Postdoctoral Fellows

Sometimes departments ask about opportunities to advertise postdoctoral fellow positions at NU. The following posting options are available: 

• Department Website
  You may advertise postdoctoral fellow opportunities on your department website
• Office of Postdoctoral Affairs Website
  Contact the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs to have a position listed on their website
• NU Careers Site
  While not an avenue through which postdocs commonly find opportunities, departments occasionally ask to list postdoctoral fellow positions on the NU Careers website. The process for doing so is to email hr.compensation@northwestern.edu and provide the following:
  • Job description for the role
  • Ask that HR create a new research staff (RES) position number for posting to eRecruit

The list above represents opportunities to advertise postdoctoral fellow positions on Northwestern University platforms. You are not required to post on these platforms and may advertise through other job boards, listservs, and publications.

Complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page) and attach these documents:

• Upload the Personal Data Form separately to its respective button
  
  • If the appointee is not in town yet, submit the form and include as much information as you can get. When the appointee arrives, submit a new form containing the appointee's signature and LOCAL address.
  • If an existing employee is changing to a postdoctoral fellow, the personal data form isn't necessary 
• Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:
  1. NU Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment form, signed by the Principal Investigator and the chair of the department or center director
     • If the candidate has a visa, write "VISA" in two places: (1) at the top of this form and (2) in the Comments and Notes section of the OnBase submission form.
     • Salary for all postdoctoral fellows must be commensurate with the NIH NRSA stipend rate for years of experience as a postdoctoral fellow. View FSM policy and NRSA stipend levels.
  2. Years of Experience Calculator to confirm minimum required salary
  3. Position Data/Appointment Forms 
     • Appointment form Action/Reason = HIR/HIR 
     • Position Data form Action/Reason = POS/NEW
  4. Written justification if appointment term deviates from one year
     • If shorter: written justification that (1) explains the reason for the short term and (2) confirms that upon conclusion of the short term, the employee will either be reappointed for a full year or terminated
     • If longer: written justification that (1) explains the reason for the longer term and (2) confirms that funding is guaranteed for the duration of the appointment. The maximum term length is three years.
  5. Current CV
  6. If degree completed within 6 months of start date: Proof of degree completion or notarized diploma. 
     • if candidate does not yet have a doctoral degree but will be awarded one prior to the start date, the department can request an initial appointment and then confirm completed degree requirements and/or successful dissertation defense prior to the appointment start date by sending an email to fao@northwestern.edu 
  7. For Visiting Postdocs: Documentation/letter from the appointee's home institution to verify his/her current status there

Complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page) and attach these documents:

• Upload the Personal Data Form separately to its respective button
  
  • If the appointee is not in town yet, submit the form and include as much information as you can get. When the appointee arrives, submit a new form containing the appointee's signature and LOCAL address.
  • If an existing employee is changing to a postdoctoral fellow, the personal data form isn't necessary 
• Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:
  1. NU Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment form, signed by the Principal Investigator and the chair of the department or center director
     • Add Note: At the top of the NU Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment Form, please write "Also proposed for coterminous faculty appointment."
     • If the candidate has a visa, write "VISA" in two places: (1) at the top of this form and (2) in the Comments and Notes section of the OnBase submission form.
     • Salary for all postdoctoral fellows must be commensurate with the NIH NRSA stipend rate for years of experience as a postdoctoral fellow. View FSM policy and NRSA stipend levels. (The sum of salary across the postdoctoral fellowship position and the coterminous faculty position must meet the minimum salary requirement.)
  2. Years of Experience Calculator to confirm minimum required salary
  3. Coterminous Faculty Cover Sheet: If the coterminous appointment is paid by NMG, a business plan and draft offer will need to be submitted for approval before you submit the OnBase transaction. Visit the coterminous faculty page for more information.
  4. Position Data/Appointment Forms in this order:
     • Record 0 for the postdoctoral fellow appointment (since this is the primary position)
       Appointment form Action/Reason = HIR/HIR 
       Position Data form Action/Reason = POS/NEW
     • Record 1 for the coterminous Instructor appointment 
       Appointment form Action/Reason = HIR/ADD 
       Position Data form Action/Reason = POS/NEW
     • For NRSA (T32) Postdocs: If there is salary associated with the coterminous appointment (Record 1), salary should be split across record 0 and 1, but record 0 (the NRSA postdoc) should have 100% effort.
  5. Written justification if appointment term deviates from one year
     • If shorter: written justification that (1) explains the reason for the short term and (2) confirms that upon conclusion of the short term, the employee will either be reappointed for a full year or terminated
     • If longer: written justification that (1) explains the reason for the longer term and (2) confirms that funding is guaranteed for the duration of the appointment. The maximum term length is three years.
  6. Prior correspondence with FAO regarding special circumstances, if applicable
  7. Current CV
  8. If degree completed within 6 months of start date: Proof of degree completion or notarized diploma 

Annual Process for Reappointment/Merit Increase

Each summer, there is a brief window of time when reappointments and merit increases are processed using panels in myHR. Details for the current or most recent summer process (including deadlines for its use) are in the checklist below.  If the checklist does not apply, use the standard process.

• Research Appointments: Checklist for Annual Reappointment/Merit Increase Process in myHR 
     

Standard Process

If the reappointment includes an off-cycle salary increase, you may need to complete the Non-Merit Salary Increase Form and receive approval from the Office of Finance & Administration before submitting an OnBase transaction. View the page on Non-Merit Salary Increases for more information. This process does not apply if raising the stipend of a postdoc to the appropriate NRSA level for years of experience (whether they are a NRSA or non-NRSA postdoc).

