

You’ve got your PhD, but your ambitions aren’t over? Hoping to join the ranks of CV Raman and S. Chandrashekar? Write a cover letter for postdoc positions and boost your career!
Working on your PhD was like a dream come true. Surrounded by like-minded people, you focused on research and on developing yourself as a scientist. You couldn’t wait for the day when these three letters start appearing before your name.
But after defending your thesis, everything slowed down somehow. Maybe even came to a halt. You expected new opportunities to abound. Instead, you’re feeling stuck in an endless cycle of applying to faculty positions, with dark academia playlists serving as a soundtrack to your life.
There’s no reason to despair!
You know you’ve got brains. Your skills and experience are priceless. You simply need to learn how to show it. You’re lucky—this guide is designed to do just that. We’re going to teach you how to write a cover letter for postdoc positions in no time.
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Anshu Mahajan
PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
+91 84 90184020
anshu.mahajan@zetymail.in
linkedin.com/in/anshu.mahajan
Pondicherry, 10.01.2022
Kajol Samra
Head of the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pondicherry University
Chinna Kalapet
Kalapet, Puducherry
Dear Ms. Samra,
As an alumnus of Pondicherry University, I was thrilled to learn about the Post-Doctoral Fellow position available at the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. During my PhD studies at Pondicherry University, I researched the relationship between circadian regulation and neurodegenerative diseases and wrote my doctoral thesis “Circadian activity and memory performance in Alzheimer's patients” under the supervision of professor Qadim Ray. Seeing that Pondicherry University hopes to move to the forefront of neurodegenerative disease research with a new team led by professor Abbas Sengupta, I believe that my analytical skills and academic experience could be a great asset to this programme.
The fellowship offer mentions you’re looking for candidates skilled in the areas of lab management, cytometry for apoptosis detection, and data collection. I am happy to say that I possess all of those qualities:
What makes me particularly interested in your post-doctorate fellowship program is the chance to continue my research. Having worked with Alzheimer’s patients, I have seen first-hand how this disease influences the quality of life of not just the patients themselves, but also their loved ones. I believe that working together with other researchers under the guidance of professor Abbas Sengupta can lead to significant discoveries in the nature of neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, I have observed how another team of researchers at Pondicherry University achieved a major breakthrough in the study of endosome function and dysfunction. I believe that professor Sengupta’s team can replicate this success and lead to a better understanding of diseases that afflict over 50 million people worldwide.
I can’t wait to discuss my ideas for managing data gathered by professor Sengupta’s team and for introducing changes to laboratory procedures to create a smooth workflow. Could we schedule a meeting next week to discuss how my research experience can contribute to this project?
Sincerely,
Anshu Mahajan
anshu.mahajan@zetymail.in
linkedin.com/in/anshu.mahajan
P.S. I can’t wait to share my method for automating survey data collection—I’m sure it will be of great use to the researchers!
See? This is how you get a post-doc fellowship position.
Keep reading. It’s time to learn how to write a cover letter for postdoc positions to get the best academic jobs out there.
No matter if you hope to do chemistry research, get a job as an assistant professor, or lead a molecular biology lab at a private institution—to get any of these positions, you need a strong job application. And any application isn’t complete without a cover letter.
Now, it’s not about writing just any letter. It needs to match the highest cover letter standards. The contents of your postdoc cover letter must be neatly divided into paragraphs. With each part proving why you’re perfect for the role.
Here are the steps you must follow to compose an awe-inspiring cover letter for a postdoc position:
Just like you wouldn’t put on a cocktail dress to a chemistry lab or a lab coat to an opera, you shouldn’t overdress or underdress your cover letter. It’s best to use a layout that’s similar to your resume in terms of fonts, colours, etc.
Remember to:
It’s pretty easy—you can achieve it using any type of word processor.
Rethinking your resume layout? For inspiration, check these Free Resume Templates in Word and PDF Format
It’s kinda obvious—your personal information must be easy to find. After all, you don’t want the hiring manager to love your letter but have problems contacting you, right?
To make sure everything is in the right place, make sure to:
So far, so good!
Pro Tip: Postdoc positions aren’t offered solely by academic institutions. You can find research opportunities at international companies, too. Among world-famous corporations offering postdoc fellowships and research work, you can find Microsoft, Sony, and Adobe.
Tempted to write “To Whom It May Concern” at the start of your letter?
Well, think again.
Why?
Because it’s lazy! And lazy scientists aren’t good candidates for postdoc fellowships.
Here are some guidelines to create the first paragraph of your postdoc cover letter:
Pro Tip: Don’t let the recruiter doze off—use strong action verbs to describe your doctorate experience. They will make you look more confident and decisive.
You might be as smart as Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory. But can others see your genius, too?
Drop the bazinga jokes and Star Trek references for now. Focus on your strengths as a scientist. Think of your achievements. You must convince others that you’re a great fit for a postdoc position.
Here’s how to do it:
It’s quite similar to describing academic achievements and work experience in your resume.
Having second thoughts about your resume? Stop worrying, just learn: How to Write a Professional Resume for Any Job
Congrats! You impressed the hiring manager. You left them thinking: “Wow, this person is great. They could have any job they want! Wait a minute… So why would they apply to this job?”
Don’t leave them wondering for too long. Your cover letter for postdoc position must clearly state why you want this job.
Flatter them this way:
These elements make your cover letter for a postdoc position feel more personal.
Pro Tip: According to a survey conducted by Nature in 2020, 48% of postdoctoral researchers from all over the world felt they're lacking in computational skills. If you also don't feel confident when it comes to computational thinking, consider taking online courses that can expand your knowledge, such as Coursera's Computational Thinking for Problem Solving or Computational Social Science.
We’re nearing the end of your postdoc cover letter. Make your words count—you don’t want the recruiter to suddenly feel let down by your words. Instead, leave them wanting more.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Maybe you’ve decided you need to rethink your application a bit? Check this helpful guide: How to Write a CV for a Job Application
This is the last step of the process!
Here’s how to finish your postdoc cover letter:
And voilà—your cover letter for postdoc positions is ready to win prestigious research jobs.
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Thanks for reading our guide! What’s your opinion of this sample cover letter for a postdoc position? Would you like to add anything to this postdoc cover letter? Feel free to comment below!
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