Newly published guide for postdocs and advisors

Mon Dec 22 12:28:55 EST 2025

Dear MIT postdocs,

Whether you have just started your postdoc journey or have been around for some time, navigating the relationship with your faculty advisor(s) is key for career growth. For some of us who aspire to become a lab head and/or leader of a team, interactions with our faculty advisor could be a valuable opportunity to explore our leadership styles and identify our strengths and areas of improvement.

As highlighted in the email sent out earlier today from Ian A. Waitz, the Vice President for Research, a new resource A Guide for MIT Postdocs and Faculty Advisors<https://mit.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ad1eea3e71689e854e6d4226&id=d8358068c9&e=f5f516385d> is now available online. It is a concise but informative guidebook. The MIT postdoctoral association is launching a mini-series on our social media<https://www.instagram.com/mitpda/?hl=en> account to highlight key points from the guide. Hope they are helpful.

Please feel free to email contactpda at mit.edu and postdocservices at mit.edu if you have any questions/concerns.

Happy holiday season and see you in the New Year.

Take care,
Yiqiao

-----------------------

Yiqiao Zheng, PhD

Postdoctoral Associate | Lew Lab<https://sites.google.com/view/lewlab/home> | Department of <https://biology.mit.edu/> Biology<https://biology.mit.edu/>, MIT
Co-chair | MIT Biology Building 68 Postdoc Association<https://biology.mit.edu/postdoctoral/life-as-a-postdoc/postdoc-associations/building-68-postdoc-association/>
President | MIT Postdoctoral Association<https://pda.mit.edu/>

________________________________
From: Ian A. Waitz <vpr-comms-office at mit.edu>
Sent: Monday, December 22, 2025 11:30 AM
To: Yiqiao Zheng <YQZHENG at MIT.EDU>
Subject: Salary/stipend increases next year

Minimum postdoc salary/stipend, and a newly published guide.
Minimum postdoc salary/stipend, and a newly published guide.
December 22, 2025
View in browser<https://mailchi.mp/mit.edu/minimum-salary-stipend-for-postdocs?e=f5f516385d>
[Ian A. Waitz, Vice President for Research.]<https://mit.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ad1eea3e71689e854e6d4226&id=6521eace2a&e=f5f516385d>
Dear Postdoctoral Scholars,

I am pleased to share with you that the Institute-wide minimum salary/stipend for postdoctoral associates and fellows will increase to $73,308, effective July 1, 2026. All postdocs whose salary/stipend is below the new minimum will receive a pay increase on that date. This represents a 3.25% increase over the current minimum salary/stipend, which took effect July 1, 2025.

MIT reviews postdoctoral compensation across the Institute each year. Despite current financial pressures<https://mit.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ad1eea3e71689e854e6d4226&id=2b1655b153&e=f5f516385d>, we are providing this increase to the minimum salary/stipend in recognition of the contributions of postdocs to MIT research and the cost of living in the Cambridge-Boston area, as well as other factors such as inflation and competitive trends.

For postdoctoral associates whose salaries are above the new minimum, MIT is encouraging, but not requiring, PIs to provide at least a 3% increase on the date of the appointment renewal in FY27 if appropriate in light of performance, competitive trends, equity, and funding availability. (Stipends for postdoctoral fellows earning above the Institute minimum are typically determined by the terms of the fellowship.) If you have questions about your individual situation with respect to your salary/stipend, please reach out to your local HR administrator or MIT Postdoctoral Services.

The message below was sent to PIs and administrators earlier today, and I share it here to reiterate our commitment across the Institute to support postdoctoral scholars’ well-being and professional development.

I especially want to highlight a new resource we have developed, A Guide for MIT Postdocs and Faculty Advisors<https://mit.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ad1eea3e71689e854e6d4226&id=d8358068c9&e=f5f516385d>. I hope you will find it provides a helpful overview of the postdoctoral appointment, expectations for postdocs and mentors, and resources available to you during your time at MIT. I encourage you to use it to prompt discussions with your advisor on mentoring, career development, and expectations within the research group.

I meet monthly with the leaders of the MIT Postdoctoral Association<https://mit.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ad1eea3e71689e854e6d4226&id=090c6e247d&e=f5f516385d>. They play an integral role in advocating for the interests and priorities of MIT postdocs, and their constructive input has informed the development of the minimum salary/stipend as well as the new Guide.

I’d like to express my thanks to them, and to each of you for all that you do — not only as outstanding researchers, but equally as members of the MIT community.

Sincerely,

Ian A. Waitz
Vice President for Research
The following letter was distributed to principal investigators and key administrative contacts this morning:

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to advise you that the minimum salary/stipend for MIT postdoctoral scholars (both associates and fellows) will increase 3.25% to $73,308 effective July 1, 2026. On that date, all postdocs with salaries/stipends below the new minimum will have their pay increased to $73,308.

As always, PIs are encouraged to pay postdocs higher than the minimum when appropriate in light of performance, competitive trends, equity, and funding availability. For those postdocs earning above the new minimum, PIs are encouraged to provide at least a 3% merit increase when appropriate at the appointment renewal in FY27. (Increases for postdoctoral fellows whose stipends are above the Institute minimum may be determined by the terms of their fellowships.)

As you know, given the current budget environment, MIT announced<https://mit.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ad1eea3e71689e854e6d4226&id=77d890eae0&e=f5f516385d> that faculty and staff would forgo merit increases in 2026, with some exceptions. As noted at the time, the salaries/stipends of postdoctoral scholars are set through a separate process.

The minimum salary/stipend for postdocs is reviewed annually, with attention to competitive trends and the cost of living in the Greater Boston area. The increase to the minimum also recognizes the important contributions of our postdoctoral scholars to MIT’s research enterprise during their advanced training period. The minimum salary/stipend was last increased on July 1, 2025.

I am grateful for the input of the Research Council, the Provost’s Cabinet, and the MIT Postdoctoral Association leadership as we worked toward a balanced approach to setting the new minimum salary/stipend at this financially challenging time. Maintaining a competitive minimum salary/stipend across the Institute is an important part of our continued ability to attract and retain the most talented researchers.

If you have any questions about implementing the minimum salary/stipend, please refer to this FAQ<https://mit.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ad1eea3e71689e854e6d4226&id=bcd84f694d&e=f5f516385d> or contact postdocservices at mit.edu<mailto:postdocservices at mit.edu>.

New Guide for MIT Postdocs and Faculty Advisors

It remains critically important that we sustain our talent pipeline. The postdoctoral appointment is a key training period in the career of a researcher, and at MIT we strive to provide a robust set of professional development<https://mit.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ad1eea3e71689e854e6d4226&id=ed727fc23d&e=f5f516385d> and mentoring resources<https://mit.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ad1eea3e71689e854e6d4226&id=22373a1acd&e=f5f516385d> to support every postdoc. I am happy to share the newest resource, A Guide for MIT Postdocs and Faculty Advisors<https://mit.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2ad1eea3e71689e854e6d4226&id=ef122dd80b&e=f5f516385d>. This guide was developed through the efforts of the Faculty Postdoc Advisory Committee and MIT Postdoctoral Services, with valued input from the MIT Postdoctoral Association, to clarify expectations during the postdoctoral appointment and the resources available to support mentoring, career development, and overall well-being. I encourage you to review it when onboarding new postdoctoral scholars, and hope you will find it supports discussions with the postdoctoral scholars you mentor. Thank you for the continued care you bring to this important responsibility.

Sincerely,

Ian A. Waitz
Vice President for Research
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