FAS PDA - FAQs
The FAS Postdoc Association is a community by and for the postdocs of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, Cambridge campus. We work closely with the FAS Office of Postdoctoral Affairs to build community among postdocs and provide opportunities for professional growth and development.
Anyone can get involved! Talk to a current FAS PDA member to get started.
The time commitment can be minimal, and any help is appreciated!
Advocacy, Events, Career, Communications. All committees are welcoming new people.
Yes, there are many postdoc associations at Harvard, each representing unique institutions and professional programs:
Faculty of Arts and Sciences Postdoc Association (FAS-PDA)
Harvard School of Public Health Postdoctoral Association (HSPH PDA)
Harvard Medical Postdoc Association (HMPA)
Massachusetts General Postdoc Association (MGPA)
Boston Children's Hospital Post-Doctoral Association (BCH PDA)
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center PDA (BIDMC PDA)
Brigham and Women's Hospital PostDoctoral Association (BWH PDA)
Dana-Farber (graduate students and postdocs) Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Association (Dana-Farber PGA)
Joslin Diabetes Center Fellows Council
Broad Institute NextGen Association for Postdocs and Graduate Students (NGA)
Harvard Medical School Black Postdoctoral Association (HBPA)
There are around 1,300 postdocs.
The FAS is the largest division at Harvard and includes Harvard College, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). FAS includes departments in Arts and Humanities, Science, Social Science, and SEAS on the Cambridge Campus.
The PDA (Postdoc Association) is a group run entirely by postdocs. The PDO (Office of Postdoctoral Affairs) is an office for postdocs run by Harvard with salaried employees. The PDO can help postdocs with questions about salary, career, misconduct, and other situations.
Stephen Kargere runs the PDO and can help any postdoc with career guidance and HR issues. He is a fantastic resource and can be reached via email at kargere@fas.harvard.edu.
The Boston Postdoc Association is a group for postdocs across all Boston Universities. They run some social and career events. Visit their webpage and social media accounts for more information.
The FAS PDA runs events most weeks throughout the year. These include breakfasts, ice cream socials, career panels, ice skating trips, and more. Be sure you are subscribed to the mailing list to receive notifications.
Most Postdocs find housing on the open market. However, Harvard offers some rental properties to the harvard community. The units are assigned based on a lottery system with applications due may 1st every year. More information can be found on their webpage: https://www.huhousing.harvard.edu
The HARVie website on childcare has information and links to find childcare providers, both through Harvard and elsewhere. For more information please visit the FAS PDA Guide on Childcare.
The Harvard International Office has information about visas on their webpage. The best place to get help with issues that arise is through your department or sponsoring PI. For more information on international scholar support please refer to the FAQ for New International Scholars at Harvard.
No, you are on your own. Paying for a tax professional can be helpful for those not familiar with the process, and is generally not all that expensive (e.g., ~$300 for one year’s filings).
If your salary is below the Harvard minimum scale, you have a right to increase your salary to that minimum level. The FAS PDA recommends that all postdocs be paid at the HMS salary scale and encourages postdocs to try to negotiate for higher pay if they feel comfortable (see Salary and Benefits section).
For benefits-eligible postdocs (see Salary and Benefits section), Harvard offers discounted MBTA passes. In addition, Harvard offers a commuter benefit for reimbursements on the Bluebikes Share Program and personal bicycle purchases and maintenance. Please refer to Harvard CommuterChoice Program for more information.
Your Harvard ID will grant you free or discounted access to museums at Harvard and in Boston (ex. Museum of Fine Arts), discounted Harvard gym access, and cultural/ artistic/ sporting event deals through the Outings and Innings Program. Benefits-eligible postdocs may also take advantage of Employee Perks and Discounts.
For benefits eligible postdocs (see Salary and Benefits section), Harvard offers subsidized medical coverage plans through the Harvard University Group Health Plan (HUGHP) and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA). Harvard also offers additional opt-in insurance plans for dental, vision, disability and life insurance coverage. Spouse and family coverage options are also available in addition to individual plans. You must and can only update your benefits elections annually during the Benefits Open Enrollment Period (typically October through November), otherwise you may lose coverage! Please refer to HARVie Health & Welfare Benefits for more information.
For non-benefits eligible postdocs, you must seek your own healthcare following the guidance of your funding institution or on the open market (e.g., Massachusetts Health Connector or HealthCare.gov).
No. Postdocs are not technically considered faculty, staff, nor students. Postdocs are officially considered “researchers'' in university policy documents, and despite being employees, are by virtue of this arbitrary title not eligible for certain employee benefits (like retirement contributions from Harvard). That being said, if you’re reading university policy that applies to “faculty, staff, and students” and are wondering if it applies to you, it is worth asking for clarification because Harvard often just forgets to include postdocs in their wording.