applicants

We currently have no job openings. However, we're always happy to hear from you if you're excited about our research and looking for opportunities to join the team - do feel free to ping Ben.

Having said this, I receive a ton of generic applications and unfortunately can't answer all of them individually. Below is an attempt at a generic response.  

Dear X,

You’re looking for an internship / PhD / PostDoc position.  

I appreciate your interest in research and your academic achievements. I really do. Many of the applications I receive come from applicants with impressive technical skills and are humbling to read. 

However, many of the applications I receive are also highly generic. The exact same email could be sent to apply for a position in microbiology or ophthalmology. It may sound harsh, but as a rule of thumb, I consider generic applications pointless. Sure, it’s a convenient way of approaching many PIs at once. But I strongly believe that the single most important ingredient to joyful research productivity is a good fit. 

This is in everyone's interest. Being a researcher can be the best job in the world, but it can also make you miserable. Joining just any lab bears a high risk of taking the wrong turn from the start. The most important asset you bring to the lab is your curiosity and research interest. Your application should enable the PI to get a feel for whether your interests match their research agenda. This does *not* mean you can't switch fields. But if your application is in a different field than your degree, it helps a lot if you explain your motivation for this change. 

Here’s my advice for an ideal job hunt:

1)  Think about what you really, really want to do. Which research questions keep you up at night? Which recent papers excite you? What line of research makes you bubble with ideas and itching to contribute? Try to find a lab that falls right into this category. This will require some reading – and thought. 

2)   Once you’ve identified labs in this category, make sure the PI is a decent human being. If possible, speak to current and/or former lab members and find out whether they enjoy the work environment (in practice this will most likely happen after step 3).

3)   Found a lab that excites you and think the PI is not a sociopath? Great! Now you can draft a specific application. If your CV is no obvious fit for the position, explain why you're interested nonetheless.

Maybe you’re lucky and there is a fit! If I haven't answered your email within a week (and you received no autoreply), that fit probably is not with our group. But I encourage you to keep looking – it’s worth finding a place you’re truly excited about.

Best of luck!

Ben

If you are interested in a research internship and plan to obtain funding via Erasmus+, there's further administrative advice in addition to the above: Please check out JLU's central enrolment procedures for incoming Erasmus students, including the deadlines.