Post-doc in Université Sorbonne Paris Nord

I am currently a post-doctoral researcher in France (2022 - 2025).

It was somewhat funny how everything happened. I started to look for a job in early 2021, during the pandemic, because I would finish my PhD in August of the same year. My focus was to have the post-doc experience abroad because I know how much it would be important to go higher in my career. I was then applying to several job positions in many universities, around the whole world. Whenever I saw a new job advertisement related to my skills (nanotechnology, synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles, physics of condensed matter) I immediately prepared the documents and sent them as soon as possible! It were exhausting days preparing my CV, motivation letter, and organizing my academic certificates. The months were passing, my PhD was almost done and I started to get worried. The answers were always unanimous: I always lacked some skills that the job required. In a few months, I submitted my application to more than 21 post-doc positions, and 10 enterprises (including universities). I even submitted my CV to positions completely unrelated to my career (against my pleasure, because I would not like to give up on the things that make my eyes shine, my profession)!

Then on a certain day (I still clearly remember when I sent my CV specifically to this position), I found in Research Gate the PERFECT post-doc position for me! The project (financed by the European Research Council) was idealized for the correction of science, involving sociologists, philosophers, software engineers, historians, librarians, communicators and nanoscientists. At the same moment I was delighted with the proposal of this study, and instantly imagined myself working with this group! It would be the opportunity not only for me to continue dedicating my career to research, but I felt that somehow I could also be useful to society. I didn’t think twice, I prepared the motivation letter and sent my documents.

Paris, France - 2022.

To my disappointment (but not to my surprise, considering I constantly received many “negative” answers), some days after it I received an e-mail informing me that my CV did not match the requirements. Ok, life goes on. However, on the following day, the University of Twente sent another e-mail notifying me that I was being considered among the candidates, and the last e-mail was sent by mistake (I was really happy with the news, but I held back). Then the mystery was solved: when my current boss contacted me by e-mail and explained that the position to which I submitted my CV required a philosopher! But at the same time, the position was advertised looking for a nanoscientist, for work at the Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and asked whether I would like to be considered. My answer was yes, and then I was informed that I was already among the three best candidates, and the next steps were the critical analysis of an article and interview.

The mess (that nowadays we laugh about in the group) happened because in English PhD means Philosophy Doctor (very different than in Portuguese, in which we say just “doctor”). This is because every scientist must apply philosophy in the research (I will write more about this in this blog in the future). That’s why I thought “but is this not expected for every researcher?” when I saw philosophy as one of the requirements.

I am currently really happy working in NanoBubbles and will dedicate many posts to talking about this fascinating project! I feel useful to science and society, I can keep practising English and also learn a new language, and I have been learning a lot from awesome people and great professionals, with a background in diverse knowledge areas! I am grateful because once again I realized that, when something is supposed to be ours, it will be! Even when we took the wrong way.