Academic Job Search Series

Graduate students and postdocs interested in exploring career options in academia can participate in the Academic Job Search Series throughout the 2015-16 academic year. The series addresses tenure-track faculty positions during the fall semester and broad career options in academia during the spring semester. You can find topics relevant to all students as well as specialized panels for two broad disciplinary areas: the humanities and social sciences, and sciences and engineering. This series is offered every two years and is co-sponsored with the Duke Career Center and the Office of Postdoctoral Services.

Visit the Academic Job Search Series webpage for a complete listing of events.

Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math Seminars

Behind the scenes with the Search committee: The Academic application process

Tuesday, September 1, 9:00-10:15 am
Rm 143 Jones Bldg
In this session, a faculty panel in the sciences and engineering will discuss the faculty recruitment process from the search committee’s perspective.
More Information
Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

The Academic interview

Thursday, September 17, 9:00-10:30 am
Rm 103 Bryan Research Bldg
In this session, a panel of Duke faculty members in the sciences and engineering will discuss the interview process for faculty jobs.
More information 
Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

Negotiating the academic job offer

Tuesday, September 22, 9:00-10:30 am
Rm 143 Jones Bldg
In this session, a panel of Duke faculty members will discuss the negotiation process.
More information
Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

SteM faculty CAREERS beyond Duke

Thursday, September 12, 3:00-4:30 pm
Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, Bryan Center
Learn from a panel of STEM faculty from various institutions about career paths, how to prepare for the academic job market, and how academic hiring and promotion work.
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Academic CV and Cover letter workshop for stem graduate students and postdocs

Wednesday, October 7, 3:30-5:00 pm
Rm 217 Perkins Library
Learn how to craft compelling curriculum vitae and cover letters that emphasize how your specific skills and experiences will enrich the targeted academic institution.
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International Stem faculty in the U.s.

Monday, November 9, 3:00-4:30 pm
Rm 153 Rubenstein Library
Get inside perspectives about being on the U.S. job market as an international graduate student or postdoc.
More information

Webinar: Careers in University Administration for Stem Ph.D.s

Week of November 16
Join a free online discussion to learn how STEM PhDs transitioned to careers in higher education administration.
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Productive Professor or Foibling faculty? Starting your new academic position right with dr. Mohamed noor

Thursday, December 3, 9:30-11:00 am
Rm 143 Jones Bldg
How do you successfully launch a new faculty career? Learn from Dr. Mohamed Noor, author of You're Hired! Now What? A Guide for New Science Faculty!.
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Humanities and Social Sciences Seminars

Behind the Scenes with the Search Committee: The Academic Application Process 

Tuesday, September 15, 3:30-5:00 pm
Rm 217 Perkins Library

How do selection committees evaluate application materials for faculty positions? Join us for insights from faculty from several local institutions.
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Behind the Scenes with the Search Committee: The Interview Process

Wednesday, September 23, 3:30-5:00 pm
Rm 217 Perkins Library

What strategies can you use to successfully navigate the interview process for faculty positions? Learn from a panel of faculty members from a variety of institutions.
More Information
Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

Behind the Scenes with the Search Committee: Negotiating the Offer

Wednesday, September 30, 3:30-5:00 pm
Rm 217 Perkins Library

Once you have an offer for a faculty position, what and how should you negotiate? Hear from a panel of faculty members.
More Information
Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

Academic CV and Cover Letter Workshop for Humanities and Social Sciences Graduate Students and Postdocs

Wednesday, October 21, 3:00-4:30 pm
Rm 270 Gross Hall

Refine and improve your CV and cover letter through the exploration of academic writing conventions.
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Preparing for Faculty Positions in Liberal Arts Colleges: A Workshop for Humanities Graduate Students

Monday, November 2, 3:00-4:30 pm
The Garage, Smith Warehouse, Bay 4

Get feedback on your materials and interview preparation from current faculty members at liberal arts institutions from across the country.
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Humanities and Social Sciences Postdoc Information Session

Thursday, November 5, 11:00 am-12:30 pm
Carpenter Room, Rubenstein Library 249

Learn how to find, apply for and fund postdoc and fellowship opportunities in the social sciences and humanities.
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A Social Sciences PhD’s Career Path as a Faculty Member

Wednesday, November 11, 12:00-1:00 pm
Rm 225 Friedl Bldg

Join Duke history Ph.D. Alejandro Velasco for a talk about his career path as a faculty member.
More Information

Seminars for All Graduate Students and Postdocs

The Tech-Savvy Job Search

Monday, September 14, 12:00-1:30 pm
Rm 217 Perkins Library
Speed up your faculty job search. Simultaneously collect search results from hundreds of job posting sites.
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Gender Differences in Academia: Challenges and Choices along Career Paths in Higher Education

