(FAS) Administrators
This page provides information to help you to get your postduck appointments in a row.
Is a search required?
A search is required for all postdoctoral appointments, except in the instances listed in the FAS Appointment and Promotion Handbook.
Conducting a search
When hiring a postdoc from outside of Harvard, the position is advertised in order to reach the maximum pool of realistic applicants. Suggestions of publications in which to post include:
- Posting open positions on the departmental/area website
- Making direct inquiries with colleagues at other institutions
- HERC (New England Higher Education Recruitment Consortium) – Contact Ben Marciniak for information on posting ads
- Field-related internet listserves
- Field-related publications
- Research University Alliance My Postdoc Portal, to which Harvard belongs and is free.
Advertising copy must use the affirmative byline: "Harvard is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law." The search ad also must specifically express interest in developing a broad pool of candidates. Care should be taken to avoid language that could be construed as discriminatory with regard to age.
All information needed to process the appointment of your postdoc is described in the FAS Appointments Handbook, including sample offer letters and appointment documents needed. In order to navigate the appointment process and ensure smooth sailing, the department must submit to the Appointments Office in the Office for Faculty Affairs all the documents listed in the Postdoctoral Fellows section of the FAS Appointments Handbook, Section 13 C (4), or, in the case of Research Associates, Section 13 D (4)
If you need help with the appointment, it is available from one of the Faculty Affairs admimistrators in Faculty Affairs Appointments Office.
Appointment Types and Job Codes: On Harvard payroll; not on Harvard payroll
In the case of an international scholar: Beginning the Visa Sponsorship Process
Length of appointment
The appointment is made annually and may not exceed 12 months. Individuals may ordinarily serve in this category, whether full- or part-time, for a maximum of three years.
Extensions
Extensions may be granted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact your department administrator for more information.
Appointments over 1 fte
Please contact your department admnistrator for more information. Such appointments are possible on an exceptional basis, notably for the purpose of TAing. For postdocs on external fellowships, approval is subject to review by the Research Administration Office to ensure that this additional effort is compliant with the terms of any grant supporting the fellowship. This approval is also subject to approval by your PI. Ultimately, the maximum possible appointment is 1.25 fte per year.
There are basically two types of postdoc appointments in the FAS: Either on Harvard payroll ("paid" appointments) or funded independently ("unpaid" by Harvard).
On Harvard payroll
These are of two kinds.
Internal, employee postdoctoral fellows (when the postdoctoral fellow is supported by research grants and contracts under the direction of a Harvard Principal Investigator). In this case, postdocs are paid a salary and get a W2
or,External, stipendiary postdoctoral fellows (when a fellowship is awarded to a postdoctoral fellow and is managed by Harvard University, with the fellow paid through Harvard). In this case, postdocs are paid a stipend and get a 1099.
Not on Harvard payroll
Postdocs in this category are paid directly by their fellowship or on the payroll of another institution.
Job Codes
In the FAS and SEAS, the following postdoc job codes are used most often:
069591 – Fellow, Post Doc (Internal, “employee” postdoc, on PI’s funding and on Harvard payroll)
000949 – Fellow, Post Doc (Stipendiary postdoc with individual fellowship, on Harvard payroll)
061019 – Post Doc, Visiting (External/Direct Pay postdoc, receiving payment directly from outside funding source, not on Harvard payroll)
For more information about the different types of postdoctoral appointments, please see the so-called Appointments Matrix, compiled by FAS FORA.
Incoming postdocs applying for funding through Harvard should be appointed as Associates during the period they are applying for that funding. If an exception is required for this appointment (for example, if they do not have outside employment or otherwise don’t meet the standard expectations of an Associate), please reach out to Chris Pedro (Christopher_pedro@fas.harvard.edu) with the request for an exception and explicitly note that this is for an individual who will be appointed as a postdoc at Harvard and is applying for funding through Harvard in advance of their start date. Please confirm they will be given a postdoc appointment once that funding is received. These appointments should not be utilized for individuals looking for funding, but who are not intended to be appointed as postdocs at Harvard and will be rigorously reviewed to ensure that they are being appropriately utilized.
Exceptional PI rights are not necessary for these appointments, as they should complete PI training by the time of the award. OSP still requires manual OAIR attestations for applicants pursuing PHS+ sponsor fellowships such as the NIH F32. In all scenarios, the manual MFTRP attestation will need to be completed. Please include the postdoc offer letter contingent on funding with the grant materials submitted to OSP, so they can differentiate this group from other Associates.
To find out and confirm if a postdoc is eligible to be seen at HUHS, they would call Patient Registration at 617-495-5795 or email registration@huhs.harvard.edu If this postdoc has the health fee, than they would be able to be seen. If not, they may be eligible to be seen on a fee for service basis.
Please note that HUHS cannot accept outside insurance plans.
A list of local area public hospitals can be found here. (Not all these hospitals will necessarily accept the person's individual insurance. Mount Auburn Hospital is where most Harvard patients needing Emergency Care are sent, as they accept most insurance types.
The person should call their insurance member service office directly, as they will able to confirm where the person can go locally in their insurance network, benefit details, and anticipated costs for care. Call 1-800-628-4664 or visit their webpage to locate a provider www.imglobal.com/provider to search their network. If they are a global network, they may have interpreter service access, if needed.