Some postdoc positions do not have deadlines, but will open until filled. What is happening? I am currently searching for postdoc positions for my first time. Many postdoc positions have definite deadlines, but others don't. Surprisingly, some prestigious institutes list postdoc positions for a long time but they are still waiting for applicants. My belief is that prestigious institutes would quickly receive a lot of applications, so that the positions ought to be taken very soon, but this appears to not be the case. What is happening?
Long story short, they don't need to "settle for less". Though this may sound somewhat crass, the truth of the matter is that many elite institutions probably do receive a large number of applications but reject most of them. Because there is no risk of the supply of interested applicants disappearing, a lab can wait to pick out a candidate that they feel meets their (possibly very high) requirements.