Postdoctoral job search: freedom?

Question

As I'm currently pursuing an academic job search (in parallel to the industry one), which includes potential postdoctoral positions, I would appreciate some clarifications on the following aspect.**Freedom.** I assume that there are two major options for postdoctoral positions in regard to academic (research) freedom: 1) postdoctoral researcher joins a group, lab or project and contributes to one or more of *their* research projects under PI's guidance; 2) postdoctoral researcher joins a group, lab or department and contributes to one of those entities' research portfolio by conceptualizing and performing *her/his own* research (still under PI's guidance), based on previously negotiated agenda, which fits and supports larger groups' research themes.**Question:** are my my assumptions correct; does a postdoctoral title reflect the type of freedom (or lack of) of the position?**Note:** My field is *Information Systems*, a discipline, which can be considered as a sub-domain of *Management Science*, which, in turn, is a *social sciences* discipline.

Answer 1

Please correct me if I am mistaken; or, perhaps is your concern as to whether your anticipation for earning a post doctorate vs. a PhD delineated on your curriculum vitae? Yes, there is a difference between a post doctorate and a PhD.

A post doctorate is more prevalent and definitive for the professional world in a global context, where tough questions are solved on the field of your expertise.

However, a PhD. is a Doctor of Philosophy where you create your own surmise and defend the research, this is unlike a post doctorate; however, the PhD delineation is that its purpose is more academia and research- based work.

Moreover, if you want to master on the field and have the scholarly advanced understanding and evaluation skills,then a post doctorate in Information Systems will allow you to be the Manager, the Expert in a corporation, a library leader, etc.

Both require dissertations, portfolios and comprehensive exams overall; however, one is questioning what already is in the professional world to be used in the professional world (post-doctorate). The Doctorate of philosophy is defending a never before questioned and researched topic that the PhD student designs independently to defend their dissertation. Thus, upon earning their degree will work in academia teaching, conducting research, etc.

You would be an expert in social science in the professional world with a post doctorate - the go-to person in charge of all decisions and questions requiring mastery of information science overall. The PhD is academia more scholarly vs. on the field experience and/or professional work decision- making experience as a post doctorate (a degree that is more worldly, perhaps?).