Research Statement for Postdoc and Faculty Jobs: Sample and Template

When to use this

Postdoc adverts, research fellowships and lecturer or assistant professor posts often ask for a "research statement" or "statement of research interests". It is different from a research proposal. A proposal plans one project in detail. A research statement tells the story of your research so far and where you want to take it over the next few years.

If the advert or call gives a page limit, headings or questions, follow them exactly. The employer's or funder's own instructions are the final word.

What readers look for:

• A clear theme that connects your past work and your plans
• What you found, not only what you studied
• Plans that are specific and realistic for the length of the post
• How your work fits the department, group or fellowship
• Readable writing: a reviewer outside your sub-field should follow it

A structure that works

1. Overview (one paragraph). Your research theme in two or three sentences, and why it matters.
2. Past and current work (half a page). Your PhD and any postdoc work: the question, the method, the main result, and where it was published.
3. Future plans (half a page to a page). Two or three directions for the next three to five years, each with a first concrete step.
4. Fit (one paragraph). Which people, labs, facilities or datasets at the host make these plans possible.

The sample

This sample is fictional. The researcher, the papers and the findings are invented. Write your own statement in your own words.

Research statement: Dr Usman Tariq

Overview. My research asks how small farms in semi-arid regions can keep yields stable as heatwaves become more frequent. I combine field trials with crop models to test which low-cost practices protect wheat yields under heat stress.

Past work. In my PhD at [University], Faisalabad, I ran three seasons of field trials in [district] comparing sowing dates, mulching and two heat-tolerant wheat varieties. Earlier sowing combined with mulching reduced yield losses in the hottest season by [x]% compared with farmers' usual practice. I then calibrated a crop model with these data and showed that the benefit holds across [n] seasons of historical weather. This work is published in [journal, year] and [journal, year].

Future plans. First, I want to test whether the same practices work in rice–wheat systems, starting with a two-season trial at [site]. Second, I plan to link crop models with farm survey data to estimate which households could adopt these practices without extra cost. Third, in the longer term, I aim to build an open dataset of heat-stress trials across South Asia that others can use to test their models.

Fit. Your group's long-term field station and its work on crop–climate modelling would let me scale my trials and models together. I would also be glad to co-supervise students working on field data.

Template you can fill in

Research statement: [Your name]

Overview. My research asks [question]. I use [methods] to [aim].

Past work. In my PhD at [University], I [what you did]. I found that [main result]. This work is [published / under review] in [venues].

Future plans. First, [direction 1, with a first step]. Second, [direction 2]. In the longer term, [direction 3].

Fit. [People, facilities, data or programmes at the host], which would let me [what they make possible].

How to adapt this

• Match the length the advert gives. Without one, one to two pages is common.
• Lead with results, then methods. "I found that…" reads stronger than "I studied…".
• Make plans specific to the post's length. A two-year postdoc needs a two-year plan.
• Name real connections at the host only if you have checked them on the host's website.

Common mistakes

• Repeating the thesis abstract without saying what comes next.
• Listing ten future ideas with no first step for any of them.
• Writing for specialists only, so a mixed committee cannot follow.
• Using the same statement for every post without changing the fit section.

Related: Postdoc cover letter, Teaching statement and Research proposal template.