Resources

Sections

Career Planning

OPA Individual Career Advising (Virtual)

In need of career guidance? All U-M postdoctoral fellows are welcome to book an appointment with Anne-Sophie Bohrer, OPA program manager for professional development.

Individuals may address a variety of topics related to their professional and career development, such as:

  • Career exploration
  • Job search practices
  • Application material review (CV, resume, cover letter, teaching statement, etc.)
  • Mock interviews
  • Networking and mentoring

National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)

All U-M postdoctoral fellows have access to the entire portfolio of resources developed by the NPA via our institutional membership. Select “Affiliate Individual Member, Postdoc” when you sign up!

Rackham Graduate School Professional Development and Engagement

Provides outlets for interdisciplinary learning and community building related to professional interests for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

U-M Medical School Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Provides resources and services in support of the academic success, professional growth, and wellness of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the Medical School.

U-M Organizational Learning Resources for Faculty and Staff

Access thousands of hand-selected, original training programs, courses, and resources to support your growth and development.

U-M Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT)

CRLT offers programs and services designed to support graduate students and postdocs in all stages of their teaching careers, from training for their first teaching experiences through preparation for the academic job market.

Here are two programs of specific interest for postdoctoral fellows:

U-M CEW+

The CEW+ counseling program supports exploration of education and career interests within the context of relationships and life circumstances.

LinkedIn Learning 

Online, on-demand learning solution designed to help you gain new skills and advance your career. LinkedIn Learning is available at no cost to all active faculty, staff (including temporary employees), and students at the University of Michigan.

MichiganX

Browse free online courses in a variety of subjects on the platform edX. The University of Michigan MichiganX courses draw from 101 academic programs ranked in the top 10 and align with strategic institutional priorities such as interdisciplinary collaborations, diversity and inclusion, access and affordability, and internationalization.

Michigan Online

Free access to over 4,000 Coursera learning experiences, from communications to data sciences.

National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity

Offers a wide range of resources to support the professional development and successful transitions of faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and doctoral students throughout their academic careers.

Mentorship

Career Conversation Templates

We encourage you to copy these resources into your own Google Drive. You’ll be able to use them as guides to have conversations with your mentor.

Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research

Provides resources and services to improve mentoring relationships for trainees and mentors at all career stages and disciplines through the development, implementation, and study of evidence-based and culturally-responsive interventions.

National Research Mentoring Network

Provides researchers across all career stages in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences with evidence-based mentorship and professional development programming that emphasizes the benefits and challenges of diversity, inclusivity, and culture.

Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP)

Provides opportunities for students to work on research and creative projects with U-M researchers and community partners in all academic disciplines. UROP Research Mentors provide undergraduate student researchers an opportunity to engage in research activities that help them learn about the pursuit of knowledge within an academic discipline.

Developing Future Biologists

DFB is a trainee-run organization that invites students from all over the USA and its territories to a week-long immersive summer short course on the fundamentals of developmental biology. DFB’s mission is to provide opportunities for students from colleges that have limited research programs.

Employee-Student Relationships

U-M Standard Practice Guide SPG 601.22-1 addresses the policy and defines regulations and sanctions pertaining to any employee-student relationships.

Considerations for Supporting Postdoctoral Scholars Experiencing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education

Postdoctoral scholars are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment because of their early career stage, a lack of clear institutional policies, and dyadic relationships with their advisors, among other factors. Through this National Academies issue paper, individual scholars, higher education leaders, and practitioners from the Action Collaborative’s Response Working Group describe key institutional considerations and challenges in supporting postdoctoral scholars experiencing sexual harassment in higher education

CASCaDE Change Agent Empowerment Toolkit

This free self-paced digital course series offers higher education practitioners the opportunity to build their leadership skills in order to improve success outcomes for BIPOC and low-income students on their campuses.

Research-Related Support

Program for the Education and Evaluation of Responsible Research and Scholarship (PEERRS)

PEERRS supports online regulatory compliance and responsible conduct of research training for University of Michigan faculty, staff, and students. Completion of the Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship is required for all U-M postdocs engaging in research or scholarship within 30 days of their appointment.

Funding Opportunities

Resources to identify internal and external funding opportunities.

Proposal Development

U-M resources and services offered by the Office of Research Development and the Medical School Office of Research.

