Graduate student positions
The John Lab is always looking for motivated and talented students to pursue a PhD at USC. We seek graduate students with the potential to be great scientists, but this can mean something different for every applicant, with the common thread being that students should have demonstrated an ability to make the most out of the academic and research opportunities they have been given, and should be able to demonstrate a passion for scientific research. Most applicants will have had previous laboratory experience and an undergraduate degree in the sciences, need not have studied or worked in oceanography specifically, for example past students have entered the lab from backgrounds in chemistry, geology, and mathematics.
I'm always happy to hear from interested PhD applicants, but the most important way in which candidates are evaluated is through full applications submitted through the USC website. Therefore, if you are interested in joining the lab, please make sure to submit a complete application by the due date. In your application, highlight exactly why you are interested in pursuing a PhD, what scientific research topics are of most interest to you, and what are the specific aspects of USC and the John Lab research program you find most exciting. If the cost of applying presents a financial burden, please send me an email stating that you would like to apply to the USC PhD program and would like to have the fee waived, and I am happy to arrange for this. Graduate students may apply to the John Lab through either the USC Ocean Sciences Program or the Earth Sciences Department. (Your chances of acceptance are the same either way, so I suggest picking the program which best overlaps with your interests). All graduate student appointments are fully paid positions, with a salary which is intended to support you comfortably for the entirety of a PhD, funded by a combination responsibilities as a Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant. USC is a great institution for PhD research, and Los Angeles is a wonderful city in which to be a student. There's amazing food, great music, internationally recognized museums, and easy access to hiking and the beach, providing something for students with a wide variety of interests.
Feel free to reach out to Seth if you are planning to apply, or if you have any additional questions. (However, please don't be dissuaded from applying if I accidentally miss your email and don't reply quickly..or at all! Sometimes even important communications get lost in the Inbox.)
Postdoc positions
Sometimes postdoc positions in the John Lab are advertised, but often postdoc positions can be worked out more informally based on shared research interests. If you think that my lab would be a good springboard for the research which interests you, and that your research could support the overarching goals of the lab to understand the chemistry and biology of metals in the oceans, please reach out (sethjohn@usc.edu). Various avenues of funding are available, and we can discuss what might be a good way to proceed.
Did you reach out about a PhD or postdoc position and I didn't reply? That may just be because I'm busy! Feel free to send a follow-up email if you really think my lab could be a good fit for your skills and interests.
The John Lab is always looking for motivated and talented students to pursue a PhD at USC. We seek graduate students with the potential to be great scientists, but this can mean something different for every applicant, with the common thread being that students should have demonstrated an ability to make the most out of the academic and research opportunities they have been given, and should be able to demonstrate a passion for scientific research. Most applicants will have had previous laboratory experience and an undergraduate degree in the sciences, need not have studied or worked in oceanography specifically, for example past students have entered the lab from backgrounds in chemistry, geology, and mathematics.
I'm always happy to hear from interested PhD applicants, but the most important way in which candidates are evaluated is through full applications submitted through the USC website. Therefore, if you are interested in joining the lab, please make sure to submit a complete application by the due date. In your application, highlight exactly why you are interested in pursuing a PhD, what scientific research topics are of most interest to you, and what are the specific aspects of USC and the John Lab research program you find most exciting. If the cost of applying presents a financial burden, please send me an email stating that you would like to apply to the USC PhD program and would like to have the fee waived, and I am happy to arrange for this. Graduate students may apply to the John Lab through either the USC Ocean Sciences Program or the Earth Sciences Department. (Your chances of acceptance are the same either way, so I suggest picking the program which best overlaps with your interests). All graduate student appointments are fully paid positions, with a salary which is intended to support you comfortably for the entirety of a PhD, funded by a combination responsibilities as a Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant. USC is a great institution for PhD research, and Los Angeles is a wonderful city in which to be a student. There's amazing food, great music, internationally recognized museums, and easy access to hiking and the beach, providing something for students with a wide variety of interests.
Feel free to reach out to Seth if you are planning to apply, or if you have any additional questions. (However, please don't be dissuaded from applying if I accidentally miss your email and don't reply quickly..or at all! Sometimes even important communications get lost in the Inbox.)
Postdoc positions
Sometimes postdoc positions in the John Lab are advertised, but often postdoc positions can be worked out more informally based on shared research interests. If you think that my lab would be a good springboard for the research which interests you, and that your research could support the overarching goals of the lab to understand the chemistry and biology of metals in the oceans, please reach out (sethjohn@usc.edu). Various avenues of funding are available, and we can discuss what might be a good way to proceed.
Did you reach out about a PhD or postdoc position and I didn't reply? That may just be because I'm busy! Feel free to send a follow-up email if you really think my lab could be a good fit for your skills and interests.