Tuesday, September 29, 12:00-2:00 pm
Rm 217 Perkins Library
This presentation explores some of the possible situations women and men may encounter as well as provide information on current research findings related to the gender divide in college and university settings.
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The Teaching Statement

Monday, October 5, 12:00-1:30 pm
Rm 217 Perkins Library
Perfect the art of the teaching statement.
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Identifying and Correcting Common English Grammar Mistakes in Academic Writing

Thursday, October 8, 9:00-11:00 am
Rm 143 Jones Bldg
How do you write concise academic prose as a non-native English speaker? Learn about strategies to avoid common mistakes.
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Core Competencies

WRITING OP-ED ARTICLES

Thursday, September 10, 12-2 pm
Rm 0016 Westbrook Bldg

Join staff from the Office of News & Communications and get the inside scoop on how you can get your op-ed article published in leading newspapers. 
More information.

GRADUATE ETIQUETTE LUNCHEON

Friday, September 11, 11am-12:30 pm 
Washington Duke Inn, President's Ballroom

Learn how to navigate a professional lunch or dinner. 
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HOW TO TALK TO REPORTERS ABOUT YOUR RESEARCH 

Wednesday, September 16, 12-2 pm 
Social Sciences 113

Learn how to handle an interview, become a resource for reporters, and use media outreach to bolster your research visibility. 
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GETTING STARTED WITH ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Thursday, September 17, 12-1 pm 
The Graduate School (2127 Campus Drive), Room 102

What is entrepreneurship, and how can you leverage Duke's resources to learn more? Join a panel of current students to find out what they've done. 
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SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SCHOLARS: INCREASE YOUR VISIBILITY AS A RESEARCHER 

Tuesday, September 22, 12-2 pm
Rm 217 Perkins Library 
Learn from the experts at the Duke Office of News & Communications how you can use blogs, Twitter, and other social media options wisely.  
More information.

THE 2-HOUR JOB SEARCH, FEATURING STEVE DALTON, AUTHOR AND PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF DAYTIME CAREER SERVICES AT FUQUA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Friday, September 25, 1-3 pm
Rm 107 Gross Hall

In this workshop, Fuqua career coach and The 2-Hour Job Search author Steve Dalton offers a process for effectively turning strangers into advocates. 
More information.

AN INTRODUCTION TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AT DUKE

Monday, September 28, 12-1:30 pm
Rm 217 Perkins Library 

Get started with your professional development today. 
More information.

PREPARING PHD APPLICATIONS: A WORKSHOP FOR MASTER'S STUDENTS

Tuesday, October 6, 12-1:30 pm
Rm 217 Perkins Library

Gain insights into the decision-making processes of doctoral admissions committees with this workshop. 
More information.

NETWORKING: A TOOL FOR EXPLORING CAREERS AND BUILDING PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Thursday, October 22, 10-11:30 am
Rm 143 Jones Bldg

Learn the keys to tactful networking along with easy-to-use strategies for face-to-face networking, corresponding via email, and the appropriate use of social media. 
More information.

CONVERTING YOUR CV TO A HIGH-IMPACT RESUME

Tuesday, October 27, 10-11:30 am
Rm 143 Jones Bldg

What are the differences between an academic CV and a résumé? Learn how to craft an effective résumé that promotes your qualifications. 
More information.

BEHAVIOR-BASED INTERVIEWS: WHAT TO EXPECT AND HOW TO PREPARE

Tuesday, November 17, 10:00-11:30 am
Rm 143 Jones Bldg

How do you interview for non-academic jobs? Learn about one possible format called behavior-based interviewing. 
More information.

HOW TO AVOID SELF-SABOTAGE AND WIN AT SALARY NEGOTIATIONS

Tuesday, December 1, 10:00-11:30 am 
Rm 143 Jones Bldg

You got the coveted job offer. Do you negotiate for more money and risk seeming pushy or ungrateful? Learn about the ins and outs of negotiating job offers! 
More information.

 


Ph.D. Career Paths

CAREERS IN TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION FOR STEM PH.D.S (ONLINE)

Monday, September 14 to Friday, September 18
Join a free online discussion to learn how STEM PhDs transitioned to technology commercialization careers. 
More information

CAREER OPTIONS FOR SCIENCE PH.D.S

Friday, October 9, 9-10:30 am
Rm 143 Jones Bldg
  
Are you considering a scientific career beyond the traditional tenure track? Learn about the skills and experiences you'll need to transition. 
More information

CAREERS IN PUBLISHING FOR HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES PH.D.S (ONLINE)

Monday, October 19 to Friday, October 23
Join a free online discussion to learn how social sciences and humanities PhDs transitioned to publishing careers. 
More information

A SOCIAL SCIENCES PH.D.'S CAREER PATH AS A FACULTY MEMBER

Wednesday, November 11, 12:00-1:00 pm
Rm 225 Friedl Bldg  
Join Duke history Ph.D. Alejandro Velasco for a talk about his career path as a faculty member. 
More information

CAREERS IN UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION FOR STEM PH.D.S (ONLINE)

Monday, November 16 to Friday, November 20
Join a free online discussion to learn how STEM PhDs transitioned to careers in higher education administration. 
More information.

