The following questions should help you get the most out of your postdoc interview and, with luck, out of your postdoc experience as well.
If the project is independent, will you be able to take it with you when the fellowship ends? Be wary of a 'conditional project' — if you take on project X first, you will get project Y.
Will you be granted time to participate in a postdoc council, take courses, learn new technologies, improve communication skills, and so on? Does the mentor/principal investigator (PI) have funds for attending scientific meetings?
How is authorship handled? How often and where does the lab publish?
Where is the mentor along the tenure-track timeline? Senior PIs with productive track records are safer. But junior faculty members may be more eager to get more publications out.
Will the mentor help you apply for small grants or fellowships? How stable is the current funding?
Is your potential mentor receptive to collaborations with other labs?
How are research supplies acquired and financed?
Will you be able to meet lab members to talk freely about the lab and the mentor? A PI's pledges in the courtship phase might change once a commitment is made.
Can you contact lab alumni? If so, ask them for the five best and five worst things about working with the mentor.
Is productivity more important than the number of hours you work?
What is the vacation schedule? Is there sick time? Is there a maternity/paternity policy or leave?
Does the mentor hold regular lab or individual meetings? An individual development plan helps answer these questions in a written, contractual format.
Does the institution have a postdoc policy? If so, read it in detail. Are there postdoc term limits?
Does the institution have a postdoc office or association? If so, does it review all the offer letters to ensure the terms and stipend levels are fair?
If you walk away thinking, "If I could change one or two major things, it would be great", then keep on walking. Reflect on the interview, talk to your mentors, and trust your gut.
