Key Information

Tutor: Dr Caroline Hargreaves
Duration: 2 hour 15 minutes
Delivery: Live (In-Person) & Live (Online)
ECRI Credit (PGR only): 1 credit 
Audience: Research Degree Students

Dates

There are no further sessions taking place this academic year. Course dates for 2026-27 will be available to book from late September.

  • Do I want to do a postdoc?
  • What can I do to help me decide?

Often doctoral researchers drift into Postdocs without appreciating how to choose the right one for them. This course aims to inspire a more focused approach, introducing opinions of postdocs and viewing example job descriptions, person specifications and application forms to help you get on the right track for you.

Postdocs join the last part of the course to share their experience and answer questions; participants consistently rate this as one of the most valuable parts of the course.

You will need to dedicate a total time of ~2 hours 45 minutes to complete this course, which includes ~30 minutes preparatory activities carried out via Canvas. There is a lot of material to explore via the Course Notes and links on Canvas after the live course, and optional follow ups are available.

This course is open to all Research Degree Students. It is most useful when you are considering your next step. 

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course and using preparatory and post- course materials you will be better able to:

  • Evaluate what you are looking for in an ideal postdoc position
  • Assess some pros and cons of doing a postdoc
  • Plan how you will approach postdoc applications
  • Begin to generate content to be tailored for applications
  • Identify resources to assist your decision-making process

How to Book

Book via Inkpath using your Imperial Single-Sign-On. Bookings will close one week before each live session.

Please ensure you have read and understood ECRI’s attendance & cancellation policy before booking. 

Further Information

Pre-Course Work

You will be sent a link to the online platform to complete preparatory activities (~30) before the live course and to engage with during the course. There is material to read and consider and some polls and forms to complete. Discussions and group activities build on the pre-course work, so previous participants request that we require you to complete this.  

Netiquette for Online Training
  • It is important that you are fully present and an active participant, to create a safe space for sharing and discussion.
  • Please ensure prior to attending that you have a fully functioning camera and microphone. If you have any issues with your equipment, please contact us as soon as possible.  
  • Please ensure that you are in a private space where you can maintain confidentiality and the privacy of the other participants.
  • To maintain confidentiality, all participants are asked to agree to keep what is said within the group, and not record or take screenshots/photos without permission. Pictures or quotes from the session should not be posted on social media or elsewhere. 
Confidentiality
  • Some of your pre-course work will be shared with some of your peers as part of the course activities, so that you can learn from each other and see what may be improved.  If you are not permitted to share particular details related to your PhD do not include in your examples.
  • By attending the course, you are agreeing to keep shared information confidential and to not make any digital copies of the documents that you share with each-other.  You can, however, take written notes.
Participant Quotations

'The pre-course requirements were really helpful for feeling engaged on the day. I liked the interactions with the guests, having different perspectives was very insightful.'

'Discussing the situation with other students is great, seeing others in a similar situation is reassuring in a way.'

'It can be stressful to think about what I haven't gotten to qualify for a post-doc, but this course has taught me how to think it through and 
strategically search and plan for an application.'

'I will put more time into purposeful networking, and monitor jobs notifications that are relevant to my current research field.'

Other Resources

You may be interested in other courses from the following programmes: 

Core booking blocks

Inkpath booking system

Guidance and FAQs on course bookings.

Attendance & Cancellation Policy

Information about the attendance and cancellation policy for places on ECRI courses.