Welcome!

The Office of Career and Professional Development is here to support you throughout your time at UCSF. We offer resources, workshops, and individual consultations.

The Career Development Team for Researchers works to surround students and postdocs at UCSF with support in 4 areas:

We help you when you need guidance designing and executing plans that serve your career

We’re here for you when you’re thinking-

  • “I don’t know yet what I want to do after grad school, but I want to keep my options open to explore. How do I do that?”
  • “I just started my postdoc; what techniques should I focus on that will be most valuable later?”
  • “I’m graduating and need to start my job search soon. How can I get started?”
We create spaces where you can explore your career options and make career decisions that are right for you

We’re here for you when you’re thinking-

  • “This lab is a better fit for my scientific interests, but that lab is a better fit in terms of culture and work style. Which should I choose for my thesis lab?”
  • “Do I want to pursue a career in consulting? How do I find out?”
  • “My plans for what to do next have changed. How do I pivot?”
  • “I’ve been learning about different jobs and none of them feel like a good fit for me. What now?”
We guide you in crafting professional communications and navigating professional relationships, authentically and effectively

We’re here for you when you’re thinking-

  • “It started out good but now I’m not getting the feedback I need from my PI. Help?”
  • “My PI and I are constantly miscommunicating. Is this salvageable, or do I need to make a change?”
  • “How do I ask someone new for mentorship?”
  • “How do I negotiate a later start date?”
We work with you to strengthen your candidacy for the positions you want

We’re here for you when you’re thinking-

  • “It’s a ways off for me, but I read the news and getting a job looks hard. What can I do now?”
  • “I’m a year out from finishing my PhD and I know I should start thinking about job stuff but it really feels like I don’t have time. What should I prioritize?”
  • “Is there a problem with my resume?”
  • “I know I want to go to industry when I leave UCSF. How can I prepare without doing an internship?”

CPD is focused on forming and supporting learning communities. We provide support for students and postdocs in a variety of forms, including  

  1. Formal learning activities- i.e. workshops and training programs,  
  2. Immediately accessible online resources, and  
  3. Intentional spaces for social connection around career and professional development.

We support students and postdocs in these three ways because we are committed to designing around the following key features of the UCSF community:

  • People prefer to learn in different ways.
  • People have different access to career and professional development support outside of our office- they have different access to safe spaces to work, levels of prior career education, and levels of supportive mentorship.
  • People have to manage competing priorities, the reality of UCSF’s split campus, and the demands of experimental research work, making it difficult to attend scheduled programs and trainings.
  • For many, at times, career and professional development can be challenging, overwhelming, isolating, and otherwise unpleasant to do alone. 

 

 

Upcoming Events

Exploring Postdoc Pathways in Industry: A Conversation with Genentech

Date:
Time: 12 - 1 p.m. PT

Research Mentor/People Manager Training, Module 6

Date:
Time: 12 - 2 p.m.

CPD Office Hours: PhD Careers and Culture in Industry (for Graduate Students and Postdocs)

Date:
Time: 3 - 4 p.m. PT

Research Mentor/People Manager Training, Module 7

Date:
Time: 12 - 2 p.m.

See All Events