Professional Development Program
The department runs a professional development program to help graduate students and postdocs prepare for careers both within and beyond academia.
When to Apply
The Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (MSPRF) competition signals the start of the (academic) job application season. The annual MSPRF deadline for full proposal submission is usually the third Wednesday of October.
Where to Find Jobs
- MathJobs is the main site to use to find and apply for jobs. Some tenure track job listings have deadlines as early as November 1, but that is not a hard and fast cutoff. Schools can only begin to review applications after the deadline has passed. If you have your materials uploaded before the Thanksgiving Break you should be fine.
- Academic Jobs Online may have some listings, though not often in math.
- AMS Employment Services has a number of resources for applicants including links to MathJobs, Employment Information in the Mathematical Sciences (EIMS), and Notices of the AMS.
- The Employment Center of the AMS Annual Meeting allows applicants to schedule interviews with registered schools. Schools that emphasize teaching often use this mechanism, while schools that emphasize research use it less frequently. The AMS Annual Meeting is a great way to make contact with people from both types of schools.
Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (MSPRF). The fellowship provides two years of support (which can be spread over three years with one year of teaching - a good option as you will need teaching letters for your next application). The fellowship requires a reciprocial agreement from a colleague (at the host institution) to act as your postdoctoral mentor. (Your advisor can help you identify a mentor.) Only U.S. citizens/nationals/permanent residents are eligible. (Non-citizens are eligible for regular NSF grants.)
- John von Neumann Fellowship.
- Fullbright Program in Israel for US citizens.
Advice and Resources
- Guidance on Diversity Statements.
- The Math Department at the U of Michigan has a great resource page with lots of information about jobs, both in academia and beyond.
- AIM-MSRI workshop on Careers in Academia has collection of videos on the components of a job application.
- Notices article Tips for the Job Search: Applying for Academic and Postdoctoral Positions.
- The AMS Business Industry Government (BIG) Career Preparation Initiative.
- SIAM's Thinking of a Career in Applied Mathematics?
- LSU Math Department online article Finding Your First Doctoral Employment: General Advice.
- Ezra Miller's advice on the academic job search.
- Jim Nolen's advice on the academic job search.
- Vrushali A. Bokil's advice for industry-job hunting.
- Duke Career Center has job search guides (academic and non-academic), resume tutorials, and other resources for career development.
- The Duke Career Center's Job & Internship Board, along with event registration, and individual advising appointment scheduling.
- The Graduate School's Professional Development resources.
- Duke OPTIONS. Explore the extensive professional development offerings at Duke and create a personalized plan for their professional development while in graduate school.
- The Career Guide put out by the The University of Washington Career Center has lengthy advice on preparing resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and job search strategies as well as interview prep and tips.
Sample Application Materials
For math department members only: https://sites.duke.edu/math/?page_id=1756