctoral researcher positions are advertised as full-time roles. Employment contracts usually specify a 35 to 37-hour working week, but in practice extra hours are required when conducting experiments, to meet deadlines, and to prepare for teaching and supervising research projects.  

Self-organisation and time management are crucial for juggling different aspects of the postdoctoral researcher role.

Travel is often part of the role – for example, to work on projects with [ academic ^ Academic ] and industrial collaborators and to attend [ conferences ^ Conference ]. This may include spending time abroad.

Being able to move abroad for a postdoctoral researcher position can be helpful for career progression; for example, if a leading researcher whose group you wish to work in is based overseas.


Skills

## Population

As with many jobs in universities, it is hard to pin down exactly how many postdoctoral researchers there are, because the role covers a range of job titles. 

It is thought that there are around 30,000 (typically) in STEM subjects in the UK. Around three quarters are these are in research-intensive universities (such as the universities in the [ Russell Group ^ Russell Group ]). 

Around half of all postdoctoral researchers are thought to be under 35, showing that although it may be considered an ‘[ entry role ^ Entry Level ]’ to a career in science, undertaken after completion of a [ PhD ^ PhD ], many people do more than one [ postdoctoral ^ Postdoctoral ] position (each typically for three years). Some researchers continue at this level for many years, which may be because they want to remain in research but are unable to progress to a permanent [ academic ^ Academic ] role. 

There gender split is roughly equal among postdoctoral researchers across all subjects, but this varies strongly with the subject. In many STEM subjects, there will be fewer women. 

As many as half of all STEM postdoctoral researchers are from outside the UK originally.

A 2021 analysis showed there was over 12,000 UK job advertisements for academic researchers that year across all subjects, many of which will have been for postdoctoral roles, and three quarters of which were in STEM subjects:

- Two-thirds of them offered salaries between £30,000 and £39,000 (this is the typical range for postdoctoral researcher roles)
- Most jobs were full-time (93%) 
- Most of the positions were fixed-term contracts (94%) rather than permanent. Other sources suggest around 80% of all postdoctoral researchers in the UK are employed on a fixed-term basis. These are usually three-year contracts, but a small number may be only for a year.


Population

## Career stage

A postdoctoral researcher is typically an early-career role following a [ PhD ^ PhD ]. A PhD [ graduate ^ Graduate ] aiming for a research career in a university might expect to undertake two to three postdoctoral researcher positions, each of which could be as long as three years.

Gaining experience by working at different [ labs ^ Laboratory ] or in different institutions is often seen positively; researchers might look to broaden their experience and responsibilities with each new [ postdoctoral ^ Postdoctoral ] position they take on.

Funding for postdoctoral researcher positions is linked to specific research projects. Like the research project, a postdoctoral researcher position is often time-limited, so the job is most commonly offered on a fixed-term contract (although it is becoming more common in some universities to offer them on an open-ended basis). 

As many STEM research projects include global collaboration, researchers in many areas of STEM can find postdoctoral research positions overseas as well as in the UK. Undertaking a postdoctoral researcher position at a good university overseas may be seen by some universities as a positive career step, compared to staying in the UK, but this is not always the case.


Career stage

## Roles and responsibilities

In a postdoctoral researcher role, you are likely to carry out some research on your own, sharing your findings with colleagues, but working for your research/group leader (Principal Investigator) is key. 

The nature of the work depends on the specific area of STEM. Many are in [ experimental ^ Experimental ] areas of research, but [ postdoctoral ^ Postdoctoral ] positions are also available in [ theoretical ^ Theoretical ] areas (e.g., in mathematics and theoretical physics). Group leaders recruit postdoctoral researchers with relevant expertise and the technical skills needed for their research project. 

Research groups can vary in size from just a research leader and a postdoctoral researcher to a group of more than twenty people. In addition to the research/group leader (often called a Principal Investigator or PI) and postdoctoral researchers, research groups can also contain other [ academics ^ Academics ], often [ doctoral ^ Doctoral ] ([ PhD ^ PhD ]) students and possibly some support staff such as technicians and admin staff.

This role will use and build on the research skills developed as a doctoral researcher (e.g., as a PhD student). These include:
- Managing, planning, and carrying out your own research, sometimes operating complex instruments, and following good [ laboratory ^ Laboratory ] practice.
- Processing and analysing results, maintaining accurate records.
- Communicating findings to the [ academic ^ Academic ] scientific community, mostly through [ journal ^ Journal ] and [ conference ^ Conference ] [ papers ^ Papers ], presentations, and reports.
- Keeping up to date with the work of others (for example by reading journals and attending conferences) and learning new techniques and skills.

Postdoctoral researchers are responsible for particular parts of a research project. They contribute to the development of new research techniques and analytical approaches. They are expected to develop a strong [ publication record ^ Publication Record ], both as [ lead author ^ Lead Author ] and with their research/project leader (Public Investigator). 

