Page updated 16 May 2023
Are you a new or incoming Postdoctoral Researcher? This page highlights the supports and resources available to support you on your development and career journey from the beginning of your contract. Don't miss out on the fantastic programme designed for UCD Postdocs.
“Take time out from the frequent research-directed conversations for occasional career-focused discussions with your mentor. It is really helpful to have more than your PI for mentorship. To take advantage of the training and development opportunities at UCD it is a good idea to start these conversations early in order to identify what can help you achieve your professional goals.” - Professor Catherine Godson, UCD Conway Institute IAIS Woman in Science Award 2019
The UCD Postdoc Development Portal has been created to help you to keep track of your RMS profile, your contract information, events you have booked onto and to log career development meetings with your Principal Investigator.
How to log in to the Postdoc Development Portal:
Attend a Postdoc Career Orientation Day within 3 months of starting at UCD to ensure you have a plan that allows you to comfortably transition into your next role. Postdocs Career Orientation Days take place 3-4 times per year and are aimed at new and current early-career Researchers, with information on the full programme of supports available to UCD Postdocs and on academic interviews and cross-sectoral opportunities.
Along with one-to-one career and development meetings with your PI, as a UCD Postdoc you are entitled to at least three confidential one-to-one career development meetings with the Research Careers and Professional Development team over the course of your contract, which can be booked on (opens in a new window)Careersconnect:
Find out more about these meetings and how to book them on our One-to-One Supports page.
Keep up-to-date with the Postdoc events calendar where you can book directly onto up to 70 events and workshops a year across four competencies vetted and reviewed by Postdocs on an ongoing basis.
Find out more about our Training & Development programme for Postdocs.
Continue to provide feedback to keep the service specific, relevant and dynamic. A short online evaluation form is emailed to participants after each event or workshop and we invite all our Postdocs to fill it out. Your feedback is essential and will ensure that our programmes are meeting the needs of our Postdoc community.
The Research Careers and Professional Development Team regulalry reviews the offerings and your feedback has a huge impact on the types of courses we offer each year.
“It seems that where and with whom we work as early career researchers will have a considerable impact on our careers. I did my Masters, PhD and two Postdocs in different Universities, in different countries and with unrelated supervisors. I had some great experiences and some not great ones, but collectively they taught me a valuable lesson about managing my career while I am an Early Career Researcher. The main thing is that the objectives of my Postdoc should not only be to carry on a research project and publish papers, but it can also be to reach or re-enforce professional maturity and independence to find a job after.” - Dr Agnese Balzani, Postdoc Fellow School of Veterinary Medicine 2019