Career and Professional Development

Description

Postdoctoral trainees at Penn are appointed primarily for advanced research, scholarly training, and professional development under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Career development is an important part of postdoctoral training and may include career advising, professional skills development, networking, job search preparation, and exploration of academic and non-academic career pathways.

Penn offers a range of career advising, professional development programs, job search tools, and networking resources to support postdocs as they prepare for careers in academia, industry, government, nonprofit organizations, and other sectors.

Postdocs are encouraged to engage with career development resources early and throughout their appointment. These resources can help postdocs clarify career goals, prepare application materials, identify funding or fellowship opportunities, build professional networks, and develop skills that support long-term career success.

Postdocs should consult with their faculty mentor or departmental administrator when a career development activity may affect appointment expectations, research responsibilities, funding terms, visa status, or time away from assigned duties.

International postdocs should consult with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) when career development, internships, employment, volunteering, consulting, or other professional activities may intersect with visa requirements.

Related Resources: Career and Professional Development for Postdocs:

Penn-supported memberships and subscriptions
Penn provides postdocs with free access to selected professional development platforms and memberships, including the National Postdoctoral Association, Beyond the Professoriate, and the National Center for Faculty Development. Postdocs may need to use their Penn email address, PennKey, or institutional login to access these resources.

Penn Career Services:
Provides specialized resources for postdocs, including guidance on career exploration, application materials, interviewing, and academic and non-academic job searches.
https://careerservices.upenn.edu/channels/phds-postdocs

• Schedule an Appointment with a Career Advisor
  Allows postdocs to book one-on-one consultations with a Penn Career Services advisor.
  https://upenn.joinhandshake.com/stu/appointments
• Walk-In Wednesdays with Penn Career Services
  Provides drop-in advising opportunities for postdocs seeking brief career guidance, application feedback, or job search support.
  https://www.med.upenn.edu/postdoc/career-management-walkins.html
• Handshake
  Career Services’ platform for appointments, workshops, job postings, employer events, career fairs, and other programming available to Penn students, postdocs, and alumni served by the office.
  https://careerservices.upenn.edu/resources/handshake/

Penn Postdoctoral Association Career Enhancement and Training (CET) Committee
Organizes postdoc-led programming related to career exploration, professional development, academic preparation, and job search readiness.
https://www.pennpostdocs.com/cet

Biomedical Postdoctoral Programs: Career Development
Provides career development resources, programming, and guidance that may be especially relevant to biomedical postdocs.
https://www.med.upenn.edu/postdoc/career-development

National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)
Offers national resources, career development programming, advocacy, and professional guidance for postdocs across disciplines. Penn postdocs have access to NPA membership through Penn’s institutional membership.
https://www.med.upenn.edu/postdoc/memberships-and-subscriptions#NationalPostdoctoralAssociationNPA2

MyIDP
Provides an individual development planning tool to help postdocs assess skills, clarify career goals, and create a career development plan.
https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/

Beyond the Professoriate
Provides online career training and professional development resources for PhDs and postdocs exploring academic and non-academic career pathways. Penn postdocs have free access through Penn’s subscription.
https://careerservices.upenn.edu/resources/aurora-by-beyond-the-professoriate/

NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education
Provides career and professional development resources, webinars, and training materials for biomedical researchers and trainees.
https://www.training.nih.gov/

National Center for Faculty Development
Offers mentoring resources, webinars, writing support, and career development programming for faculty, postdocs, and graduate students. Penn postdocs have free access through Penn’s institutional membership.
https://www.med.upenn.edu/postdoc/memberships-and-subscriptions#NCFDD4

Nature Masterclasses
Provides online training in research writing, publishing, grant writing, and related research skills. Penn postdocs have free access through Penn’s subscription.
https://masterclasses.nature.com/register