Skip To Content

Academics/Postdoctoral Program
FAQs

How do I apply for a postdoctoral position at BCS?
Applications for postdoctoral positions are made by contacting the appropriate faculty member directly.

Where will I find a listing of available postdoctoral positions?
There is no comprehensive listing of available postdoctoral positions. Availability of postdoctoral positions depends on faculty sponsorship. The best thing to do is to contact the appropriate faculty member directly regarding opportunities in his/her lab.

How are postdoctoral positions funded?
Postdocs are named as Fellows or Associates depending on the source of their funding. Virtually all postdocs at BCS are supported either by individual fellowships from NIH or NSF, or by grant funding sourced through a faculty grant. Institute funding for postdocs is very limited. Generally speaking, the availability of grant funding will determine the availability of postdoctoral positions. Bear in mind that issues of funding will be very important in all cases for postdoctoral appointment.

What is the difference between a Fellow and an Associate?
Postdoctoral researchers are appointed with the title of Postdoctoral Fellow or Postdoctoral Associate, depending on the funding source.

The MIT title of Postdoctoral Fellow applies to researchers who receive funding in the form of a fellowship or stipend from an outside agency, either directly or distributed through MIT on behalf of the sponsor. Postdoctoral Fellows are eligible to enroll for health care coverage through the MIT Affiliate Health Care program.

The MIT title of Postdoctoral Associate applies to those whose salaries are paid through a faculty research grant.  These scholars may be eligible for staff benefits through MIT's Human Resources Benefits Office. See the Benefits web page. Please see your Human Resources Administrator if you have questions regarding eligibility. More information regarding funding is available here.

Where can I learn more about being a postdoctoral at MIT?
The MIT Postdoctoral Scholars web site is an excellent source of information.