My recent search for a CULTIVATE postdoc (position now filled) got me thinking about what info I could share with recent and soon-to-be PhDs in information, LIS, and related areas. Here are some very generic notes related to the postdoc job search.
- For PhD students and recent PhDs in information and related technical fields, Shahan Ali Memon (a student at the University of Washington iSchool) keeps a great jobs spreadsheet on “2026-2027 Postdoc/TT/Research Scientist Positions in Information/CS/Social Science + Related Fields”
- Some postdocs find funding by reaching out to senior researchers in the areas most related to their future work: This works best in well-funded fields (like medicine in this example ) or when a country or institution has well-developed opportunities.
- Identifying fellowship funding can be an excellent way to write your own position.
- I especially recommend the Marie Curie postdoc, an annual call (deadline each September) funded by the European Commission. While competitive, the funding is ample and the opportunity is prestigious.
- Recent PhDs of any nationality can propose a 1-2 year postdoc with a mentor in Europe or the many “Horizon Europe Associated Countries”
- Europeans (and long-time European residents) with PhDs can propose Global Fellowships: mentored for 1-2 years in a “Third Country” (such as the US) followed by a mandatory reintegration year in Europe/“Horizon Europe Associated Countries”
- Fellowships tend to depend on:
- the field of study
- where the research will be carried out (country, institution, …)
- aspects of the researcher (nationality, gender, country of residence, mobility, …)
- Fellowships typically come from several places:
- the hosting institution (most common when there’s a senior academic you’re visiting, or a library/archival collection that has a fund)
- short-term grants from national organizations in the country where you’re based
- short-term grants from national organizations in the country you’re visiting (some countries like Germany have lots of these)
- groups like COST (I’ve had one from them, bottom-up funding for research groups)
- professional societies
- private foundations
- I share a very out-of-date list I kept as a PhD student, focused on Europe (again, it is just indicative but may point to countries with robust funding for postdocs)
- I especially recommend the Marie Curie postdoc, an annual call (deadline each September) funded by the European Commission. While competitive, the funding is ample and the opportunity is prestigious.
- Applicants to US positions should be aware that non-immigrant visa sponsorship is subject to country-specific restrictions determined by the US Department of State, which are regularly revised.
- For librarians and library school faculty in lower and middle income countries, the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs may be a resource for training or for US-based professional development. For instance, its Associates Program is an annual program at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign which has partial scholarships but requires substantial resources for living expenses, travel, and visa costs.
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