![]() Does the department sponsor a seminar series to host visiting scholars? Do they hold a seminar series for students and postdocs? Do they have happy hours or brainstorming sessions, perhaps an annual retreat? These activities not only advance research by identifying new areas to be investigated but also build morale and increase job satisfaction. ![]() The interview probably will give you a good sense of the degree of collegiality among the faculty, but you should ask if programs exist to help build collaborations among faculty members. What is the graduation success rate? Do trainees have access to funding opportunities within the department, such as travel awards? Does the department have training grants that support graduate students or postdocs? Does the school have a postdoctoral affairs office, and do they have the resources you may need to hire international fellows? Does the department have dedicated office space for trainees? Will your students be required to teach and, if so, how much? Ask about team-building activities for faculty and trainees. You should know how many students the school accepts each year and how many enter the department to which you are applying. You need to fill your lab with dedicated and talented individuals, so it is vital to learn as much as you can about the school’s ability to recruit trainees. ![]() Some schools offer workshops to guide new faculty through the tenure process. It is extremely helpful to new faculty to form an advisory committee that meets twice a year to evaluate your progress and provide input on how to meet career goals if your department does not have a formal advisory committee, you can assemble one yourself. And check if the department has a faculty mentor program. It is useful to know the tenure success rate at your school in other words, what percentage of faculty who go up for tenure actually get it? How long is the tenure clock, and does the school perform checkpoint evaluations such as three-year reviews? Assess whether the department is open to offering you immunity from teaching and service the first year or two, which will allow you to focus entirely on developing your independent research program. Ask about the tenure process and faculty mentor programs. Pre-review committees can be invaluable in helping you craft a competitive grant proposal. Also, ask if the department or school has an internal grant-reviewing committee that pre-reviews applications to external funding agencies. Some schools offer internal grants that offset the charges to use core facilities as well. If the school offers grants that are restricted to new assistant professors, even better. Many schools offer small internal grants for faculty, and you should have a sense as to which ones might be available to you. This demonstrates that you have skill as a grant writer and that your school is invested in your research program. If you want to land a large external grant, it helps to show reviewers that you have secured funding from your institution. Ask about internal funding opportunities. Make sure they have a friendly and helpful staff that will help you and your trainees make sense of the data. You not only should check if the core facilities you need are in place but also be sure to ask about their reliability, customer service and cost. These can include facilities that will perform proteomics, sequencing, animal or imaging studies. Many colleges and universities house core facilities on campus where faculty can advance their research. Going into your interview armed with good questions not only will help you gather intel to help you make the best decision for your career but also will help you stand above the competition. As a member of numerous search and screen committees over the past 20 years, I offer a few key items you should consider. It behooves you to be prepared with questions for the faculty members and students that you will be speaking with during the interview process. You are evaluating your future place of employment as much as they are evaluating you.
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