Resume examples / Postdoctoral Researcher

Postdoc Resume Example (Industry Move)

A two-page postdoc resume example for moving into industry R&D — publications, funding and supervision, written as results rather than an academic CV.

One-page postdoctoral researcher resume example for Aditi Sharma, 6 years' research experience, in the Basic template

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Two pages, rendered in the Basic template. Scroll the image to see all of it.

The example in full

Aditi Sharma

Postdoctoral Researcher

Munich, Germany · aditi.sharma@example.com · +49 160 5550 337

Summary

Postdoctoral researcher in structural biology with 6 years at the bench and 11 peer-reviewed publications. Designs and runs the experiments, writes the papers, and has brought in €180K of independent fellowship funding. Now looking to move the same work into industry R&D.

Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute for Molecular Biophysics, Munich

01.2023 – Present

Design and perform cryo-EM and biochemical experiments on membrane transporter complexes, from construct design to structure determination.
Published 5 first-author papers since 2023, including one in a journal with an impact factor above 12.
Won a €180K three-year fellowship as sole applicant, funding my own position and consumables.
Supervise two PhD students and one master's student day to day, including experimental design and writing feedback.
Built the lab's sample preparation protocol for unstable complexes, now used by four other projects.
Present at three international conferences a year; invited speaker at two in 2025.

Doctoral Researcher, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru

08.2018 – 11.2022

Completed doctoral research on protein-lipid interactions, resulting in 6 publications and a thesis passed without corrections.
Established the cell culture and purification pipeline used by the group for three subsequent projects.
Mentored four master's students through their project work.

Education

Ph.D. Molecular Biophysics, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru — 08.2018 – 11.2022
M.Sc. Biochemistry, University of Delhi — 07.2016 – 05.2018

Skills

Cryo-EM (single particle) · Protein expression & purification · Cell culture · Mass spectrometry · Structural modelling (ChimeraX, Relion) · Python data analysis · Experimental design · Scientific writing & peer review · Grant writing · Student supervision · Lab documentation & GLP

Certifications

FELASA B — laboratory animal science (05.2023)

Why this example works

This is a resume, not a CV — deliberately

An academic CV lists every publication, poster and teaching duty. For an industry R&D application, two pages of results reads better. Keep the full CV ready for academic applications and for anyone who asks.

Publications are counted, not listed

"11 peer-reviewed publications, 5 first-author since 2023" conveys output without four pages of references. Link a Google Scholar or ORCID profile for the detail.

Funding is stated in money

€180K won as sole applicant shows independence, which is exactly what distinguishes a postdoc from a senior student.

Supervision is management experience

Two PhD students and a master's student is people development. Industry R&D hires read it that way, so it belongs above the technique list.

Techniques are grouped, not exhaustive

Cryo-EM, purification, mass spectrometry and the analysis stack. A methods section copied from a thesis would bury the results.

What postdoctoral researcher postings actually ask for

We pulled 10 live postings (postdoctoral researcher, United States) on 24 September 2026 and counted what they mention — counted across all 10 descriptions, so a posting that repeats a term counts each time. The example above uses these terms where they are genuinely true of the person, which is the only way to use them.

Term	Mentions across those postings
Peer-reviewed publication	7
Machine learning	5
Python	2
Cell culture	1
Mass spectrometry	1
MATLAB	1
SPSS	1
Compliance	1

How those postings describe the work, in their own words:

“design and perform experiments to improve growth, productivity, product quality, and process robustness”
“analyze and interpret experimental data to identify bottlenecks and guide subsequent experiments”
“prepare and present research findings through journal articles, conference presentations, and internal reports”
“maintain detailed documentation of experimental workflows, results, and methodologies”
“mentor and supervise junior researchers and students”

Mistakes to avoid on a postdoctoral researcher resume

Sending a 12-page academic CV to an industry role

Hiring managers outside academia expect two pages. Publications become a count plus a link; teaching and service usually come off entirely.

Writing in the passive voice of a methods section

"Experiments were performed" hides you. Say what you designed, ran and concluded.

Leading with techniques instead of outcomes

The technique list matters, but what you solved with it matters more — particularly for process, assay or product roles.

Not translating academic language

"Third-party funded project" and "work package" mean little outside academia. Budget, deadline, deliverable and stakeholder are the industry equivalents.

Frequently asked questions

Should a postdoc use a resume or a CV?

A CV for academic positions and fellowships; a two-page resume for industry. They are different documents with different rules, not long and short versions of one.

How do I list publications without filling the page?

Give the count, the first-author count, and a link to ORCID or Google Scholar. Name at most two papers, and only if they're directly relevant to the role.

Does teaching experience belong on an industry resume?

Only as evidence of supervision or training others. Course lists don't travel; mentoring and training do.

How do I explain leaving academia?

Not on the resume. The cover letter is the place, and the honest version — wanting to work on applied problems with a team and a timeline — is enough.

Is a two-page resume right for a postdoc?

Yes. Six years of research, publications, funding and supervision don't fit one page, and industry R&D readers expect two.