If you’re thinking about graduate school, you might not have heard of post-bacc or pre-doc positions. These are academic roles, typically lasting one to two years, that you can pursue after graduation. They’re designed to help you sharpen skills essential for academia, like research and writing; all the while building out your resume and CV.
While both prepare you for graduate studies, there’s a key difference: pre-doc positions usually have a stronger focus on research, while post-bacc engagements often involve working in broader higher education functions.
Who Are These Positions For?
These types of roles can be incredibly beneficial if you’re interested in graduate school but aren’t quite ready to commit to a long-term program. They’re also a great way to explore your research interests before specializing. Essentially, they allow you to spend a year or two developing valuable skills without the significant time commitment of a PhD or Master’s program.
How to Find Opportunities
To find post-bacc and pre-doc positions, check out:
- University job boards
- predoc.org/opportunities
- LinkedIn (especially for industry research roles)
- Additionally, consider directly emailing labs that are publishing research you find interesting.
Next Steps
It’s a good idea to apply to both graduate programs and pre-doc/post-bacc positions. If you’re certain you want to explore research after college, giving yourself a variety of options is always best.
And remember, you can always schedule an individual appointment with me on Handshake to discuss any of these topics further. I can be reached at [grigorovs].
