How to Apply


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Position Summary

Postdoctoral research scholarships are available at the University of Kansas through the NIH-Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award (IRACDA) program. This scholarship offers three years of salary support to outstanding candidates seeking postdoctoral research training with a mentored teaching experience. Fellows will receive mentorship in becoming educators through teaching opportunities at Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU), located 2 miles from KU, or Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC), located 10 miles from KUMC and 35 miles from KU-Lawrence

Postdoctoral research training is provided under the guidance of KU faculty who are internationally recognized for their research in a broad range of disciplines including organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, chemical biology, biochemistry, molecular & cellular biology, genetics, and evolutionary biology. The starting salary for trainees is $58,656 per year, along with excellent fringe benefits and funding for travel to an annual IRACDA meeting.

Eligibility & Required Qualifications

  • Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents

  • Individuals must have PhD in biology, chemistry, or a related discipline at the time of appointment

  • Individuals must be within 2 years of obtaining their PhD at the time of appointment

  • Individuals must have a first-author publication or preprint at the time of appointment

Deadline

We are hiring 3 postdoctoral scholars to begin in the fall of 2025. An application must be submitted via the KU employment website. Applications will be reviewed in the spring. For best consideration, please apply by March 3rd, 2025.  

 


Application Process

To ensure your eligibility for the KU IRACDA program, please confirm that you meet the following criteria:

  • Educational Qualifications: Possess a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant field.
  • Citizenship Status: Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or non-citizen national.
  • Recent Doctoral Completion: Have completed your doctoral degree within the past two years.
  • Research Experience: Demonstrate experience in initiating and executing a research project, evidenced by a first-author publication or preprint.

A research lab and mentor should be identified before applying to the program, and applicants should contact their potential research mentor before completing the official online application.  Applicants can find a list of KU faculty members participating as mentors on the Find a Mentor page.  Potential mentors must have funding to enable IRACDA Fellows to do research in their lab.  For questions and guidance on mentor selection, contact the program director, Dr. Stuart Macdonald.  Once a mentor has agreed to provide the research training, the applicant can start the application process.

Before beginning the online application process, please ensure all required documents are prepared for upload.

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)/Resume: Provide a comprehensive overview of your academic and professional background.
  • PhD Research Description: Summarize your doctoral research in a document not exceeding two pages.
  • Proposed Research at KU: Detail your proposed research project at KU in a document not exceeding one page.
  • Academic Career Goals Statement: Describe your academic career interests and aspirations for a career that integrates research and teaching in a document not exceeding one page.
  • Contact Information: Provide contact information for three academic references who can speak to your qualifications and potential.

Your materials should be submitted via the KU employment job posting

KU IRACDA

Mentorship is an important part of the IRACDA program. You will need to find a mentor before applying to the program.

Questions?

Contact us at iracda@ku.edu

Are you an interested applicant? Sign up with your email address for periodic updates regarding KU IRACDA deadlines and programming. Click the link below.
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