What is a postdoctoral scholar?

A postdoctoral scholar works in university-level research under a mentor to prepare for a career. They collect, process, and analyze data. Other job duties include assisting university faculty, designing research experiments, and publishing the results of independent projects. Unlike a research associate, this job is temporary, and typically lasts no more than three or four years from appointment. Previous experience in secondary education is required, so a postdoctoral scholar should have a college degree. Qualifications often include past work as a postdoctoral fellow as well as writing and organizational skills.