Find resources and information on Reaching Out to Program Officers to support your proposal development efforts.

Nature Masterclasses

Nature Masterclasses is a self-paced, online instruction on the research lifecycle that includes several courses designed to equip researchers with the techniques and strategies to develop their skills, confidence, and careers.

Translational Science Training Resources

Dedicated to collaboration and discovery, the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR) technologies and resources are developed to transform research and improve outcomes for communities everywhere.

Grant Editing

Services offered by the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research to ensure the final version of your grant application is polished, persuasive, and cohesive prior to submission.

U-M Consulting for Statistics, Computing, and Analytics Research (CSCAR)

CSCAR provides individualized support and training to University of Michigan researchers in a variety of areas relating to the management, collection, and analysis of data. CSCAR also supports the use of statistical software and advanced computing in research.

Design and Present Research

Discover new tools and learn about best practices for presenting a large-scale research poster, class project, or digital portfolio of your work.

Discounts and Waivers for U-M Authors

Provides information about journals, books, and open access for authors looking to publish scholarly works.

Community and Belonging

U-M Postdoctoral Association (UMPDA)

UMPDA is a volunteer organization whose main objective is to represent the interests and issues of postdoctoral fellows at the University of Michigan.

U-M Postdoctoral Association for the College of Engineering (MPACE)

MPACE provides professional development and socialization for the College of Engineering’s over 200 postdocs.

U-M International Center Events

Offers events and workshops throughout the year on topics of interest to international students and scholars.

U-M English Language Institute Conversation Circles

Provides international students and scholars at U-M with informal English practice and insights into US culture in a relaxed, casual setting.

Health and Well-Being

OPA Conflict Resolution and Well-Being Support

The U-M Office of Postdoctoral Affairs offers a confidential, informal, and impartial space to discuss any concerns you may have about conflict, communication, professional relationships, well-being, and navigating or understanding policies. (Note that the OPA Well-Being Consultant is not a licensed mental health professional.)

Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office (FASCCO)

Provides support and assistance to U-M postdoctoral fellows in resolving personal or work-related concerns. All FASCCO services are provided at no charge and are open to active staff members and their immediate benefit-eligible adult family members.

Michigan Medicine Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (OGPS) Counseling & Well-Being Services

Offers short-term individual counseling on personal, emotional, family, and academic/workplace issues for all U-M Medical School postdoctoral fellows.

Michigan Medicine Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience

Provides short-term counseling, consultation, impactful event support, and information to all Michigan Medicine faculty, staff, house officers, and medical students.

University of Michigan Psychological Clinic

Offers fee-based mental health and testing services for individuals 18 years and older. Their clinical services include both in-person and teletherapy options, and their providers accept U-M health insurance plans.

Child and Family Care

Provides resources to support your personal life while maintaining your professional responsibilities.

Disability Equity Office

Provides services to individuals with disabilities and coordinates compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other disability-related laws and regulations for the University of Michigan across Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint. The Disability Equity Office can assist you with identifying and arranging necessary accommodations to support your postdoctoral work.

MHealthy

Offers a variety of health and well-being programs and services to faculty and staff members, including in-person and online physical activity programs, recreational centers, cooking classes, and much more.

U-M Well-Being Collective

Collaborative effort focused on making U-M a better place to live, work, and learn for our students, faculty, and staff by implementing a system-wide approach to supporting well-being across our campus.

Financial Support

OPA Postdoctoral Emergency Fund

Intended to help meet the financial needs of postdocs who encounter an emergency situation or one-time, unusual, or unforeseen expenses. Awards may be up to $2,000 each.

U-M International Center Emergency Fund

Provides financial support for unusual and unforeseen emergency expenses. Grants are limited and available to F-1 or J-1 visa holders currently enrolled or working at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

MHealthy Resource Coach Program

The program supports U-M faculty and staff experiencing a financial crisis or other personal hardship and connects them to the right resources.

Finance for Everyone: Smart Tools for Decision-Making

This introductory finance course will be a gateway into the world of finance and will examine multiple applications to apply to your everyday life. Join this free course to better understand how to apply frameworks and tools to make smart financial choices.

Maize and Blue Cupboard

Ensures members of the University of Michigan community—whether on a tight budget or physically restrained from getting to a grocery store—receive equitable access to healthy, nutritious, and nourishing food and the ability to prepare it for themselves or others.