Postdoctoral Researcher Jobs
Postdoctoral Researcher jobs are open across academia, pharmaceuticals, biotech, and government research institutions, from entry-level postdoc appointments to senior research associate roles, with specializations in molecular biology, computational research, and materials science. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Postdoctoral Fellowship in Women’s Health – San Francisco VA / UCSF
San Francisco VA Health Care System | University of California, San Francisco
Location: San Francisco, CaliforniaAppointment: Full-time, two-year fellowshipApplication cycle: 2027–2028Compensation: [Insert approved VA fellowship stipend range]
About the Fellowship
The San Francisco VA Health Care System (SFVAHCS), in affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), is accepting applications for its Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship in Women’s Health.
This interdisciplinary, two-year fellowship prepares physicians, psychologists, and other doctoral-level researchers for independent careers in women’s health research, clinical care, and academic medicine.
Fellows receive individualized mentorship from established investigators across multiple research programs at SFVAHCS and UCSF. The program is designed to support each fellow’s research interests, scientific development, and long-term career goals.
Research Areas
Opportunities span a wide range of women’s health topics, including:
- Reproductive and midlife health: Menopause, ovarian aging, reproductive health, and hormonal influences on health.
- Cancer and prevention: Breast cancer risk, screening, prevention, and epidemiology.
- Mental health: PTSD, depression, trauma exposure, substance use, and mental health treatment.
- Cardiovascular and metabolic health: Cardiovascular risk, aging, osteoporosis, and related health outcomes.
- Sleep and biological mechanisms: Insomnia, psychophysiology, neuroendocrinology, inflammation, and sex differences in health.
- Other women’s health concerns: Urinary incontinence, chronic pain, and related conditions.
Fellows can pursue projects within a single research area or collaborate across disciplines, drawing on existing datasets, ongoing studies, and opportunities for new research.
Fellowship Training and Career Development
The fellowship provides mentored research and education, with clinical training opportunities for eligible fellows.
Training opportunities include:
- Developing and conducting independent research projects.
- Analyzing clinical, epidemiological, and biological datasets.
- Preparing first-author manuscripts and scientific presentations.
- Developing competitive research grants and career development awards.
- Participating in research seminars, workshops, and UCSF coursework.
- Receiving individualized mentorship and guidance toward an independent academic or research career.
Clinically qualified fellows may spend up to 25% of their time in supervised clinical activities, including care for women Veterans, depending on professional background and individualized training goals.
Mentorship and Research Environment
The program is co-directed by Karla Kerlikowske, MD, and Sabra Inslicht, PhD, and provides access to multidisciplinary faculty mentors across SFVAHCS and UCSF.
The San Francisco VA offers a substantial research infrastructure, a strong academic partnership with UCSF, and opportunities to collaborate with investigators across women’s health, primary care, psychiatry, epidemiology, and clinical research.
Fellows are encouraged to pursue their own research interests and identify mentors whose expertise best aligns with their goals.
Eligibility
Applicants must have:
- An MD with completed approved residency training; or
- A PhD in clinical or counseling psychology, nursing, neuroscience, epidemiology, health psychology, data science, or another relevant allied health field.
Clinical and counseling psychology applicants must have completed an APA-accredited doctoral program and APA-accredited internship.
All doctoral requirements must be completed before the fellowship begins. U.S. citizenship is required for the VA appointment.
Both clinical and nonclinical researchers are encouraged to apply.
Application Instructions
Applicants should submit:
- A letter of interest describing research experience, research interests, career goals, and potential faculty mentor(s).
- A curriculum vitae.
- Three letters of recommendation, including at least two from current or recent research mentors.
Please combine the letter of interest and CV into a single PDF. Recommendation letters should be sent directly by the recommenders in accordance with program instructions.
For psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience applicants:
Sabra Inslicht, PhD: Sabra.Inslicht@va.gov
For medicine and other allied health applicants:
Karla Kerlikowske, MD: Karla.Kerlikowske@va.gov
For further information about the fellowship, visit:
https://www.womenshealth.va.gov/fellowship/
Applications are being accepted for the 2027–2028 fellowship cycle. Contact the program for current review dates.
