What do Postdocs do Next
The career trajectories of postdoctoral researchers are diverse, however there has historically been little research to provide meaningful information on what those career trajectories look like, and how individuals feel about their career.
The University of Cambridge Careers Service has completed an Enhancing Research Culture funded project, surveying postdocs whose contract at Cambridge ended between 2019-2024 to learn more about what they did next, what motivates their decisions, and for those who have moved out of academic research, how they feel about the transition and to what extent they are using the skills acquired during their academic research positions. Alongside our surveys, we interviewed 11 Cambridge postdoc alumni from across our academic schools who have transitioned to roles outside of academic research to learn more about their experiences.
Research Highlights
We received over 500 responses to our survey, with respondents broadly representative of the proportions of postdoctoral researchers across the 6 academic Schools at the University. The majority of respondents had completed one postdoctoral position at Cambridge.
All respondents had completed a postdoctoral contract between 2019-2024 and gave responses in relation to their first position after leaving that contract and for the position they currently held, if they had moved. 46% (197/425) had left their first position and started another role.
Where are they now?
- 64% of respondents’ first position after their Cambridge postdoc was a role within academia, predominantly research and teaching in the higher education sector (e.g. Lectureship and Assistant Professor positions) or moving on to another postdoctoral contract role. 41% of those individuals obtained a permanent academic contract.
- 18% of respondents took up research positions in finance, business or industry, with smaller numbers working across data science, technical and product development, business development, administration across a range of industries, policy and government.
- 51% of respondents remained in the UK. Others migrated to destinations in 32 countries, with 130 moving to Europe, 26 to Asia and 24 to the USA and Canada, Having left the UK for their first position, 44 respondents made a second move to a different country for the role they were in at the time of survey completion.
What motivated their choices?
- Just under 300 respondents chose their role because it fit with their career plans, with other motivations for job choice including that it was in the right location, well paid, and to gain or broaden experience for future career progression.
- 62% of respondents agreed that their work was meaningful in their first position after their Cambridge postdoc.
How do postdocs working outside of academia feel about their work and career transition?
- 58% of respondents strongly agreed and 30% somewhat agreed that they were using the skills they developed in their postdoctoral training in their first position after their Cambridge postdoc.
- Respondents across industries were commonly found to be conducting research, critically evaluating research, and working autonomously, with high levels of autonomous working in both research and professional services and administrative roles within Higher Education, finance, business and industry.
- The qualitative case study interviews included several themes, touching on recognising the value of academic research experience for roles outside of academia, the challenges of working out what they wanted to do next during their postdoc and navigating career change, the need to manage a shift in identity when changing career and the time it took to develop a new professional identity, and the value of developing a network to help understand possible paths to support decision making.
Read the report for detailed research findings along with quotes from former postdocs and employers
Careers Support & Resources
Find out more about the Careers Service’s support for postdocs
Visit our Exploring Career Possibilities page for practical strategies on how to work out what you may wish to do next, and how to learn more about different career possibilities
Look out for Career Essentials workshops on topics including navigating career change, recognising your skills, networking your way to career clarity and applications for non-research roles
Access a range of sector guides, resources and our events programme via the Careers Service website
Hear Cambridge alumni and former postdocs sharing their career journeys on our YouTube channel
Learn more about our Postdoc Work Shadowing opportunities, enabling you to gain a taste of careers beyond academic research