Postdoctoral Researcher CV Example (2026)

What recruiters look for

Postdoc productivity: first-author papers from the current lab, not only from the PhD.
Independent funding: F32, K99/R00 or foundation fellowships. Submitted applications count when labeled honestly.
Your own research program: interests that build on your training but are clearly yours.
Mentoring: trainees supervised and what happened to them.
Visibility: invited talks and seminars beyond your own institution.

Writing the summary

Research interests at this stage should read like the first paragraph of a research statement: the big question, your approach and what your future lab will do. Make it distinct from your advisors’ programs.

The summary in this example

How cortical and thalamic circuits let animals change strategy when the rules change. I record and manipulate identified neurons in behaving mice with two-photon imaging and optogenetics, and build models that link population activity to choices. My future lab will study how these circuits fail in models of compulsive behavior.

Postdoc in chemistry or materials

I design porous framework materials that capture and convert carbon dioxide, combining synthesis, in situ spectroscopy and computational screening. My independent program will focus on catalysts that work in real flue gas, where water and impurities defeat today’s best materials.

Postdoc heading to industry instead

Systems neuroscientist with a Ph.D., a postdoc and 5 papers, expert in large-scale neural recording, closed-loop experiments and modeling of high-dimensional data. Looking for a scientist role in neurotechnology or a data-heavy drug discovery team.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

Wrote and was awarded an F32 fellowship on the first submission (impact score in the top 10%).
Established a collaboration with a computational lab that led to 2 joint papers and a shared grant application.
Built an open-source analysis pipeline used by 15 labs, with 200 GitHub stars.
Trained 10 lab members on surgery and imaging, cutting new-member ramp-up time from 6 months to 3.
Gave 6 invited seminars in 2 years, including 3 at R1 universities.
Managed the lab’s mouse colony of 400 animals and its IACUC protocol amendments.
Peer-reviewed 12 manuscripts for 4 journals.
Organized a 1-day symposium on decision-making circuits with 140 registrants.

Skills to list

Hard skills

Your core experimental methods
Analysis and modeling approaches
Grant writing (NIH, NSF or foundation)
Programming for data analysis (Python, MATLAB)
Animal protocols and regulatory compliance
Lab management (colony, budget, ordering)
Open-source tool building
Scientific writing and peer review

Soft skills

Mentoring trainees
Building collaborations
Presenting to search committees
Independent project leadership

Certifications and licenses worth listing

Not applicable for an academic CV. Animal care or human subjects training is assumed and does not need listing.
Responsible conduct of research training: required for NIH fellows; mention it only if an application asks.

Length and format

Usually two to four pages. Order: education, research interests, appointments, publications (all peer-reviewed papers in a real application, with your name in bold), grants and fellowships, teaching and mentoring, presentations, service, skills. A separate research statement and teaching statement go with it.

Common mistakes

A CV that still reads like a PhD student’s, with the postdoc papers missing or hidden.
Research interests identical to your postdoc advisor’s program. Committees want to see your own direction.
Pending grants listed as awarded. Say “submitted” or give the score honestly.
Mentoring described in one vague line. Give numbers and outcomes.
Leaving out service and reviewing, which committees use to judge how you will be as a colleague.

Questions and answers

Should a postdoc CV list papers in preparation?

Only if they are close to submission, and labeled “in preparation”. Committees give them little weight; one submitted paper outweighs three in preparation.

How do I show independence as a postdoc?

Independent funding, a project you designed, a collaboration you started, and research interests that differ from your advisor’s. Say so in the CV and the research statement.

Should I include my K99 if it is still under review?

Yes, as “submitted” with the year, and the score if it has one. It shows you are already seeking independent funding.

Postdoctoral researcher CV example