Professional Development
The Department of Mathematics prepares its Ph.D. students for careers in academia, industry, and government. Our graduates hold faculty positions at research universities across the U.S. and abroad, and work as data scientists, research engineers, and analysts at leading companies and federal agencies. See our Alumni & Placement Record for the full picture.
Publications
A strong publication record is one of the most important components of a competitive job market application. Students are encouraged to submit manuscripts as soon as results are ready — typically beginning in the 3rd or 4th year — and to post preprints to the arXiv. Given that journal turnaround times often exceed six months, early submission is critical. Your advisor will guide you through journal selection, the referee process, and revisions.
The Academic Job Market
The academic job market operates on a compressed annual cycle during the Fall of a student's final year. Most positions — postdoctoral fellowships, visiting appointments, and tenure-track faculty lines — are posted on MathJobs.org. Students should create an account and begin preparing materials over the summer.
Application Materials
- Cover letter tailored to the position and institution
- Curriculum vitae
- Research statement
- Teaching statement
- 3–4 letters of recommendation, including one addressing teaching
All eligible students are strongly encouraged to apply for the NSF Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (MSPRF), typically due in mid-to-late October. The department supports students throughout the process: faculty review application materials, write recommendation letters, and students are encouraged to give practice job talks in the departmental seminar.
Typical Timeline
| Aug – Sep | Finalize Research and Teaching statements. Request recommendation letters, giving recommenders at least one month's notice. |
| Oct – Nov | NSF MSPRF and other fellowship deadlines. Begin submitting applications on MathJobs. Many postdoctoral deadlines fall in this window. |
| Dec – Jan | Most postdoctoral deadlines close. Short-list notifications and first-round interviews, often at the Joint Mathematics Meetings. |
| Jan – Mar | Campus visits and offers for tenure-track and postdoctoral positions. |
Industry & Non-Academic Careers
A mathematics Ph.D. opens doors well beyond academia. Our alumni hold positions as data scientists at Meta, Visa, and eBay; as statisticians at Johnson & Johnson and Takeda; as research staff at the Institute for Defense Analyses and the Department of Defense; and as software and research engineers at companies like SAP and TUSimple.
Industry hiring is less seasonal than academia, but students should begin networking and exploring opportunities by their 4th or 5th year. The Tulane Career Center offers resume reviews, interview preparation, and industry networking events.
Related Resources
- Alumni & Placement Record — Where our graduates have gone since 2000.
- Graduate Handbook — Program policies, including conference travel funding.
- Tulane Career Center — University-wide career services and industry events.
- MathJobs.org — The central portal for academic mathematics positions.
