Postdoc Career Outcomes

Job Sector of 383 Postdoctoral Departures

From 2015 – present

Job Sector
Academic Institution
61.9%
For-profit Company
26.1%
Non-profit Organization
3.9%
Unknown or Undecided
3.9%
Government Agency
2.3%
Independent/Self-Employed
1.8%
Job Type at an Academic Institution

2015 – Present

Job Type *

    Job Type

  • Tenure-Track Faculty
  • Non-Tenure-Track Faculty
  • Professional Staff – Broad term describing non-faculty positions; this category includes those conducting independent work but not supervising a large team
  • Support Staff – Refers to those not leading independent efforts but primarily supporting the work of others
  • Management – Refers to those leading or managing large teams or efforts
  • Trainee – Conducting additional training (e.g. additional postdoctoral training or additional degree)
Tenure-Track Faculty
54.3%
Trainee
25.2%
Professional Staff
8.7%
Non-Tenure-Track Faculty
5.6%
Support Staff
1.3%
Management
.9%
Job Specifics at a For-profit Company

2015 – present

Job Specifics *

    Job Specifics

  • Primarily Applied Research – Conducting research involving the practical application of science to solve a specific problem (e.g. pharmaceutical target/toxicological screening or epidemiology)
  • Primarily Basic Research – Conducting research to understand fundamental, ‘basic,’ natural processes or phenomena
  • Primarily Computational Research/Informatics – Primarily involved in developing new computational/statistical methods for analyzing complex data
  • Primarily Clinical Research – Research aimed determining the safety and effectiveness of biologics, drugs, and devices that have reached the stage of including human subjects
  • Primarily Clinical Practice – Primarily involved in using established treatments to care for patients
  • Consulting — Primarily providing expert advice in a specialty area, which is used to guide others in solving problems, developing strategic plans, providing a specific service, etc.
  • Science Writing or Communications – Primarily involved in writing/editing and improving scientific communication
  • Business Development or Operations – Primarily involved in developing or implementing strategies for expanding business opportunities (business development), or involved in optimizing the efficiency with which a business operates (business operations)
  • Technical/Customer Support – Primarily involved in supporting a customer’s ability to use a product or service, or in supporting the functions of a laboratory.
Primarily Basic Research
28.6%
Primarily Applied Research
21.4%
Primarily Computational Research/Informatics
11.2%
Science Writing or Communications
11.2%
Consulting
8.2%
Science Administration/Project Management
7.1%
Primarily Clinical Research
4.1%
Business Development or Operations
2%
Other
2%
Technical/Customer Support
2%
Primarily Clinical Practice
1%
Regulatory Affairs
1%