Postdoctoral Studies

The Department of Chemistry’s diverse research programs welcome postdoctoral scholars from around the world.

Explore our faculty research interests and job openings on their individual websites.

Resources

Below is a list of offices and centers at Yale that assist postdocs.

Office for Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA)

The OPA serves the needs of postdoctoral fellows throughout the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and professional schools. In concert with Yale Chemistry, they appoint, support, and train the postdoctoral community. They offer workshops and lectures on career development, postdoctoral travel funding, and assistance with curriculum vitae and cover letters, among other services. Here, one can apply to Yale and learn about salary, benefits, and policies for postdoctoral appointments.

Office of Sponsored Projects

The Office of Sponsored Projects assists faculty and staff in obtaining and managing sponsored awards that support scholarly activities. They review and approve proposals submitted to all sponsors for interpreting, negotiating, and accepting grants and contracts for sponsored projects (externally-funded activities), funded by federal and state agencies, foundations, and other public and private sources, and provide guidance to assure proper stewardship of funds that are received. 

The office maintains databases on funding opportunities, including postdoctoral fellowships, postdoctoral-faculty transition grants, and standard faculty research grants. In addition, their website contains information on internal grant competitions, grant preparation and review, Yale policies, and resources for scientists seeking funding. They also offer annual workshops on seeking funding, applying for grants, and preparing postdoctoral fellowship applications.

McDougal Graduate Student Center 

The McDougal Center is where you can find support resources, attend events, build community, and connect with fellow postdocs.

Office of Career Strategy (OCS)

OCS offers resources to explore career options, develop professional skills and experiences, and conduct a rewarding job search beyond the academy. Check out their events calendar for upcoming workshops, alumni panels, and employer events. In addition, advisors are available by appointment for personalized advice on career development.

Groups & Organizations

Check out our Student Groups page for a list of groups, clubs, and organizations open to Chemistry graduate students and postdocs, including Women in Science at Yale. Below is a postdoc-specific group you are welcome to join.

Postdoctoral Academic Career Discussion 

Understanding the steps toward professorship in academia can be confusing. We are a group of postdocs in different stages of pursuing professorship careers in academia. We meet monthly to informally discuss the various aspects of the road to professorship. This includes but is not limited to: requirements for application packages (e.g., research plans, teaching philosophy, and diversity statement), experiences with the process at R1/R2 universities or between different department types (e.g., chemistry versus biochemistry), and common themes during online and in-person interviews. By sharing our experiences with one another, we hope to alleviate some of the ambiguity (and stress) in our transitions toward independence, thus cultivating an environment that leads to achieving successful professorship. If you are interested in joining the discussion, please contact Chris Gisriel for meeting information.