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Faculty of Graduate Studies

Prospective post-doctoral fellows

postdoc with supervisor

As a post-doctoral fellow (PDF) at UVic, you'll be engaged in building the future in a dynamic and diverse community of scholars. You'll have opportunities to develop your research and collaborate with other outstanding researchers and teachers. You'll work in an innovative, supportive and collegial environment.

Learn about the questions that are engaging our researchers. Discover your research passions in our beautiful and vibrant setting on Canada's west coast.

What is a PDF?

A post-doctoral fellow (PDF) is someone who is pursuing their research after completing their doctorate. They conduct independent research, but must be supervised by a UVic faculty member. There are two appointment categories for PDFs at UVic:

  • Internal PDFs are paid using funds from a university faculty member’s research budget, the university’s financial resources, or a combination of both. Supervised by one or more faculty members, they are considered employees of the university and hold a formal appointment as a PDF at the institution.

  • Award Recipient PDFs are funded primarily by an external agency. They are not UVic employees but are valued members of the university community. Award Recipient PDFs work independently while being mentored by one or more UVic faculty supervisors.

A PDF needs to have completed a PhD from a recognized university. They must usually start their appointment no more than five years after they completed their PhD.

How to apply

If you’re interested in becoming a PDF, you can contact UVic faculty members to discuss your interests and see if they have any PDF positions available. There are no centralized advertisements for PDF positions at UVic.

You should also consider seeking your own funding from an external organization that funds post-doctoral fellowships, such as CIHR, NSERC or SSHRC, among others. Generally, application deadlines for such competitions are in the early fall, results are announced the following spring, and the recipients are eligible to access funds shortly after formal announcement of the results.

International applicants

If you are not a Canadian or a permanent resident of Canada, you will need to apply for a work permit and/or visa to allow you to come to Canada for your post-doctoral fellowship. Getting these is your responsibility. The process can take a long time, depending on where you are from.

Policy & appointment procedures

If you're interested in becoming a PDF at UVic, you should read the UVic Post-Doctoral Fellows Policy and Appointment Procedures.

The policy:

  • defines the eligibility requirements for a PDF appointment at the university;
  • distinguishes between an Internal and Award Recipient PDF;
  • establishes the responsibilities of the faculty member as the supervisor and/or employer of a PDF;
  • establishes the responsibilities of the PDF; and
  • outlines the support provided by the university.

You can also find more information on post-doctoral fellows at UVic, and the post-doc appointment process.

Need help?

 If you have questions or need help, please contact our post-doctoral fellow coordinator.