Preparing Postdocs for the Faculty Job Market
Faculty EDGE
A comprehensive workshop designed to strengthen faculty applications, and confidence.
Faculty EDGE is a competitive, institute-wide professional development series created to support Stowers postdocs as they prepare applications for independent academic faculty positions. Through structured feedback, expert critique, and guided practice, the program helps participants refine their application materials and job talks for the upcoming academic hiring cycle.
The Two Pillars of Faculty EDGE
The Seminar Series
Open to all Stowers postdoctoral researchers, this series demystifies the academic hiring process from the perspective of institutional leadership and search committees.
Stowers PIs are deeply invested in postdoctoral training and regularly share their direct advice on preparing competitive faculty applications.
The Intensive Workshop
A selective, cohort-based immersive experience. Selected participants engage in rigorous peer and faculty review, culminating in realistic mock interviews and job talks designed to sharpen their scientific storytelling.
Past Participants
A look at past participants, their diverse areas of biological discovery, and their journeys through the workshop.
What Participants Gain
Postdocs selected for Faculty EDGE receive personalized, high-level support throughout the application process, including:
Access to real application materials
Examples of CVs, research statements, and other materials from former Stowers postdocs who are now faculty members
Individualized application review
One-on-one critique and feedback on application materials from Stowers Principal Investigators
Expert job talk feedback
Review and critique of seminar and chalk talks by external faculty who have served on university search committees
Targeted preparation for the academic job market
Practical advice, rehearsal opportunities, and candid feedback aligned with current hiring expectations
Rashmi Raj-Jonas, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Student and Postdoctoral Affairs
The Faculty EDGE Workshop provides a rare opportunity to practice under realistic conditions and receive meaningful guidance from faculty who have served on search committees. It’s an immersive experience that helps postdocs refine their materials, sharpen their presentations, and see the big picture of their scientific goals.
”Perspectives on Faculty EDGE
Postdoc participants discuss the guidance, critique, and confidence they gained through the program.
Visiting faculty discuss the exceptional caliber of research and preparation that sets Stowers postdocs apart on the academic job market.
Preparing Postdocs for the Faculty Job Market
Insights from faculty on how search committees and processes vary at different institutions.
Through programs like Faculty EDGE, the Institute supports postdoctoral researchers as they prepare for the transition to independent careers.
Faculty EDGE is part of a broader set of resources available to Stowers postdocs as they plan for what comes next in their scientific careers.
Featured Faculty EDGE Alumni
See where Faculty EDGE participants are today.
