What is PULSE?
The Postdoc Upskilling in Laboratory & Specialized Expertise initiative (PULSE) connects postdoctoral scholars with UNC’s Core Facilities through short-term, project-based professional development experiences.
PULSE offers postdoctoral scholars the chance to broaden their skills and experience through short-term, project-based collaborations with UNC’s Core Facilities. These experiences provide valuable professional development while advancing the university’s mission of research excellence and innovation.
Designed to be flexible and accessible, PULSE allows postdocs to dedicate a small, defined portion of their time to skill building and exploration—supporting a fulfilling postdoctoral experience and aligning with national recommendations that recognize professional development as a core element of postdoctoral training.
This opportunity is open to all full-time UNC-Chapel Hill postdoctoral scholars who meet the eligibility criteria. For the 2026 cohort, PULSE will provide salary support for all the time that a postdoc commits to the initiative during the first full month of their core project.
Postdocs gain hands-on experience with:
- Advanced technologies
- Research workflows and best practices
- Specialized expertise
- Professional and technical skill development
- Cross campus collaboration and networking
Core Facilities benefit through:
- Access to skilled researchers who can support active projects
- Enhanced operational capacity and efficiency
- Broader visibility and engagement across departments
- Opportunities to mentor and collaborate with emerging talent
Faculty mentors and PIs also benefit as their postdocs gain new technical expertise and expanded networks that can enhance the quality and efficiency of their research programs. Together, these experiences support UNC’s mission of research excellence, fostering innovation across campus and ensuring our research community’s finger remains on the PULSE of cutting-edge technology.
Timeline | PULSE 2025-2026
Core Project Proposals: To be Submitted by 5pm on Friday, December 5
Projects Open for Postdoc Application: December 15th 2025 – January 9th 2026
Interviews: January 2026
Project Start Dates: February 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is eligible to participate?
All UNC postdoctoral scholars, including international scholars, are welcome to participate, including those in bench, computational, clinical, and interdisciplinary research.
Postdocs and their supervisors are responsible for confirming that participation in PULSE aligns with the terms of their fellowship, traineeship, or other funding mechanism, including any effort or time allocation requirements.
PULSE is only available for UNC-CH Core Facilities and UNC-CH Postdoctoral Scholars.
2. Is this a paid position?
No. PULSE experiences are for professional development only. Postdocs should not receive compensation, and Core Facilities should not charge for staff time or instrument usage defined within the project.
3. How much time is required?
Postdocs are expected to dedicate 10–20% of their effort (typically 4–8 hours/week) for the duration of the project (usually up to 3 months). Flexible arrangements can be discussed with the Core Director.
4. What kinds of projects are available?
Projects vary by Core Facility and may include instrumentation training, workflow or protocol development, data analysis, training material creation, or other technical and service-oriented tasks.
5. How are projects matched with postdocs?
Postdocs apply to specific projects through OPA. Qualified applications are shared with the Core Director, who meets with applicants to assess fit. Final acceptance is at the discretion of the Core Director.
6. What if a project isn’t a good fit or needs to end early?
Participation can be concluded early in consultation with the Core Director and OPA. Both sides are encouraged to communicate openly to ensure a positive and productive experience.
7. How is participation recognized?
Postdocs will receive a certificate of completion and may have the opportunity to present their work at the Postdoc Research Symposium or Core Facility events. Projects will also be listed publicly on the PULSE webpage.
8. When are projects posted and how long do applications stay open?
Opportunities are posted on the PULSE webpage as they are approved. Applications are generally accepted on a rolling basis, with start dates coordinated between postdocs and Core Facilities.
9. Questions?
The PULSE initiative is a collaboration between the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and the Office of Research Technologies. For questions, please contact Alan Marsh (OPA) at [email protected] and Kara Clissold (ORT) at [email protected].