Help advance women’s health research and improve care for women Veterans through interdisciplinary research, mentorship, and clinical training.
Pay: $68,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
Postdoctoral Researcher Jobs by Experience Level
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Who's Hiring
- University of Arizona43
- Northeastern University38
- Los Alamos National Laboratory33
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital32
- Washington University in St. Louis25
Top Industries Hiring
- Education85
- Healthcare & Medical Services16
- Science & Research15
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals7
- Non-Profit & Social Services2
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in postdoctoral researcher jobs.
- PhD in a relevant field completed or defended prior to start date
- Demonstrated first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals
- Proficiency with field-specific software such as R, Python, MATLAB, or ImageJ
- Experience designing and independently executing original research projects
- Strong written and oral communication skills for grant writing and presentations
- Ability to mentor graduate students and collaborate across interdisciplinary teams
Tips for Your Postdoctoral Researcher Job Search
Tailor your CV to each institution
Academic and industry postdoc applications weight your CV differently. For industry roles, move your methods and technical skills above publications. For academic positions, lead with your dissertation work and any independent funding you've secured.
Target labs with active funding cycles
A PI's grant cycle determines whether a postdoc position is real or aspirational. Check NIH Reporter or NSF Award Search to confirm a lab has active R01s or equivalent grants before investing time in a cover letter.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists postdoctoral researcher openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Write a research statement that lands
Your research statement should spend two-thirds on your past work and one-third on a specific future project. Committees reject vague future directions. Name the exact question you'll pursue and explain why the host lab's resources make it answerable.
Prepare for a chalk talk, not just questions
Many postdoc interviews include an informal chalk talk where you sketch a project at the whiteboard. Practice explaining your most recent experiment from scratch to a non-specialist, because hiring committees often include faculty outside your subfield.
Negotiate start date and lab resources directly
Salary in postdoc offers is often fixed by NIH scale, but start date, equipment access, travel funding, and authorship agreements are negotiable. Confirm these in writing before accepting, because they shape your productivity and publication timeline.
Postdoctoral Researcher Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most postdoctoral researchers?
The companies hiring the most postdoctoral researchers right now include University of Arizona, Northeastern University, and Los Alamos National Laboratory, with the largest share of openings in Massachusetts, Texas, and California, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Research universities and federally funded national laboratories consistently account for the largest volume of postdoc openings nationwide.
How many postdoctoral researcher jobs are remote?
About 32% of postdoctoral researcher openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, which is lower than most professional roles because bench science requires on-site lab access. Computational biology, bioinformatics, data science, and theoretical physics postdocs are the sub-areas most likely to offer remote or hybrid arrangements.
How do you become a postdoctoral researcher?
You become a postdoctoral researcher by completing a doctoral degree, identifying a PI whose research aligns with your expertise, and submitting a CV, cover letter, and research statement directly to that lab or through a formal institutional posting. Networking at conferences, reaching out to PIs whose papers you cite, and applying through university career offices are all standard entry points into postdoc positions.
Can you get a postdoctoral researcher role with no prior postdoc experience?
Yes, a postdoctoral position is itself the entry-level role in academic research, so no prior postdoc experience is required or expected. What matters is a completed PhD, a strong dissertation with at least one first-author manuscript, and a clear research proposal. Candidates who publish during their PhD and present at national conferences are consistently more competitive than those who wait until after graduation to begin applying.
What does the postdoctoral researcher interview process look like?
The postdoctoral researcher interview typically begins with a one-hour seminar presenting your doctoral research to the department, followed by individual meetings with the supervising PI, collaborating faculty, and current lab members. Some labs add an informal chalk talk where you outline a proposed project. The process usually concludes with a lab tour and a discussion of funding, timeline, and authorship expectations before an offer is made.
Where can I find and apply to postdoctoral researcher jobs?
You can find and apply to postdoctoral researcher jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from research universities, national laboratories, and industry sponsors across the United States. Find roles that match your field and career stage, then apply directly to each listing.
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