Best Places To Work For Postdocs: 2005

Courtesy of Justin Smith, UNC-Chapel Hill

Each year The Scientist asks postdocs from the United States, Canada, and Europe to reveal how they feel about their jobs, and this year more than 3,500 answered the call. What's clear is that postdocs have an overwhelming commitment to their research, and the institutions that provide valuable training and experience, necessary books and journals, and equipment and supplies (the top three factors) gain high marks. Nearly as important is the support and communication skills of the principal investigator (PI), which played a role in seven of the top 10 most important factors. A pleasant environment, timely pay, accessible daycare, and a 401(k) retirement plan don't hurt either, according to the comments we received.

"I love working for the NIEHS," says Paige Adams of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, which was in the top five institutions in the ...