In support of  Postdoc professional development, Berkeley Lab has partnered with Bill Lindstaedt to host a two part workshop geared toward Job Hunting in Academia.

Bill Lindstaedt serves as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Career Advancement, International and Postdoctoral Services at the University of California San Francisco. Since 2001, Lindstaedt has been assisting UCSF’s graduate-level trainees and postdoctoral research scientists as they prepare to move on to post-training positions rich in education, leadership and discovery.  In addition to his leadership and career counseling responsibilities, he has co-authored the popular “myIDP” career development tool, which is hosted by the careers site of the journal Science and now serves nearly 150,000 registered scientists worldwide.   The advice presented in this series is drawn from the collective experiences of the hundreds of PhD’s Bill has worked with, as they transition from their postdoc positions into new faculty roles.

This series will be offered in two sessions. It is recommended that you attend both courses to gain the most value. However, you may attend each course individually. The schedule and outline for the workshops are as follows:

August 1, 2018 10:30am-12pm  –  Part 1: “Launching a Faculty Job Search and Preparing Your Application Materials”  

This workshop will present information on how to organize your academic job search, including the various components of an application package. First, we will review the academic job search timelines, along with principles for presenting yourself well on paper.  Then, after reviewing the anatomy of a strong academic CV and cover letter, join a mock faculty search committee to critique two real application packages. Finally, learn the fundamentals for writing a successful research and teaching statement. Throughout the workshop, we will cover basics then jump quickly into how to refine and tailor your materials for a particular department or type of institution.        

December 5, 2018 10:30am-12pm – Part 2: “Negotiating Your Faculty Startup Package” 

This seminar will help you answer two of the most difficult questions faced by any future faculty member:

1. WHAT can I ask for after I receive a faculty job offer? What requests are reasonable for me to make during the negotiation process so that I can be sure to meet my personal needs and the needs of my future research program?
2. HOW do I ask for what I need? What do I say, and when, so that I get what I need and yet maintain a good relationship with my future chair?   

This two part workshop is open to Berkeley Lab Postdoctoral Scholars and visiting scholars.  There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.  To register, please visit employee self-service.
Should you have any questions about the workshop, please contact Meg Rodriguez at extension x6294.

In support of your professional development, the Berkeley Lab Learning & Organizational Development team has partnered with Dr. Peter Fiske to bring you a new workshop entitled

” Informational Interviewing for Early-Career Scientists and Engineers – New Strategies and Reports from the Trenches ” 

This workshop will take place Wednesday, June 13 2018 12:00PM- 1:00PM – Bring your lunch!

To register, please visit employee self-service. 

Informational Interviewing is one of the most effective ways of uncovering job opportunities, identifying new research sponsors and projects, and expanding your network. Sadly, most postdocs know little about the Informational Interview process or how to make it effective for them. In this lively and entertaining workshop, Peter provide an overview to the Informational Interview process, step-by-step instructions for conducting an effective informational interview. He will also review the progress made by 33 LBL postdocs who joined the Informational Interview Challenge in January of 2018. Come listen to their stories of discovering opportunities and new directions through Informational Interviewing.  Learning objectives for this workshop include:

• Explore careers and clarify your career goals
• Obtain information about your career field and the skills needed to do that job effectively
• Discover future employment, research collaboration, or network opportunities
• Broaden your professional network
• Build confidence as you choose a career path

Dr. Peter Fiske is the Director of the Water-Energy Resilience Research Institute at Berkeley Lab. He was the former Chief Executive Officer of PAX Water Technologies and RAPT Industries and the author of “Put your Science to Work!” Peter received his Ph.D. from Stanford University in Geological and Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Materials Science and Engineering.  In October, Peter was featured on Versatile PhD’s Ask Me Anything series (accessible through LBNL’s  Versatile PhD subscription!)  

This workshop is open to Berkeley Lab Postdoctoral Scholars, Graduate Students & Early Career Scientists .  There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.  

Registering in Employee Self Services

To see upcoming course date(s) and to register:

1. Go to Employee Self-Service
2. Click on Training Enrollment
3. Your Course Code is PDT 0119
4. Click Enroll next to the course

​  Should you have any questions about the workshop, please contact me at extension x6294.