# Physics Career Postdoc

> Navigate physics career transitions — postdoc applications, faculty applications, letters of recommendation, research statements, teaching statements, grant applications (NSF CAREER, DOE, ERC, Simons), and negotiation.

- Skill: `quantumquirkxyz/physics-career-postdoc` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add quantumquirkxyz/physics-career-postdoc`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/quantumquirkxyz/physics-career-postdoc/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Research & Search
- Author: quantumquirkxyz (https://skillmd.com/u/quantumquirkxyz)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/quantumquirkxyz/physics-career-postdoc

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## Contract

- **Input:** career stage, target positions (postdoc / faculty / institute).
- **Output:** application package + timeline + negotiation notes.
- **Side effects:** none.
- **Dependencies:** none.
- **Stop condition:** package drafted; timeline saved.
- **Risk:** low.
- **Boundary:** prepares application materials; the human submits.

# Physics Career — Postdocs, Faculty, Grants

Build a **career application package** for a physics researcher — postdoc, faculty, or early-career grant — with a research statement, teaching philosophy, and timeline.

## When to use

- The user is applying to postdoc positions, faculty jobs, or early-career grants.
- A PI needs to write a NSF CAREER / DOE / ERC proposal.
- A researcher needs to coordinate letters of recommendation.

## Process

### 1. Assess the position

For each target:

- **Fit:** what in the user's research matches the group's interests?
- **Requirements:** research statement length, teaching statement, diversity statement.
- **Deadline:** internal + external; submission system (MathJobs, Interfolio, portal).
- **Market data:** typical number of applicants, success rate (anonymised from mentors).

**Completion criterion:** targets ranked; fit statement per target.

### 2. Research statement

Structure (typically 2–4 pages):

- **Problem:** one central physics question (or two related ones).
- **Progress:** what the user has done; publications, preprints.
- **Future:** what the user will do in the next 3–5 years at this institution.
- **Connection:** how it fits the target group / department.

Be specific: name the physics, not just "study complex systems".

**Completion criterion:** statement drafted; per-target adaptation noted.

### 3. Teaching and diversity statements

- **Teaching statement:** philosophy (active learning, research-based, equity-minded); evidence (courses taught, mentoring, syllabus design).
- **Diversity statement:** experience with DEI; commitment; specific actions.

Both require concrete examples, not generic platitudes.

**Completion criterion:** both statements drafted with specific examples.

### 4. Letters of recommendation

Coordinate:

- **Who:** mentors who know the user's research; at least one from a different institution.
- **What to give letter-writers:** research summary, publications, specific strengths to highlight.
- **Deadline:** at least 3 weeks before submission.

**Completion criterion:** letter-writers contacted; materials sent.

### 5. Grant applications

For NSF CAREER, DOE, ERC, Simons:

- **Read the programme manager's priorities** (not just the solicitation).
- **Budget:** postdoc salary, travel, equipment; justified.
- **Broader impacts / outreach** — concrete, not boilerplate.
- **Timeline** — milestones per year.

**Completion criterion:** draft complete; programme manager contacted if possible.

### 6. Negotiation strategy

If an offer comes:

- Research startup, equipment, space.
- Teaching load (how many courses per year).
- Start date.
- Moving allowance.

Know the range before negotiating.

**Completion criterion:** negotiation notes saved; priorities ranked.