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Postdoctoral associate skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Sara Tedrick Parikh Ph.D.,

Alexandra (Sasha) Ormond Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical postdoctoral associate skills. We ranked the top skills for postdoctoral associates based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 7.7% of postdoctoral associate resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a postdoctoral associate needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 postdoctoral associate skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how postdoctoral associates use patients:

Evaluated hospitalized patients in all adult hospitals in the city of Louisville to define eligibility for participation in clinical trials.
Collaborated with researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital to develop and complete studies in patients with schizophrenia.

2. TIP

Here's how postdoctoral associates use tip:

Direct tracking of amyloid and Tau dynamics in neuroblastoma cells using nanoplasmonic fiber tip probes.

3. Data Analysis

Here's how postdoctoral associates use data analysis:

Designed experiments for incoherent scatter radars, measured radar signal returns, performed signal processing and data analysis.
Worked in projects involving data analysis of scientific and statistical experiments, data analysis, curve-fitting.

4. Biomedical

Biomedical combines the fields of biology and medicine to focus on animal and human health. It is a highly diverse discipline that offers students the opportunity to explore biological sciences and pursue careers to develop knowledge, interventions, or technologies that are useful in healthcare or public health.

Here's how postdoctoral associates use biomedical:

Used these ligands in PET (Positron Emission Tomography) imaging for biomedical applications.
Synthesized monomers for conductive polymers and developed the polymers for biomedical devices, biosensors, and photovoltaic cells.

5. CRISPR

Here's how postdoctoral associates use crispr:

Established knockout zebrafish lines using CRISPR technology to study role of stxbp1b and rh1-2 genes in photoreceptor development.
Established working protocols for targeted genome editing using CRISPR technology.

6. Python

Python is a widely-known programming language. It is an object-oriented and all-purpose, coding language that can be used for software development as well as web development.

Here's how postdoctoral associates use python:

Discovered high efficient thermoelectric materials by data-mining the database, using Python scripts.
Write python scripts to automatically generate and deliver materials information to materials database (over 235,000 materials, ~800Gb).

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7. Cell Biology

Here's how postdoctoral associates use cell biology:

Authored an extensive review on the role of miRNAs in stem cell biology and disease in Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology.
equal contribution Skills Used Experimental skills and knowledge in neuroscience, cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology

8. Chemistry

Chemistry is the branch of science that tells us about the composition, properties, and structure of elements and compounds. The processes these elements undergo and how they undergo change all come under the branch of chemistry.

Here's how postdoctoral associates use chemistry:

Published a co-authored paper in Journal of Biological Chemistry.
General Chemistry I Lecture and Laboratory2.

9. Independent Research

Independent research or study is an academic activity undertaken by a student with little or no supervision. In high schools or colleges, instructors sometimes assign a topic of research to a student and give them a free hand on how to research and how many hours to dedicate to that research to get an agreed amount of credits.

Here's how postdoctoral associates use independent research:

Executed independent research and cross-functional collaboration with different groups.
Manage the lab and mentored students on independent research projects (undergraduate/graduate students).

10. Research Projects

Here's how postdoctoral associates use research projects:

Participated in collaborative research projects with industry and academia partners for biophysical characterization of various drug candidates.
Planned and executed multiple research projects including accomplishing data collection via automated survey response systems.

11. Cell Culture

Here's how postdoctoral associates use cell culture:

Developed a primary neuronal cell culture assay.
Investigated protein interaction in cell culture.

12. Immunology

Immunology is a branch of medical service that deals with studying the immune system of a person. This particular specialization focuses on the function of the immune system and how it affects the entire body. It is usually an activity where it develops a mechanism that helps prevent and susceptibility of bacteria, infection, and other viruses that can enter the body.

Here's how postdoctoral associates use immunology:

Manage 3 projects and maximize efficiency in fast-paced laboratory environment that merges neuropathology, toxicity, and immunology.
Conducted basic and applied research on HIV immunology including both human subjects research and basic laboratorystudies.

13. C++

C++ is a general-purpose programming language that is used to create high-performing applications. It was invented as an extension to the C language. C++ lets the programmer have a high level of domination over memory and system resources. C++ is an object-oriented language that helps you implement real-time issues based on different data functions

Here's how postdoctoral associates use c++:

Write C++ program using convex-hull method to search for the thermodynamically stable materials.
Invented a portable wireless network environment simulator in C++ to quickly explore and evaluate alternative machine-learning approaches to autonomic route management.

14. NIH

NIH stands for the National Institutes of Health. This organization oversees a series of research institutions, each focused on a different area of study involving anatomical systems or diseases. As the organization is affiliated with the government, a great deal of the funding institutions receive come from Congress.

