Your first month getting situated on campus.
Meet with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. Email us at postdocs@usc.edu for an intake/consultation and academic orientation. We will help you get off to a good start.
How to Eat Healthy while on Campus
There are plenty of choices for food both on and around our campuses. To start, explore the USC Hospitality site for a full listing of USC restaurant locations. For postdocs working at UPC, also visit the USC Village. Download the Healthy Eating on Campus Guide here for suggestions on which meals offer the best nutritional value.
Remote Virtual Private Network: Find additional information here.
University mandated training: Researchers at USC may be conducting research in laboratories, conducting ethnographic research, using hazardous substances, conducing human-subjects or animal research, etc. Please consult your faculty supervisor on required training before you get started. As a resource, you can use the Research Training Finder tool to determine which University mandated training is required for your research.
You will also be required to complete training modules as a result of enrolling in PDF999. Login to TrojanLearn to complete mandated training to prevent holds on your student account.
Wellness and Workouts: Lyon Center (UPC) and the HSC Fitness Center access: To activate your access, please register online prior to visiting the gym. You must be enrolled in PDF-999 in order to access these facilities. The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs also hosts workout sessions, hikes and much more. Please visit OPA’s Postdoc Community and Wellness section for more information.
Get to know your academic resources
USC Office of Research: The mission of the Office of Research at the University of Southern California is to nurture and promote ethical and rigorous research, scholarship, creativity, and innovation to benefit society. Here, postdocs will find resources for research/scholarship, training, funding and events.
Center for Excellence in Teaching: CET supports your teaching and course design. CET institutes engage postdocs with all levels of experience in advancing their knowledge of scholarly approaches to teaching excellence and offers free resources for course design, evaluation and instruction.
Office of Postdoctoral Affairs Programs: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs offers travel support, research grants, tuition remission for work-related coursework, and signature programs that enhance postdoc career development.
Other Resources available to postdocs:
National Postdoc Association (NPA) membership: As the national voice of the postdoctoral community, the NPA is the one national entity representing both postdocs and their institutions. Promoting a culture of inclusion through advocacy, professional development, and a tireless dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion. USC is an institutional member of the NPA. USC postdocs are eligible for a free affiliate membership. You will have access to NPA’s SmartSkills Courses and so much more. Join NPA here for free. When prompted, select: Affiliate Individual Member, Postdoc.
Beyond the Ph.D. Career Conference: Inspiring the USC postdoctoral community to pursue fulfilling, innovative, entrepreneurial careers in academia and industry. #USCBeyondPhD
Office of International Services has drop in advising sessions to answer visa related questions. Schedules can be found on the OIS website. For international postdocs, all visa related questions should be directed to OIS.
USC Career Center: All USC postdocs are encouraged to take advantage of the full range of career services. From resume review and career advising services to online networking and targeted job search resources, the Career Center offers robust tools to help you make valuable connections and identify potential employers and industry trends. The website enables you to search for jobs, research organizations, attend webinars, and network with fellow Trojans via the Trojan Network. In addition to our office, USC has school-based career centers or advisors who can assist you. For free yearly membership, email the Career Center re: Postdoc Membership and Services in the subject line.
LinkedIn Learning: All postdocs get free access to this platform through USC libraries. LinkedIn Learning is an online educational platform that helps you discover and develop business, technology-related, and creative skills through expert-led course videos. With more than 5,000 courses and personalized recommendations, you can discover, complete, and track courses related to your field and interests. You can also choose to add these courses and related skills to your LinkedIn profile once you’ve completed them.