What Does “Postdoctoral Researcher” Mean?

a. A recognized official job title
Academic and research institutions widely use official titles like Postdoctoral Researcher, Postdoctoral Fellow, or Postdoctoral Scholar for fixed-term, mentored appointments aiming to enhance career readiness.

b. A broader informal career stage
Beyond titles, it is also an informal noun that broadly denotes a temporary, mentored research phase after officially earning a PhD, defined globally by bodies like NSF, NIH.

Social Media & Informal Use of Titles

a. Platforms are social media
LinkedIn, ResearchGate, and ORCID are categorized as social networking platforms and non-official CVs. For example, LinkedIn is explicitly included in Japanese government and Digital Agency policy lists. 

b. Profiles are self-reported snapshots
LinkedIn is designed for personal branding and networking; profiles are known to be self-authored and dynamic . Career coaches affirm that users often adapt job titles—e.g., changing “postdoctoral trainee” to “research scientist”—for clarity with no negative repercussions.

c. Using “Postdoctoral Researcher” informally is standard practice
It’s common for post-PhD professionals in research, teaching, or support roles to use terms that reflect their experience stage, as long as there is no legal claim to the title in official documents, and no use in formal fraud. Many universities and employers recognize the informal nature of these broad identifiers and official HR job titles are still used by post-PhD professionals in formal CVs and job applications. . If there are conservative concerns about institutional image and negative repercussions towards collaborators, institutions, or stakeholders regarding the use of any terms, respectful discussion and negotiation should take place to adjust the description to ensure mutual understanding.

Reproduction or Sharing of Content Without Permission

The Copyright Act in several countries gives creators automatic, exclusive rights to:

  • Reproduce their work
  • Upload or transmit it online
  • Preserve its integrity and attribution 

b. Reproducing content without consent is infringement
Even if no copyright notice is visible, republishing, recreating, and sharing someone’s text, images, or other materials without permission still violates their reproduction and transmission rights. This includes screenshots, and full article or page reproduction.

c. Misrepresentation breaches moral rights
Removing attribution and using others’ information infringes rights.

Defamation (名誉毀損, Penal Code Article 230)

Under Japanese law, truth is not a full defense to defamation.

Even if the facts are technically correct:

  • If someone presents them in a misleading way that lowers your social reputation or trust,
  • If they share them with harmful intent or negligence,
    they can still be held liable for defamation.

So, by:

Damaging your reputation with colleagues, employers, or prospective employers,

Sharing a fabricated CV to suggest dishonesty or misrepresentation by you,

There will be a violation of Article 230.




Disclaimer

This blog post was co-authored together with legal professionals and prepared for informational purposes.
The author has never used any job titles or descriptions, including “Postdoctoral Researcher,” with the intent to deceive, mislead, or obtain illegal gain.
Out of respect for institutional image, the author has acknowledged the possible misunderstandings and requested his collaborators, SMM managers, and also voluntarily removed or adjusted broad or generalized titles on social media profiles and materials.

10 July 2025