Doing a Postdoc abroad: From Brazil to the US – part 2

Hi readers! Are you committed to research? Do you hold your M.D. or Ph.D. and wish to start your career as an independent researcher? 

Read the first part of this article here, where I describe the 5-W’s (What, Why, When, Where, Who) to help you answer these questions. 

If you are considering to work as a postdoc, you still need to know the 2-H’s: How to get this position? How much is the salary? 

My name is Francianne and I work as a postdoc at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA. In this post, I want to share with you how I ended as a postdoc.

How?

I am a Biomedical Scientist with MSc and PhD in Oncology. I studied at the National Cancer Institute from Brazil working on the etiology and prognosis of pediatric leukemia. As a graduate student, I attended meetings and international conferences seeking out opportunities to share experiences with my peers and find the future mentor. Ask for advice. Talk about your interests. Look forward.

Find the kind of research you want to perform. Consider institutions abroad. I saw in a Research University the opportunity to continue my graduating studies, developing a high-level research and publishing the results in competitive journals. I chose a lab to give me the technical expertise and skills to my scientific career.

Send email to potential mentors. You will need 6 months to 1 year to leave your graduate lab, prepare the documents, and move to a different country/city. So, apply in advance. After writing a cover letter and attaching my CV, I scheduled a video call to introduce myself and express my professional interests. It is expected to talk about your background and how your interests match with the position you are applying for. Take this opportunity to ask everything you want to know to feel comfortable working in that environment. Ask if you will have access to equipment for your research, if you will have help, if you will need to get your own fund, and so on. Do not be concerned about interviewing your future mentor. In fact you are.

How much?

The typical annual salary for postdoctoral research in Biomedical Sciences is $45,000-$50,000. We give up on earning potentials of $90,000 in industry. That is the price for an initial career in academia, considering that the benefits are beyond financial earnings. Most important: this is a temporary position.