Academic Job Search Series

Graduate students and postdocs interested in exploring career options in academia can participate in the Academic Job Search Series throughout the 2015-16 academic year. The series addresses tenure-track faculty positions during the fall semester and broad career options in academia during the spring semester. You can find topics relevant to all students as well as specialized panels for two broad disciplinary areas: the humanities and social sciences, and sciences and engineering. This series is offered every two years and is co-sponsored with the Duke Career Center and the Office of Postdoctoral Services.

Science and Engineering Events

Non-Tenure-Track Faculty Careers in Academia for Science and Engineering PhDs

Tuesday February 9, 9:30-10:30 am
Want to keep doing research in an academic institution, but not sure you want the same kind of career as your tenured or tenure-track PI? What if you love to teach, or are thinking about an administrative career? Our panel will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of non-tenure-track faculty appointments in the sciences and engineering.
More information
Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

The Postdoc Search for STEM Graduate Students

Thursday February 11, 1-2:30 pm
In this workshop, we will discuss how to conduct a postdoc search, how to find positions, what to look for in a postdoc experience, and how to apply.
More information

Non-Faculty Careers in Academia for Science and Engineering PhDs

Thurs Mar 10, 9:30-10:30 am

This panel will share perspectives for PhDs in the sciences and engineering for academic career options in departmental administration, proposal development, science education, student affairs, and career services, among others.
More information
Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

“Speaking about Science” with Scott Morgan

Weds Apr 6, 9:30-11 am
This interactive seminar addresses the main issues of good scientific presentations. The core of the workshop is a 7-step preparation process that will help you deliver a clear and engaging talk for a variety of audiences.
More information

Choosing a Postdoc Position: What to Know Before You Go

Thurs Apr 28, 9-10:30 am

Do you have a postdoctoral position lined up for after you graduate?  Or are you wondering if doing a postdoc would be worthwhile for your career?  In this panel, current postdocs will share their experiences on applying for postdocs, what to look for in a mentor, and preparing for going on the job market afterwards.
More information

Humanities and Social Sciences Events

The Dialectics of Life History Research: Reflections from Pauli Murray’s Biographer

Weds Feb 24, 11-1 pm
Join us for a workshop, book-signing, and reception featuring scholar and author Patricia Bell-Scott. She will reflect about the challenges and rewards of doing life history research, drawing on the lessons learned in her 30-year career as a scholar and from Pauli Murray’s life.
More information

Faculty Careers Beyond the Tenure-Track in the Social Sciences and Humanities

Mon Feb 29, 2:30-4 pm
Are you looking for a way to maintain your involvement in research, teaching, or service in an academic institution, but not sure you want the same kind of career as tenured or tenure-track faculty in your discipline? Our panel will discuss the opportunities and challenges of faculty positions beyond the tenure-track in the social sciences and humanities.
More information
Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

Managing Your Faculty Career Once You Have a Job with Karen Kelsky (for Humanities and Social Sciences Graduate Students and Postdocs)

Weds Mar 2, 3-4:30 pm
One of the most elusive achievements of the tenure-track period is work-life balance. With a clear sense of the obligations and challenges of the tenure-track period, you can improve your chances of achieving this balance for a career that is satisfying and life-sustaining.
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How to Network Your Way to an Academic Position

Weds Mar 30, 2:30-3:30 pm
In today’s increasingly competitive academic job market you must leverage your networking skills in the job search. Being bright and interested is no longer enough to help you achieve in your academic career – relationships and networks are key to securing the position that is right for you. What rules apply for academic networking and what strategies have proven effective?
More information

Non-Faculty Academic Jobs in the Humanities and Social Sciences

Thurs Apr 7, 1-2:30 pm
Are you a humanities or social sciences PhD interested in learning more about non-faculty career opportunities in academia? Join our panel discussion to find out what these careers are like, how to locate job opportunities, and how to apply for these types of jobs.
More information
Watch on the Duke Postdoctoral Services YouTube Channel

Events for All Graduate Students and Postdocs

Who’s Getting Tenure-Track Jobs? Research from Chronicle Vitae‘s JobTracker

Thurs Feb 4, 12-1:30 pm
JobTracker, a new tool created by the Chronicle of Higher Education, is a study of the academic job market for 11 disciplines across the humanities, social sciences, and physical sciences. In this talk, Dr. Maren Wood, lead researcher for this project, will present findings from the first year of data collection, the 2013-14 job cycle.
More information

