Best Places to Work Postdocs 2013

Given the noticeably increased institutional response over the years—and the launch of the National Postdoc Association that acts on the national level as an advocate for postdoctoral researchers—The Scientist’s surveys no longer play as crucial a role for postdocs to communicate what they value. While many issues continue to stress the postdoctoral researcher—perhaps none so much as the dwindling number of tenure-track positions available at research universities—for many at the best institutions, balancing a demanding career with basic financial needs is no longer so challenging. And although The Scientist will continue to cover issues that matter to postdocs in our Careers section, we sign off here with the results of our final postdoc survey. —Edyta Zielinska

Every Wednesday at 4 p.m., scientists at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research step away from their benches and gather for an hour-long chat over coffee and cookies. “That might sound insignificant,” says Jessica Von Stetina, a postdoctoral fellow who studies signals that modulate the cell cycle during development, “but it’s a great way to interact in a more relaxed, sociable way” than is typically encountered in the lab. This collegial atmosphere is emblematic of the Cambridge, Massachusetts, institution, which has now garnered the top spot among US institutions as the best place to do a postdoc for 3 years running.

Given its reputation as a powerhouse of life science research, readers could be forgiven for thinking the Whitehead is a competitive, cutthroat kind of place. On the contrary, however, “everyone is very easy to approach and willing to help,” says Giorgios Karras, a postdoctoral fellow who investigates how the heat shock protein Hsp90 influences genetic variation. “I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the level of collaboration here.” And world-class outside collaborators are always close at hand, thanks to Whitehead’s location within spitting distance of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Broad Institute, and the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research.

PAY IT FORWARD: Valmik Vyas, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of the Whitehead Institute’s Gerald Fink, explains what pathogens are to high-school students participating in a Whitehead Spring Lecture Series.© JUSTIN KNIGHT/WHITEHEAD INSTITUTEWhitehead’s 120 postdocs earn starting salaries of $50,000, receive subsidized childcare, and enjoy the support of an active postdoc association that runs mentorship and training programs to prepare postdocs for their next career move. And each summer, they join students, other fellows, and faculty for a retreat at Waterville Valley Resort, New Hampshire, where postdocs share their work and exchange ideas before heading out to hike or play volleyball. “Postdocs are central to life [here],” says Whitehead director David Page.

It all adds up to a first-rate experience—one coveted by outsiders. “My [researcher] friends are envious,” says Von Stetina. “And people who find jobs in other places, they realize that what we have here is amazing. They say, ‘Enjoy your time at the Whitehead because it’s not the same at other places.’ We know we are lucky here.” —Dan Cossins

COURTESY OF LA JOLLA INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGYThe La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology (LIAI) is located amidst San Diego’s densely populated biotechnology community, and it’s just a stone’s throw away from the Pacific Ocean. Ranked second in the United States in this year’s Best Places to Work for Postdocs survey, the institute has 21 labs that provide its roughly 150 postdocs with rich research opportunities as well as a desirable quality of life. “There’s a general, underlying feeling that they’re going to support their young scientists,” says 6th-year postdoc Aaron Tyznik, who studies natural killer T cells.

After joining the institute because of its renowned virology research, Tyznik was pleasantly surprised by the faculty and administration’s willingness to help postdocs explore ideas freely and to conduct their research with dispatch. For instance, when Tyznik noted that the institute’s cell counter was always in use, faculty not only agreed to buy a second one, but also asked Tyznik to recommend which one they should buy and set aside a generous budget for the new equipment.

Outside the lab, LIAI is equally supportive, Tyznik says, offering free yoga classes, serving subsidized gourmet lunches on-site for around $6 or less, supplementing a retirement plan, and providing generous health insurance. “I have a sick spouse, so the health coverage was a deciding factor for me,” Tyznik says, noting that he and his wife pay just $10 for many medical exams and tests, including MRIs. Richard Hanna, a 3rd-year LIAI postdoc who studies immune regulation, agrees that the perks make a difference—though he skips the yoga classes, preferring to get his exercise surfing each morning before heading to lab.

LIAI also helps postdocs prepare for competitive faculty and industry positions by giving them the freedom to teach classes at nearby University of California, San Diego, and providing opportunities to upgrade to an instructor position that enables them to apply for grants as a PI. Last year, Hanna won his own 4-year, $300,000 grant from the American Heart Association, which he can use to build his own lab wherever he gets a position. As Hanna puts it, “I’m pretty well set up.” —Beth Marie Mole