Here's how postdoctoral associates use nih:

Authored a fellowship funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U of M Medical School.
Assisted as a peer-review referee for 6 journals and with writing NIH R01 and R03 research grants.

15. PI

PI is the execution of all research's components such as preparation, conduction, and administration.

Here's how postdoctoral associates use pi:

Project Title: Genetically encoded nanomaterials, PI: Charlie Strauss and Jennifer Martinez
Assisted PI with managing and expanding extensive polymer synthesis and fuel cell testing labs.

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What skills help Postdoctoral Associates find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on postdoctoral associate resumes?

Sara Tedrick Parikh Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Faculty, Psychology and Counseling, Caldwell University

-Part of what sets Social Scientists apart is our ability to take in, process, analyze, apply, and act on new information. Highlight ways that you have used these skills in class, especially any service-learning experiences or in internships and jobs.
-Social Scientists are trained to understand, predict, and interact with other people, and every business in the world involves interacting with people!
-Many social scientists have work experience as babysitters, camp counselors, tutors, or resident assistants. These jobs use many communication, empathy, and management skills that could be relevant to jobs such as case managers or group home assistants. To really capitalize on these widely applicable experiences, tailor your resume for each job you apply for. Identify key skills by carefully analyzing the job ad and looking up descriptions of similar positions, then think carefully about how your paid and unpaid experiences have prepared you for the position.
-Remember that your resume is used to get you the interview, where you can talk in more detail about skills and experiences relevant to the job. Do not feel pressured to fit everything relevant into the resume, but have someone else read the resume and job ad side-by-side to see if you have clearly made your case.

What soft skills should all postdoctoral associates possess?

Alexandra (Sasha) Ormond Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Chemistry, Director of Dual Degree Engineering, Meredith College

From what I've heard (from employers), companies look for employees that they can work with. I know that sounds silly, but companies want employees that are team players and work well with other individuals and in groups. These employees also need to work independently when asked to work on a project. They need to be organized, reliable, and trustworthy. Employees also need to be able to communicate well by writing and speaking. They must be able to follow directions.

What hard/technical skills are most important for postdoctoral associates?

Alexandra (Sasha) Ormond Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Chemistry, Director of Dual Degree Engineering, Meredith College

This one is tough because it depends on the position! I think what is valuable for a chemist is being knowledgeable of working with instrumentation such as chromatography and mass spectrometry. Employees that are likely more attractive for a job position than another person have had the independent experience of working with instruments and can troubleshoot problems. Employees need to be able to explain the data that they obtained from an experiment and describe what the data mean. (Data is a plural term!) Problem-solving and critical thinking is very important for scientists.

What postdoctoral associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Neal Palmer Ph.D.

Chair, Associate Professor, Christian Brothers University

The answer to that question likely won't change from pre- to post-pandemic. Southern cities such as Nashville and Memphis were booming before the pandemic, and that will likely continue. These are good places to find jobs because the cost of living is relatively low, there are vibrant culture and entertainment, and there is not as much college-educated competition for jobs as in larger cities.

What type of skills will young postdoctoral associates need?

Meredith O'Hara Ph.D.

Associate Dean at College of Science and Engineering, Houston Baptist University

Regardless of principal or career interest, computer literacy is undoubtedly an imperative skill in today's workforce, and likely this won't change, even after Zoom and other virtual platforms are no longer a necessity for our safety. Even biologists need to be computer savvy to search online databases for protocols and previous research articles, analyze experimental data, and present data in a concise, accurate, and visually-pleasing ways. Another skill biologists will always need is the ability to think independently and collaboratively. This may sound contradictory, but as much as scientists and doctors work independently, their ability and willingness to collaborate is just as important. This becomes even more crucial during times like this when we are facing so many unknowns.

What technical skills for a postdoctoral associate stand out to employers?

Jay Tischfield

Executive Director, Rutgers University

Computational and data analysis skills. Quantitative analysis of biological data.

Do you want to know more?

List of postdoctoral associate skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a postdoctoral associate resume and required skills for a postdoctoral associate to have include:

Patients
TIP
Data Analysis
Biomedical
CRISPR
Python
Cell Biology
Chemistry
Independent Research
Research Projects
Cell Culture
Immunology
C++
NIH
PI
Next-Generation Sequencing
MIT

Data Collection
Flow Cytometry
Stem Cells
Synthesis
DNA
Rna Sequencing
Molecular Mechanisms
Gene Expression
Research Findings
RNA-seq
Statistical Analysis
Research Results
Cas9
Adaptive
Cell Lines
Protein Expression
Western Blotting

Pharmacology
NSF
Molecular Biology Techniques
Harvest
Autism
Visualization
Java
Drosophila
Animal Handling
Profiling
Transcription
Elisa
Extraction
Scientific Journals
NMR

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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