Going Public: A Workshop and Discussion with Professor Lee Badgett

Fri Feb 5, 12-2 pm
Join us for a workshop and discussion with Professor M. V. Lee Badgett based on her new book, The Public Professor: How to Use Your Research to Change the World (NYU Press).
More information

The Teaching Statement and Online Teaching Portfolio: Developing a Professional Online Presence

Mon Apr 4, 12-1:30 pm
In this hands-on session, led by Dr. Hugh Crumley, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, you will explore the elements of a teaching statement and build the framework for an online portfolio that can include embedded video, links to your teaching materials and consistent navigation that will help search committees review your position applications.
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Core Competencies

Surviving Your Dissertation: Writing Groups and Other Survival Tools​

Monday, January 25
Learn about useful strategies for structuring your writing life, including thinking about the role that writing groups can play in completing a major project in a timely, and even enjoyable, manner.
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Advanced Time Management For Graduate Students​

Thursday, January 28
Learn about strategies to understand your strengths in managing short and long term goals. You will also be introduced to ways of building new habits and breaking with old ones to ensure your success. 
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An Introduction to Your Professional Development at Duke: A Workshop for Master’s Students​

Tuesday, February 23
Join us for this event with Melissa Bostrom, assistant dean for graduate student professional development, and learn about career and professional development resources, programs, and opportunities available at Duke and beyond. 
More information

Detours and Straight Lines: Navigating Evolving Career Goals​​

Thursday, March 3
Using your values, needs, and fears, this workshop will offer a framework to use as you navigate the questions about what your career options can be and the many different forms of commitment your current path can take. 
More information

Cultivating a Culture of Mentoring​

Tuesday, April 5
The goal of the session is to empower members of the graduate student community to become partners in the mentoring process, making it a deeply rooted part of the Duke experience.
More information

"Speaking about Science" with Scott morgan

Wednesday, April 6
This interactive seminar addresses the main issues of good scientific presentations, which will help you deliver a clear and engaging talk for a variety of audiences. 
More information

"Interviewing Skills" WITH SCOTT MORGAN

Thursday, April 7
Learn how to give specific, compelling answers to common job interview questions. 
More information

“Leaving the Ivory Tower: Managing the Emotional Side of Career Change” with Dara Wilson-Grant​

Tuesday, April 12
Learn about the emotional obstacles that can keep us stuck in an academic career path that is no longer fulfilling. Participants will also learn how former postdocs and graduate students found the courage to follow a more rewarding career path. 
More information

Ph.D. Career Paths

An Engineering Ph.d.'s Career Path in Venture Capital

Tuesday, January 19
Join Duke Biomedical Engineering Ph.D. Mudit K. Jain for an informal conversation and networking lunch to learn about his career in venture capital. 
More information

CAREERS IN business FOR HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES PH.D.S (ONLINE)

Monday, January 25 to Friday, January 29
Join a free online discussion to learn how social sciences and humanities Ph.D.s transitioned to business careers. 
More information

Careers in Software engineering for STEM ph.d.s (online) 

Monday, February 22 to Friday, February 26
Join a free online discussion to learn how social sciences and humanities Ph.D.s transitioned to careers in software engineering. 
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DETOURS AND STRAIGHT LINES: NAVIGATING EVOLVING CAREER GOALS​​

Thursday, March 3
Using your values, needs, and fears, this workshop will offer a framework to use as you navigate the questions about what your career options can be and the many different forms of commitment your current path can take. 
More information

CAREERS IN Technical Writing for humanities and Social sciences PH.D.S (ONLINE)

Monday, March 14 to Friday, March 18
Join a free online discussion to learn how social sciences and humanities PhDs transitioned to careers in technical writing. 
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ALUMNI Brunch: HUmanities and Social Sciences

Tuesday, April 5
Meet distinguished and local alumni over lunch in an informal setting as part of Graduate Student Appreciation Week.
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ALUMNI LUNCH: PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING

Wednesday, April 6
Meet distinguished and local alumni over lunch in an informal setting as part of Graduate Student Appreciation Week.
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ALUMNI LUNCH: Biological Sciences

Thursday, April 7
Meet distinguished and local alumni over lunch in an informal setting as part of Graduate Student Appreciation Week.
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“WHAT DO I WANT TO BE WITH MY PH.D.?” INSIGHTS FROM CAREER DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH

Friday, April 22
Dr. Kenny Gibbs will present key findings from  focus groups with recent Ph.D. graduates in the biomedical sciences, in order to demystify the complex process of choosing a career after graduating with a Ph.D. 
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