What jobs can I have before a postdoctoral position in 2026?

[DelIsaac]

Absolutely, you can take on several roles before starting a postdoctoral position. The most common and direct path is a research assistant or lab technician position in a university or research institute. These roles let you deepen your experimental skills, co-author papers, and build strong relationships with potential postdoc supervisors. Many postdocs I’ve worked with spent 6–12 months doing this.

For a more structured transition, consider industry-based scientist roles in biotech, pharma, or R&D departments. These jobs sharpen your applied skills and often pay better than academic positions. They also give you clarity on whether you want to stay in academia or move to industry.

Another solid option is adjunct faculty or teaching fellow at a community college or university. This builds your teaching portfolio and communication skills, which are increasingly valued in postdoc applications. Some programs even offer dedicated teaching postdocs.

If you’re in a field like data science, computational biology, or engineering, a data analyst or quantitative researcher role in a tech company or startup can be excellent. You’ll gain coding, statistics, and project management experience that translates directly to many postdoc projects.

Below is a quick overview of typical pre-postdoc jobs, their focus, and average duration in the US (based on 2025–2026 data from the National Science Foundation and Bureau of Labor Statistics):

Job Title	Typical Focus	Average Duration	2026 Median Salary (USD)
Research Assistant	Academic lab work	6–18 months	$38,000–$52,000
Lab Technician	Experimental support	12–24 months	$35,000–$45,000
Industry Scientist	Applied R&D	12–36 months	$65,000–$85,000
Adjunct Faculty / Teaching Fellow	Teaching + curriculum	9–12 months	$45,000–$60,000
Data Analyst (Quantitative)	Data modeling & analysis	12–24 months	$70,000–$90,000

Choose based on your long-term goal: if you want to stay in academia, prioritize research output and supervisor connections. If you’re unsure, industry roles give you flexibility and better pay while you decide.

[Mallory]

I’d say go for a research coordinator position at a hospital or academic medical center. It’s not as intense as a full postdoc, but you get exposure to clinical trials, IRB processes, and grant writing. I did that for a year before my postdoc, and it made my application stand out because I already understood how to manage a project from start to finish. Plus, the pay is decent—around $50,000–$60,000 in 2026.

[LeTyler]

Honestly, I’d recommend freelance consulting or contract writing in your field. If you’ve finished your PhD but aren’t ready for a postdoc, you can take on short-term projects—like helping a startup with literature reviews or writing grant proposals. It’s flexible, you earn money, and you can still apply for postdocs. I did this for nine months and it gave me a lot of confidence.

[Iker]

For me, the best move was working as a senior lab manager in a well-funded lab. It’s a step up from a regular tech role—you handle budgets, supervise junior staff, and troubleshoot equipment. That experience taught me leadership and project management, which I now use every day in my postdoc. The salary range in 2026 is about $55,000–$70,000, and you get a lot of authorship credit.

[VanCalvin]

I’d suggest a fellowship or internship in science policy or science communication. These are sometimes overlooked, but they show you can think beyond the bench. For example, the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship gives you a year in government or nonprofit. It’s competitive, but it builds your network and public speaking skills. I did that, and it made my postdoc interviews much smoother because I could talk about broader impacts.