Resources
for post-bacc and phd positions
Hi! I’m Helen, a pre-PhD student in social psychology. My research sits at the intersection of psychology & law and moral psychology; I’m interested in questions about victimhood, blame & responsibility, and legal decision-making. ⚖️🧠
Before applying for a PhD this past fall, I was a lab manager for four years, and spent a lot of time compiling resources on applying for post-bacc and PhD positions. Finding and applying to both kinds of roles is really challenging, especially if you’re not in a position with direct mentors who can guide you. There’s a lot about this process that is unspoken.
With that in mind, I wanted to compile my sample applications and tips that helped me.
⭐ Huge credit to those who have made guides like this and inspired mine, especially: Dr. Lucy Lai, Claire Whiting, and Dr. Alex Lang.
Before applying for a PhD this past fall, I was a lab manager for four years, and spent a lot of time compiling resources on applying for post-bacc and PhD positions. Finding and applying to both kinds of roles is really challenging, especially if you’re not in a position with direct mentors who can guide you. There’s a lot about this process that is unspoken.
With that in mind, I wanted to compile my sample applications and tips that helped me.
⭐ Huge credit to those who have made guides like this and inspired mine, especially: Dr. Lucy Lai, Claire Whiting, and Dr. Alex Lang.
Note: Post-bacc / post-grad / pre-doc positions all mean the same thing. Different labs and institutions use different labels: But they all generally mean a paid, part- or full-time research position intended to be held between completing your undergraduate and graduate degree.
These positions are becoming more popular as a way to gain experience and hone your research interests before beginning a PhD program.
I’ve been a lab manager in two social psychology labs: the WHIRLab for my final two years in undergrad, and the Deepest Beliefs Lab for two years between undergrad and grad school. In both labs, I led the review and interview process for my replacement, and in doing so, came up with some tips for how to secure a position.
These positions are becoming more popular as a way to gain experience and hone your research interests before beginning a PhD program.
I’ve been a lab manager in two social psychology labs: the WHIRLab for my final two years in undergrad, and the Deepest Beliefs Lab for two years between undergrad and grad school. In both labs, I led the review and interview process for my replacement, and in doing so, came up with some tips for how to secure a position.
Finding Positions to Apply For
There isn’t a central location for post-bacc positions to be advertised. In my experience, the best ways to find them are:
- Continually check job wikis/boards
- Great centralized guide HERE, created by Sam Pratt and maintained by him & myself
- Make an academic Twitter/X and follow everyone in areas you’re interested in
- A good tip is to find a graduate student or early-career researcher who has similar interests to yours, and then follow everyone they follow ;)
- Cold email current lab managers or PIs for labs you’re interested in
I’d also recommend being open and reminding your advisors (graduate students and PIs) that you’re on the job hunt — they can share opportunities they see with you directly as their peers post them.
Putting Together an Application
Most post-bacc positions will ask for an academic CV/resume, cover letter, and references (usually 2, sometimes 3). Some may also ask you to complete short answer questions — e.g., write about your future plans, tell us about a project you’ve worked on, why you want to join this lab, etc.
My lab manager application materials from 2024, including my CV (at the time), cover letter, and second round short answer questions:
My lab manager application materials from 2024, including my CV (at the time), cover letter, and second round short answer questions:
Other cover letter and CV examples can also be found on our post-bacc guide HERE.
Cold Emailing
I’m pro-cold emailing as long as you do it well. Best case scenario: you get a job! Worst case scenario: you get ghosted. Low risk, high reward.
Most post-bacc positions are posted between February - April [usually timed based on grad decisions, since their current lab managers may be deciding to go to grad school or not]. I wouldn’t email any current managers or PIs earlier than February, and definitely make sure they haven’t posted a position clearly anywhere (lab website, social media) before reaching out.
Keep the email short and easy to read for the recipient – you don’t necessarily need to attach a CV (I didn’t), and you don’t need to give your full life story if you’re just asking if they’re hiring.
Also, address the recipient correctly. If they have a PhD, their title is Dr. [last name]. Research has found that men and women are more likely to refer to a male professional with just his last name (like Einstein) than female professionals (like Marie Curie), and this perpetuates gender inequality in the sciences (Atir & Ferguson, 2018). Names and titles matter.
Most post-bacc positions are posted between February - April [usually timed based on grad decisions, since their current lab managers may be deciding to go to grad school or not]. I wouldn’t email any current managers or PIs earlier than February, and definitely make sure they haven’t posted a position clearly anywhere (lab website, social media) before reaching out.
Keep the email short and easy to read for the recipient – you don’t necessarily need to attach a CV (I didn’t), and you don’t need to give your full life story if you’re just asking if they’re hiring.
