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At S&T, we are committed to supporting you through every phase of your postdoctoral journey, whether you are advancing your research skills or preparing for your next career move. As a recently designated Carnegie R1 institution, Missouri S&T provides a rich environment of interdisciplinary excellence and high-impact discovery. 

We strive to nurture an environment where postdocs can excel in research, grow professionally, and integrate into a strong academic community to build meaningful connections.

Professional Development

• Individual Development Plan (IDP). Start with a free, step-by-step tool that helps scientists and engineers assess their skills, set goals, and map a career plan. URL: https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/
• IDP for humanities and social sciences. ImaginePhD offers the same structured self-assessment and planning for non-STEM fields. URL: https://www.imaginephd.com/
• IDP for chemical scientists. ChemIDP, from the American Chemical Society, offers the same structured planning tailored to chemistry careers. URL: https://chemidp.acs.org/
• Build core postdoc skills online. The Postdoc Academy provides free, short modules on succeeding as a postdoc, building a career plan, developing resilience, and working across cultures. URL: https://www.postdocacademy.org/
• Workshops & Seminars. Topics include grant writing, teaching excellence, leadership, and effective communication, offered through Graduate Education programming such as Grad Talks: Lunch & Learn. URL: https://grad.mst.edu/events/gradtalkslunchlearnseries/
• Career Advising. Get help preparing CVs and resumes, practicing interviews, and mapping your career — whether you're headed to academia, industry, or government. Explore career paths and job-search tools through the National Postdoctoral Association Resource Library. URL: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/page/ResourceLibrary
• Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Ethics-and-integrity training and resources for researchers. URL: https://grad.mst.edu/studentservices/ethics-and-integrity/rcr/
• Skill Development & Cross-Discipline Training. Develop skills in emerging sectors — critical minerals, renewables, environmental technologies — through research centers like CREE and projects connected with the O’Keefe Center for Critical Minerals. URL: https://research.mst.edu/researchcore/
• Travel Funding. Support for conference and research-related travel. URL: https://grad.mst.edu/funding/travelfund/

Mentors and PIs

• AAMC Compact Between Postdoctoral Appointees and Their Mentors. The national reference document outlining mutual responsibilities in the mentoring relationship. URL: https://store.aamc.org/compact-between-postdoctoral-appointees-and-their-mentors-pdf.html
• Making the Right Moves: A Practical Guide to Scientific Management (HHMI/BWF). A guide on lab management and mentoring for postdocs and new faculty. URL: https://www.hhmi.org/sites/default/files/Educational%20Materials/Lab%20Management/Making%20the%20Right%20Moves/moves2.pdf
• National Postdoctoral Association — Mentoring Resources. Recommendations and templates for drafting mentoring plans and effective mentoring activities. URL: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/page/ResourceLibrary#Mentoring

Community and Networking

• National Postdoctoral Association (NPA). All Missouri S&T postdocs receive free NPA membership through the University of Missouri System, with access to its resources, career center, and national postdoc community. URL: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/
• Events & Academic Forums. The "Postdoc Fest" in physics, regular department colloquia, symposiums, seminars, and cross-department workshops appear on the campus events calendar. URL: https://calendar.mst.edu/
• Explore Rolla. Get to know what’s happening in Rolla — dining, events, parks, trails, and things to do — to help you settle in and connect within and around campus. URL: https://visitrolla.com/

Our goal is to help you connect with colleagues, share ideas, and build a support system that extends beyond your research lab.

How to Become a Postdoc at S&T

• Orientation & Onboarding. Postdocs at Missouri S&T are hired and onboarded as university employees, so you'll complete the same preboarding steps as any new hire. URL: https://hr.mst.edu/resources/getting-started/