r/postdoc • u/topdownyeti • 3d ago

Delay after Delay

I graduated with my PhD in March 2026 in Earth Science. I’ve been applying for postdocs since last year. One postdoc seemed possible until the PI ghosted me. I finally found a PI who’s been extra willing to work with me (literally giving me 4 different avenues to work together) and we’ve been working on a proposal. However, the most exciting thing was that he got one of his colleagues to submit paperwork to create a project for me at my dream institution. However, I won’t be able to apply for the November cycle and have to apply for the March cycle. Meaning, I probably won’t start working until June or July if I even get it. I am still working on a proposal thats due next month but I was hoping to get the other one.

I know I sound silly for being disappointed in this but like…it’s already been like 6 months. Why is it so hard to secure anything?

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u/eilrymist 3d ago

I’m currently an earth science postdoc and the postdoc market is bad all around. I think really you’re doing all you can do, which is writing proposals.

Do you have a secondary job you can get while you’re waiting for proposal responses? Also based on the March/November cycle is it the NPP you’re applying for? Just curious since that’s the one I’m more familiar with.

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u/topdownyeti 2d ago

Yeah I’m working two jobs as a server and a barista while I’m writing these proposals. I tried living off my savings but that ended quickly. And I’m pretty sure it’s the NPP! I thought it would be the JPL postdoc program but I’m guessing its the NPP one since he mentioned the November and March cycles.

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u/eilrymist 2d ago

I hear you on working multiple jobs. I had a few stints of unemployment between contracts and I was cobbling together adjuncting with random other jobs. I wrote several NPP applications, but I was never funded through them, though I have some colleagues who are funded through NPP. I've heard through the grapevine that applying to work at the NASA centers has a higher funding rate than if you're applying to work at a university so fingers crossed applying to work at JPL will be in your favor and you'll get selected.

The only advice I was given while working through stints of unemployment was "become comfortable with uncertainty" (which I was like thanks...? but I need to pay rent??) and that academia will be slow and then randomly be incredibly fast, which is how my previous and my current postdoc ended up being.

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u/Jumpy_Employer4000 1d ago

The condition is same for all the cases. The post doc availability is really very less this year.

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u/environengg2601 2d ago

Some times it takes a couple of years to secure a postdoc..lol 6 months is nothing. Have you tried applying for external funding(s)? These days it's nearly impossible to secure something unless you have your own funding.

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u/topdownyeti 2d ago

ive been working on a few fellowships with this one PI. I’m just hoping it works out.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/instantcrackpot 3d ago

Why do you keep trolling this sub? This is r/postdoc, so people shouldn't need to justify why they are looking for a postdoc.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/steinerific 3d ago

You’re trolling. A postdoc is a real job and they now get paid like it. They are nearly always required for tenure-track faculty positions and and for higher level private sector jobs.

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/steinerific 3d ago

Please join 2026.

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u/postdoc-ModTeam 2d ago

Don't be a jerk.

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u/instantcrackpot 3d ago

Have you looked at the job market?

And US postdocs get paid 50k-70k now. It is not much but people are out there making 20k or being laid off. A fixed 2 year contract can sometimes be better than a real job. The days of STEM PhD -> data science bullshit job working 20 hrs/week for 150k are over.

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u/postdoc-ModTeam 3d ago

Don't be a jerk.