Also, address the recipient correctly. If they have a PhD, their title is Dr. [last name]. Research has found that men and women are more likely to refer to a male professional with just his last name (like Einstein) than female professionals (like Marie Curie), and this perpetuates gender inequality in the sciences (Atir & Ferguson, 2018). Names and titles matter.
Colloquially, I was a manager for both a female PI and a male PI at different times, and I can’t tell you how many emails I received addressed to Ms. Female PI instead of Dr. Female PI. Not once did I get Mr. Male PI. Don’t do this!
Sample Email
Subject: Post-bacc opportunities in X lab?
Dear Dr. [Name],
I hope this email finds you well! My name is Helen Devine and I am a senior undergraduate at the University of Michigan studying psychology and graduating in May 2024. I currently work as Dr. Amie Gordon's lab manager in a social psychology lab at UMich. I am reaching out to inquire: do you anticipate hiring for a post-bacc position in your lab in the near future?
I've greatly enjoyed my time in my current lab, but am looking to gain more research experience in an area more aligned with my research interests in anticipation of attending graduate school in the future. I am very interested in the topics you study and would love to hear about any opportunities in your lab.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to connecting!
All the best,
Helen
Dear Dr. [Name],
I hope this email finds you well! My name is Helen Devine and I am a senior undergraduate at the University of Michigan studying psychology and graduating in May 2024. I currently work as Dr. Amie Gordon's lab manager in a social psychology lab at UMich. I am reaching out to inquire: do you anticipate hiring for a post-bacc position in your lab in the near future?
I've greatly enjoyed my time in my current lab, but am looking to gain more research experience in an area more aligned with my research interests in anticipation of attending graduate school in the future. I am very interested in the topics you study and would love to hear about any opportunities in your lab.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to connecting!
All the best,
Helen
You got an interview!
First off all, congratulations!! Getting an interview for these competitive positions is a huge win. Usually, interviews are about 30 minutes, and are held with any combination of the current manager, graduate students, and lab PI. You should be prepared to answer questions about anything from your application (yes, even the tiny project from one bullet on your CV — you never know what the interviewers might find interesting and want to hear more about) and it’s a good idea to prepare for some general questions as well.
Sample questions:
- Tell us about yourself and why you are interested in joining our lab.
- What are your long-term goals and in what ways do you think this position will help you achieve those goals?
- How do you, your experiences, and your background benefit the lab?
- Tell us about a project that you have worked deeply on. What was the research question, how did you go about answering it, and what did you find?
- Tell us about a time something didn't go as planned in a project or role you were responsible for. What did you do?
- What are some areas that you are looking to grow or improve in?
- Is there a paper or finding from psychology that has really shaped how you think about the field or about people?
You’re pretty much guaranteed to be asked at the end if you have any questions for the interviewers. The answer is YES! Asking questions shows your interest, gives you the opportunity to learn more about the lab, and increases the odds of finding something to connect with your interviewer about.
There’s no hard and fast rule on what to ask. I’d stay away from questions that could be answered by doing your own research (e.g., if their team is explicitly on their website and you ask “who’s in the lab?”, it might look like you didn’t bother looking them up). Some questions I’ve been asked before that stuck out to me:
There’s no hard and fast rule on what to ask. I’d stay away from questions that could be answered by doing your own research (e.g., if their team is explicitly on their website and you ask “who’s in the lab?”, it might look like you didn’t bother looking them up). Some questions I’ve been asked before that stuck out to me:
- What are some papers from your lab or research area that you would recommend reading to learn more about your research topic?
- Based on my application and interview, are there any areas you would recommend I work on getting more experience in?
- What does a typical week look like in this position?
- How is this position funded, and would the source be affected by any funding cuts or changes? [good question given the current science funding challenges]
- What does the rest of the review process timeline look like? → Please ask this at the end! It’s a good transition to close the interview, and you want to know the answer ;)
This is just my opinion, but I’d advise not spending time asking the interviewers questions that don’t give you a lot of information; like why did they join the lab, what research they’re excited about, why they like the lab, etc. They’re polite and easy for interviewers to answer, but I personally don’t think they tell you as an applicant much unique information. Sure, maybe once in a blue moon an interviewer might say “This lab is a terrible environment, don’t come here!”, but most times it’ll probably just be the same elaboration on “I liked my PI and the topics we study, and I got a job, so I joined.”
After the Interview
I highly recommend sending a thank you email within 2 days. Below is a template I used. The idea is to reiterate your interest and bump any of your experiences that you think fit the position based on the feedback you received from the interview.
Sample Email
Subject: [Lab name and role, ex. WHIRLab Manager] interview: Thank you for your time!
Hi Dr. [Name],
I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with me today and sharing more about [Lab Name, etc.]. Our interview today has solidified my enthusiasm for this position!
