Search platforms

For PhD students and postdocs looking for jobs in the U.S., several job search platforms specifically target academic, research, and industry positions. Here are some of the best platforms:

  1. General Academic and Research Job Platforms
    • HigherEdJobs: Focuses on academic roles in the U.S., covering faculty, research, and administrative positions at colleges and universities. HigherEdJobs
    • ChronicleVitae: Part of The Chronicle of Higher Education, it provides U.S.-based academic job listings and career advice for PhDs and postdocs. ChronicleVitae
    • AcademicJobsOnline: Offers listings from U.S. universities, including faculty, postdoc, and research positions across various disciplines. AcademicJobsOnline
    • Faculty Vacancies: Lists academic jobs from universities worldwide, including faculty, postdoc, research, and administrative positions.  FacultyVacancies
  2. Science and Research-Focused Platforms
    •  Science Careers (by AAAS): Provides U.S.-based research roles in academia, government, and industry for scientists across disciplines. Science Careers
    • Nature Careers: Widely used for job postings in the sciences, particularly life sciences, environmental sciences, and health research. Many U.S. institutions post here. Nature Careers
    • New Scientist Jobs: Includes listings for research positions, particularly in life and environmental sciences in both industry and academia within the U.S. New Scientist Jobs
    • ResearchGate Jobs: Primarily geared toward research and academic roles, ResearchGate often lists postdoc opportunities in the U.S. and allows networking with researchers. ResearchGate Jobs
  3. Large-Scale Job Platforms
    • LinkedIn: Ideal for both industry and academia in the U.S., LinkedIn provides targeted job alerts, networking opportunities, and industry-related job posts. LinkedIn
    • Glassdoor: Useful for finding industry roles and getting insights into salaries, company culture, and interview processes in the U.S. Glassdoor
    • Indeed: A popular general job board, Indeed allows for filtering by research-specific terms, and it often has industry and national lab research roles. Indeed
    • Handshake: Used by many U.S. universities to connect students and alumni with employers; it often includes postdoc and research positions within industry. Handshake
    • Idealist: The largest centralized resource for finding non-profit jobs and fellowship opportunities. Idealist
  4. Government and National Research Labs
    • USAJOBS: The U.S. government’s official job site for federal positions, including research roles at agencies like NASA, NOAA, EPA, and the Department of Energy (DOE). USAJOBS
    • National Labs and Agency Sites: U.S. national labs such as Argonne, Los Alamos, and Sandia post jobs directly on their websites, as do research-focused agencies like NIH and NSF.
  5. Professional Association Job Boards (go to your professional society but below are some examples!)
    • American Geophysical Union (AGU) Career Center: Lists U.S.-based research and industry roles in Earth sciences, planetary sciences, and environmental science. AGU Career Center
    • American Chemical Society (ACS) Careers: Provides listings for PhDs in chemistry and environmental sciences, including academic, industry, and government positions. ACS Careers
    • American Physical Society (APS) Job Board: Focuses on jobs for physicists, including roles in academia, industry, and government in the U.S. APS Job Board
    • Ecological Society of America (ESA) Jobs: Specializes in ecological and environmental science positions, with a significant number of U.S.-based postings. ESA Jobs
  6. Targeted Companies and Universities
    • Most U.S. universities have internal job boards listing available postdoc and research positions, and they often post external research roles as well. Checking university career centers (like WashU’s) can sometimes uncover exclusive postings or networking events. Washington University in St. Louis Career Center
    • Many companies have their career sites too
  7. Funding-Specific Sites for Fellowships and Grants
    • NSF and NIH Postdoc Fellowships: Both the NSF and NIH list fellowship opportunities for research and postdoctoral work that may lead to full-time roles.
      • National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellowships: NSF Funding
      • National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fellowships: NIH Funding
    •  Pathways to Science: Lists U.S. fellowships, research opportunities, and funding for postdocs across STEM fields, with many U.S. job placements. Pathways to Science
  8. International Job Searching
    • GoinGlobal: A platform with resources on international job sites, country specific job guides, cultural resources and much more (log in with a LinkedIn or Google Account is required). GoinGlobal

Using a combination of these platforms can improve your visibility and access to various job opportunities in the U.S., tailored to your expertise and career stage.