Roles often include a range of wider responsibilities:
- Teaching [ undergraduate ^ Undergraduate ] and [ postgraduate ^ Postgraduate ] students (e.g., [ lecturing ^ Lecturing ], leading [ seminars ^ Seminars ], demonstrating in a lab).
- Supervising students and other members of staff (such as research assistants) in the [ group ^ Research Group ] or lab (sometimes informally).
- Writing publications and assisting the PI to develop publications.
- Helping the PI to draw up new research proposals and applications for funding.
- Collaborating with researchers in other institutions in the UK and overseas.

Depending on the nature and length of the position, postdocs may also:
- Plan and develop a line of research to apply to funding for their own project.
- Collaborate with industrial partners to apply research results in the development of new techniques or products.
- Work with researchers from different parts of their institution and different [ disciplines ^ Discipline ].
- In some disciplines, carry out [ fieldwork ^ Fieldwork ].
- Assist in consultancy projects for a range of client organisations.
- Contribute to [ public engagement ^ Public Engagement ] activities.


Roles and responsbilities

## Location 

STEM postdocs are available at universities and also at some research organisations across the UK. Around three quarters of the opportunities are at ‘research-intensive’ universities, such as those which are members of the [ Russell Group ^ Russell Group ].

Research organisations undertake research but do not award degrees or provide teaching. However, postdoctoral researchers employed by research organisations may still teach in associated universities and supervise research projects of students who are located there.

The regions with the greatest number and range of postdoctoral researcher opportunities overall are the south-east (including London) and East of England. Lots of positions can be found in particular areas, for example in biomedical and life sciences in Cambridge.

Location

## Qualifications 

A [ doctorate ^ Doctorate ] ([ PhD ^ PhD ] or similar qualification) is required, and it’s common to move to your first postdoctoral researcher position soon after completing a PhD.

Relevant expertise and technical skills are the key requirements for a postdoctoral researcher role. As long as you can offer these, candidates who chose other routes for after completing their PhD should be able to get a postdoctoral researcher position. This could include, for example, people on a career break; with industrial research experience; with lab technician or [ lab ^ Laboratory ] management experience.

Postdoctoral researcher positions are usually advertised openly and widely ([FindAPostDoc](https://www.findapostdoc.com/) for example). Another established route is to approach an established scientist (research leader) that you would like to work with. Developing a network of contacts as a [ doctoral student ^ Doctoral Student ] is therefore very helpful.

If you have research experience but no [ doctorate ^ Doctorate ]/[ PhD ^ PhD ], you can apply for jobs as a research assistant. In some more applied areas of STEM research it may be possible to get a [ postdoctoral ^ Postdoctoral ] post without a PhD, especially if you have relevant industrial research experience on top of a ‘good’ [ first degree ^ First Degree ] and (usually) a [ Master’s ^ Master's ] qualification. Some postdoctoral researcher opportunities will accept applications from doctoral students who are close to completing their PhD. If they get the job, they could start on a lower salary until they finish their PhD, and could then become a [Postdoctoral Research Assistant](https://stem-st.royalsociety.org/career-profiles/postdoctoral-research-assistant) before being promoted to a postdoctoral researcher.


Qualifications

## Progression

**For a university career path**

Several years’ [ postdoctoral ^ Postdoctoral ] research experience is normally needed for building up the achievements that will help a researcher progress to a post as a [Lecturer](https://yourstemcareerpath.royalsociety.org/career-profiles/lecturer) or to a [Research Fellow](https://yourstemcareerpath.royalsociety.org/career-profiles/research-fellow) position. 

Lecturer and Research Fellow applicants are mainly judged on their research [ publication record ^ Publication Record ] and their potential to make successful applications for research funding. Having multiple original [ publications ^ Publications ] and being named on research group leaders’ [ funding proposals ^ Funding Proposals ] are key. Evidence of teaching skills is also important for Lecturer roles.

These progression opportunities are usually highly competitive. Postdoctoral researchers need to be prepared to take on a number of positions at either the same or different institutions before securing a permanent [ academic ^ Academic ] post.

**Other careers**

A significant number of postdoctoral researchers end up following alternative paths, which could be in roles related to research or teaching, such as STEM-related research administration or management in [ higher education ^ Higher Education ] (or elsewhere), roles in a [ research institute ^ Research Institute ], or in a different sector or industry (such as in research and development).   


Progression

Postdoctoral Researcher 

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Career pathways

Career profiles

Postdoctoral Research Assistant 

Postdoctoral Researcher

Research Fellow

Research Professor

Graduate Teaching Assistant 

Lecturer

Associate Professor

Professor

Research Scientist

Assistant Technician

Technician

Clinical Doctoral Fellow

Clinical Lecturer

Case studies

Changing sectors

STEM 101

Further Resources

Qualification profiles:

Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees

Doctoral research (including PhD)

rule

Support for:

Disabled scientists

Scientists from ethnic minority backgrounds

Women in STEM

LGBTQ+ scientists

Next steps

Fellowship schemes

Researcher development framework

Useful links

Glossary

About

The pathways shown are intended to be illustrative, and do not represent an exhaustive picture of STEM careers or routes through them. Role titles are not standardised across all institutions, so when looking at roles it is important to be aware of what the role actually entails, rather than going by title alone.

Salary information was developed in 2022/2023 and is subject to change with time.