Presidential Postdoctoral Fellows Program  

Applicants from any discipline are eligible to apply but must be conducting work in one of the four Presidential priority areas: Race, Racism, and Inequality, Health Equity, Engaged Climate Action, or in any subject area that advances diversity in the STEM disciplines. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must have completed all requirements toward their terminal degree (Ph.D., MFA, D.F.A., M.D. J.D. or other appropriate degree completed, defended, and submitted to the degree-granting institution) no later than June 30th in the year of appointment at Rutgers. Preference will be given to candidates who have received their degrees within three years of the start date of appointment at Rutgers (for example, a postdoctoral fellow appointed at Rutgers in July 2023 must have completed their terminal degree between June 30, 2020, and June 30, 2023). Candidates holding a terminal degree in a STEM or Biomed discipline within five years of start date (i.e., no earlier than June 30, 2018) are also eligible to apply. Candidates who are training in healthcare disciplines (e.g., medical residents or fellows) may hold a terminal degree (e.g., MD or equivalent) within five to seven years of the potential start date (i.e., no earlier than June 30, 2016), may also apply.

• Rutgers University values contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion (diversity.rutgers.edu). We encourage applicants to comment (in a separate statement or in the cover letter) about how their research, teaching, and/or service in the past, present, and/or future could contribute to these values.
• A curriculum vitae, including publications, awards, honors, current and pending funding (if any)
• Three confidential letters of reference, one of which should be from the applicant's dissertation or thesis advisor. All letters must be submitted by referees through the application portal via an automatically-generated email request link. Applicants can save the application as a draft and send the letter requests before they submit their application. For details see #6 on the Requesting a Reference Letter webpage. All letters must be received via the portal no later than October 31^st. We recommend that all applicants directly alert their referees of the deadline to submit their letter. Applicants will be responsible for following up with their referees to verify the status of their letter submission before the deadline.
• A Proposed Research Plan that describes what the applicant aims to achieve during the term of his /her/ their appointment. Applicants should use this Plan to make any requests for specific placements at Rutgers and to explain why such a placement would be beneficial. Plans may be no longer than 3 pages, single-spaced, with one-inch margins, in 11 pt. font.
• A writing sample of no more than 25 pages (all inclusive), double-spaced, or a sample of prior research. The writing sample can be any written work that best represents your research and/ or creative efforts at this career stage. Depending on your field of expertise, your sample might be a published paper, article, essay, creative work, or a selection of one; a compilation of different shorter papers; an unpublished research paper that represents current work; a scholarly article; or an excerpted chapter from a dissertation.
• All applicants must apply through the online portal. Only complete applications received through the portal by the closing date of October 31, 2022, will be reviewed.

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions document. If you still have questions about the application process, contact Dr. Itzamarie Chévere-Torres, Director, Office of Postdoctoral Advancement, at ppd@oq.rutgers.edu or 848-445-0242.

Note: Final decisions on a cohort of Fellows will be made on or around the week of January 23^rd, 2023.

Fellows are required to attend the following PPF activities:

• A welcome session, which may be scheduled 1-2 months before or up to 2 weeks after start date.
• At least two check-in Focus Group Discussions with the Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Advancement (OPA) every 6 months. These 1-hour sessions offer an opportunity to provide feedback on Fellow experiences, discuss progress, and offer guidance on completing and submitting annual individual development plans.
• Submit a Rutgers Postdoctoral Individual Development Plan (IDP) at the end of each appointment year. Fellows will work together with their faculty mentor(s) to write the IDP, and the Office of Postdoctoral Advancement offers a specific workshop, “Your Career on Track,” to explain how to complete this document. Completing an IDP helps with setting career and professional goals, making postdoctoral training more intentional and productive, and allowing you to track your progress. It clearly outlines your and your mentor's expectations and establishes mutual understanding and clear communication.
• At least one activity or event regarding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion per year in the fellowship program. These may include workshops on implicit or unconscious bias, mentoring across differences, or other topics offered through The Office of University Equity and Inclusion, the Faculty Diversity Collaborative, or Chancellor Led Units activities like equity talks and racial healing circles, among others.
• At least one mentoring activity or program per year. Examples include the workshop on “Effective Mentoring of Undergraduates in Laboratory Setting,” led by Drs. Janet Alder, Evelyn Erenrich, and Xenia Morin (for STEM/Biomed Fellows), the Rutgers Connection Network Mentoring Program offered through the Faculty Diversity Collaborative, or the “Strengths-Based Mentoring Skills: or “Mentoring-Up” workshops offered through the Office of Postdoctoral Advancement and other units.

In addition to these specific requirements, Fellows will be expected to participate in a selection of professional & career development cohort activities offered through the Office of Postdoctoral Advancement on time management skills, writing for grants and/or publication, teaching, faculty job preparation, mentoring skills, leadership skills, communication skills, networking, advocacy, teaching statements, and diversity statements. Fellows will be notified of all scheduled professional development sessions. A certificate of completion in Professional Development will be granted to fellows that dedicate 10 hours or more per academic year to these programs.

1:1 Advising sessions with the OPA Director are available by appointment for fellows who need more individualized guidance to navigate their postdoctoral training, as are 1:1 Coaching Sessions for fellows looking for a safe space to self-explore, reflect, clarify goals and next steps, and foster professional growth in an individualized way.

The Application Portal is now closed.