I appreciated the opportunity to discuss my research experience at Michigan and tell you more about my thesis project. I believe my 2 years of experience running a social psychology lab here have set me up for success to handle the survey building responsibilities and research database project in this role. As I mentioned, I'm very excited about the potential for pursuing additional research projects and immersing myself in your lab culture as well.
Please let me know if there is any additional information I can provide.
Have a great weekend and I look forward to connecting more soon!
All the best,
Helen
Hi Dr. [Name],
I want to thank you for taking the time to meet with me today and sharing more about [Lab Name, etc.]. Our interview today has solidified my enthusiasm for this position!
I appreciated the opportunity to discuss my research experience at Michigan and tell you more about my thesis project. I believe my 2 years of experience running a social psychology lab here have set me up for success to handle the survey building responsibilities and research database project in this role. As I mentioned, I'm very excited about the potential for pursuing additional research projects and immersing myself in your lab culture as well.
Please let me know if there is any additional information I can provide.
Have a great weekend and I look forward to connecting more soon!
All the best,
Helen
Disclaimer: I don’t have a PhD [yet! 💭] and I have not reviewed PhD applications. I’m sharing copies of my actual applications in the hope that they can help you form yours. These aren’t meant to illustrate requirements of an app, but rather to get your thoughts flowing on how you can best frame yourself and your experiences.
I applied to Social Psychology PhD positions in 2025 for admission in Fall 2026. Other academics have made great, well-informed guides on how to navigate the application process [notably, Dr. Lucy Lai has an all-inclusive one for all stages of the process here]. I’ll defer to them for their more informed resources. I’m including my applications below in the hope that they are helpful to someone else in the same way that reading other applications was during my process 😊
My full PhD application materials (CV and essays from Yale, UCLA, and Cornell) are below to show different variations of statements and research proposals.
I applied to Social Psychology PhD positions in 2025 for admission in Fall 2026. Other academics have made great, well-informed guides on how to navigate the application process [notably, Dr. Lucy Lai has an all-inclusive one for all stages of the process here]. I’ll defer to them for their more informed resources. I’m including my applications below in the hope that they are helpful to someone else in the same way that reading other applications was during my process 😊
My full PhD application materials (CV and essays from Yale, UCLA, and Cornell) are below to show different variations of statements and research proposals.
Cold Emailing PIs
Sample Email
Subject: Prospective PhD student question
Dear Dr. [Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I am a lab manager for Dr. Kurt Gray in the Deepest Beliefs Lab at The Ohio State University and am applying to Social Psychology PhD programs this fall. I am very interested in your work on [TOPIC], especially [DETAILS]. I wanted to introduce myself and inquire about whether you will be taking a student for the 2026-2027 academic year.
A bit more about me: I received a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan in 2024, where I worked with Dr. Amie Gordon. My senior honors thesis tested whether the presence of a close friend makes people less likely to comply with an intrusive consent request (i.e., “Can I search your phone?”). In the past year, I’ve worked with Kurt Gray studying how insights from moral psychology can inform the legal system. Some of my current projects examine whether fearing crime makes you more likely to blame victims of crime and how beliefs about “ideal” victimhood drive legal injustice.
Going forward, I’m interested in working more on [SOMETHING RELEVANT TO THEM]. I’m very interested in the possibility of receiving training and mentorship in your lab.
I’ve attached my CV for your convenience. Thank you for your time!
Best,
Helen
Dear Dr. [Name],
I hope this email finds you well. I am a lab manager for Dr. Kurt Gray in the Deepest Beliefs Lab at The Ohio State University and am applying to Social Psychology PhD programs this fall. I am very interested in your work on [TOPIC], especially [DETAILS]. I wanted to introduce myself and inquire about whether you will be taking a student for the 2026-2027 academic year.
A bit more about me: I received a B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan in 2024, where I worked with Dr. Amie Gordon. My senior honors thesis tested whether the presence of a close friend makes people less likely to comply with an intrusive consent request (i.e., “Can I search your phone?”). In the past year, I’ve worked with Kurt Gray studying how insights from moral psychology can inform the legal system. Some of my current projects examine whether fearing crime makes you more likely to blame victims of crime and how beliefs about “ideal” victimhood drive legal injustice.
Going forward, I’m interested in working more on [SOMETHING RELEVANT TO THEM]. I’m very interested in the possibility of receiving training and mentorship in your lab.
I’ve attached my CV for your convenience. Thank you for your time!
Best,
Helen
There is a great guide on applying to the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship here by Dr. Alex Lang. In the hopes that funding for the social sciences will continue, I’m including my successful application from 2026 below.
If you spot any errors on this page, or if you find any resources that would be helpful to add, please email me: [email protected]