Project Postdocs
What they are and what (not) to do when applying
This post is not directly related to the process of applying for an ERC grant, although it is an immediate result of receiving one.
When you apply for a research grant like the ERC Starting Grant, you need to think about team composition: who will work on this project with you? Usually, this means deciding whether you will employ PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, or research assistants. This is an important structural dimension of your proposal and has to be reflected in the budget.
In this post, however, I would like to reflect on something else: what does it mean to apply for a postdoctoral position in a project like this? What do people tend to do well, and what should they avoid when applying? I am now on the receiving end of applications, and although the process is still in its early stages, I can already see some trends that I can discuss without referring to specific selection process or individual candidates.
It is also an interesting addition to my own experience of being on the academic job market not so long ago, and it made me think about things I know now but wish I had known back when I was applying.
What are postdocs?
But first: what are postdoctoral positions, or postdocs? These are temporary research positions, ideally “bridge jobs,” suitable for people fresh out of their PhD but not yet experienced enough to qualify for permanent teaching or research positions.
Unfortunately, the realities of the academic job market today are such that this ideal scenario doesn’t work. Many people do one postdoc after another, and being a postdoc has become a common long-term academic trajectory. This reflects the precarity of the academic job market today.
Postdocs also come in different forms. I would distinguish between two main types: individual postdocs and project postdocs.
Individual postdocs are fellowships that allow scholars to work on their own research projects. They are rare.
Project postdocs, which are much more common, are positions within someone else’s funded project. This is what I want to focus on here.
Project postdocs
Project postdocs are research positions in projects that someone else has already secured funding for, through the ERC or another funding body. This means that the project has been thought through to a significant extent, and that there is less freedom to define your own research direction from scratch. Even if there is some flexibility, the scope and goals of the larger project always have to be taken into account.
It is a difficult balance to strike: between allowing for individual creativity and implementing the goals stated in the original project proposal. Understanding this difference between individual and project postdocs is important, because it should shape how you frame your application and your motivation.
(Sidenote: I wish I could offer permanent jobs, but I am limited by the project funding I received. I also have the stated goals of the project that candidates need to position themselves toward.)
What helps
Your CV showing the fit is important. But a specific and tailored motivation letter is often even more important. It shows that you are serious about the position and can sometimes compensate for gaps or mismatches in your CV.
As someone who has applied for many postdoc positions myself, I am fully aware that people often apply to dozens of jobs and therefore have a standardized application package. A big part of it is - and should be - recyclable. But think about what it looks like from the reader’s side: if you are applying for a postdoc within a project, the minimal expectation is that you have read the vacancy carefully and reflected on whether and how you fit the position.
In addition to generic components, you need to relate explicitly to the project you are applying for.
If you are not an exact fit, explain why you still think you qualify or why you are interested. I do not think we should only apply for positions where the fit is 100%. Sometimes employers have flexibility, or they are open to compromise if there is something particularly strong about your profile or motivation. But don’t expect them to “just see it.” Explain why they should consider you.
Highlight the qualities that align with the requirements in the vacancy. If it asks for language proficiency, specific methods, or particular experience, do not assume the readers will infer this from your CV. Make it visible.
And yes, I know it is exhausting: to think about all these different projects you’re applying for, to adapt your application to each of them, without any guarantee that it will bear fruit. But I don’t know how to fix this. I don’t think there’s a workaround here - and ChatGPT won’t help.
What doesn’t help
A major “don’t,” and one that is becoming increasingly common: do not feed the vacancy and your CV into GenAI to generate your motivation letter. For your own sake. It is usually very easy to recognize. Multiple people will do the same, and GenAI is not very inventive: the letters end up having similar structures and the same generic phrases about what “draws you to the project.”
Better clumsy but personal prose than this.
Another point: be careful with some of the advice circulating in job market trainings. I sometimes hear that candidates are encouraged to contact the PI or selection committee before submitting an application, or immediately after, to say that they have applied. Perhaps the idea is to become more memorable. In practice, unless you have a very specific and substantive question, this is not necessarily helpful. It creates noise and clutter in an already overloaded inbox, and it rarely makes a positive impression.
Focusing on writing a strong, thoughtful motivation letter is far more important.
Writing this from the other side has made me much more aware of how asymmetrical and emotionally charged this process is. Applying for postdocs takes time and energy, and I don’t take that lightly. I’m grateful to everyone who chose to apply for positions in my project.