The Department of Chemistry recommends that PhD candidates discuss career options with their thesis chairs and faculty advisors as they are nearing completion of the PhD program, to discuss their background, goals, and research opportunities.
Resources
- Regardless of individual career goals, the American Chemical Society offers a variety of advice and resources to chemists online.
- MIT’s Career Advising and Professional Development offers specific career resources for PhD students.
- The MIT Alumni Advisors Hub is an online platform that facilitates meaningful, one-to-one career consultations with advice seekers (students and alumni) and advice givers (alumni) for career conversations (informational interviews), resume critiques, and mock interviews. They also offer a library of over 200 webinars created by industry experts and external educational partners.
Postdoctoral Research Positions
The majority of PhD graduates from MIT Chemistry pursue a postdoctoral research position immediately following the completion of their degree. The application process for postdoctoral positions varies greatly from institution to institution, and specific opportunities are often based on the background and interests of the individual researcher applying for positions.
Academic Research Positions
Many PhD graduates from MIT Chemistry ultimately pursue academic positions as tenure-track faculty following the completion of their PhD. Often, PhD graduates engage in postdoctoral research prior to applying for faculty positions, to solidify the scope of their research passions and strengthen their CV.
Both postdoctoral research positions and academic (tenure-track) positions are frequently posted on HigherEdJobs.com. Most higher education institutions also have their own job boards, where all active openings at the institution are listed.
Industrial Research Positions
If a student wishes to pursue career opportunities in industry, MIT’s Career Advising & Professional Development has representatives available to meet with graduate students and discuss the industrial recruiting process, including building a CV/resume and developing interview skills. Many large companies recruiting PhD-level researchers conduct preliminary interviews in the early fall, with follow-up site visits, additional interviews, and job offers occurring over the winter months. CAPD also has CareerBridge, an online job board where alumni and current students can upload resumes, apply for positions, and learn about upcoming on-campus recruiting events. Additional resources for industrial research opportunities include but are not limited to: the American Chemical Society, ChemJobs, and individual listings on company websites.
In addition to CAPD, the Department of Chemistry host Industrial Recruiting events every Fall. To learn more about Industrial Recruiting and see the current list of companies scheduled to come to campus please click here.