If the increase is not subject to the non-merit increase process, or you already have approval through that process, complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page) and attach these documents:

• Upload the Personal Data Form separately to its respective button ONLY if appointee needs to update local address or other information
• Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:
  1. Position Data/Appointment Forms, downloaded from myHR with employee ID#
     • If the candidate has a visa, write "VISA" in two places: (1) at the top of this form and (2) in the Comments and Notes section of the OnBase submission form.
     • To reappoint, use DTA/REA
     • If changing salary at the time of reappointment, also enter PAY/SAJ or another appropriate code to change salary (and use POS/BUD on the position side of the form to change the budgeted salary).
       • Salary for all postdoctoral fellows must be commensurate with the NIH NRSA stipend rate for years of experience as a postdoctoral fellow. View FSM policy and NRSA stipend levels. However, annual increases are only expected within 30 days of the NIH releasing new NRSA rates. You do not also need to increase salary at time of reappointment (unless the reappointment coincides with processing a salary adjustment to align with new NRSA rates).
       • If processing a reappointment at the same time as a salary adjustment to align with new NRSA rates, include the Years of Experience calculator.
     • Note: If changing anything else about the position (e.g., title), you are not executing a reappointment and this process does not apply. A reappointment means someone is remaining in their current position, with only the dates being extended (and potentially a salary adjustment).
  2. Approved Non-Merit Salary Increase form, if subject to the non-merit salary increase process
  3. Written justification if appointment term deviates from one year
     • If shorter: written justification that (1) explains the reason for the short term and (2) confirms that upon conclusion of the short term, the employee will either be reappointed for a full year or terminated
     • If longer: written justification that (1) explains the reason for the longer term and (2) confirms that funding is guaranteed for the duration of the appointment. The maximum term length is three years.
  4. Prior correspondence with FAO regarding special circumstances, if applicable
  5. CV, only if the appointee has been working at NU for three years or more

Use this process when a salary adjustment is the only action being requested. 

Complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page). Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:

1. Position Data/Appointment Forms, downloaded from myHR with employee ID#
   • Appointment Form Action/Reason Codes
     • If the purpose of the salary adjustment is to bring the salary into alignment with the NRSA stipend scale for years of experience, use PAY/AMN
     • For other salary adjustment reasons, use PAY/SAJ
   • Position Form Action Reason Codes
     • Use POS/BUD to change the budgeted salary
2. Years of Experience Calculator to confirm minimum required salary

Complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page). Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:

1. Position Data/Appointment Form (if candidate is already entered in myHR, then print the forms from myHR and update; if they are not already entered in myHR, then prepare a new set or revise the set originally submitted via OnBase)
   • Write "Change of Dates" at the top of the form so it is clearly visible to any reviewer receiving the transaction in OnBase
   • If the candidate has a visa, write "VISA" in two places: (1) at the top of this form and (2) in the Comments and Notes section of the OnBase submission form.
   • Appointment form Action/Reason = HIR/HIR
   • You may change both the start date and the end date of the appointment as long as the appointment term length is not longer than what was originally approved

Complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page). Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:

1. NU Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment form, signed by department chair or center director and the Principal Investigator
   • In the "Action Requested" section, write in Change in Title
   • If the candidate has a visa, write "VISA" in two places: (1) at the top of this form and (2) in the Comments and Notes section of the OnBase submission form.
2. Years of Experience Calculator to confirm minimum required salary
3. Position Data/Appointment Form, downloaded from myHR and updated 
   • Position Data Form Action/Reason = POS CLS if keeping the same position number in myHR (update fields as appropriate to re-classify the existing position); POS NEW if creating a new position 
   • Appointment form Action/Reason = DTA/REA if keeping the same position number; XFR DPO if creating a new position or transferring to a new position number
4. Prior correspondence with FAO regarding special circumstances, if applicable
5. Current CV

Northwestern University HR requires this process: when changing a postdoc to a NRSA postdoc, put the original postdoc position on leave and add another record for the NRSA postdoc. Per the terms of the award, NRSA postdoctoral fellows are considered trainees, rather than employees of the NIH or of the University. By putting the original record on leave, an individual's employee service history is preserved in the event they return to the original postdoc position or another university position following the NRSA training period. 

Complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page). Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:

1. NU Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment form, signed by department chair or center director and the Principal Investigator
   • In the "Action Requested" section, select Transfer to Grant/Fellowship including NRSA 
   • In the "Job Title" section, select NRSA Postdoctoral Fellow and write in Change from Reg Postdoc to NRSA Postdoc
   • If the candidate has a visa, write "VISA" in two places: (1) at the top of this form and (2) in the Comments and Notes section of the OnBase submission form.
2. Years of Experience Calculator to confirm minimum required salary
3. Position Data/Appointment Forms
   • Postdoctoral Scholar Record (typically record 0), downloaded from myHR and updated:
     • Appt form action/reason codes (enter 3 actions with the same effective date, matching the start date in the NRSA position):
       • LOA NRS to place the candidate on leave in the regular postdoc position
       • PAY SAJ to reduce the salary to zero on the regular postdoc record
       • DTA REA to reappoint in this record
     • Other changes on appointment form for regular postdoc record
       • Add an expected LOA return date, which should be the day after the last day in the NRSA fellowship
       • Cross out the appointment end date and change it to match the end date in the NRSA fellowship
       • Cross out the compensation rate and annual FTE salary and change to 0
       • Cross out the percent full-time and reduce to 0 (this effort will be transferred to the NRSA record)
       • Change the primary role to N for the regular postdoc record
     • No change to position side of regular postdoc record
   • Add a new record for the NRSA Postdoc position (this will likely be Record 1)
     • Appt form action reason codes: HIR ADD
     • Position form action/reason codes: POS NEW 
     • Fill out the appointment and position forms completely to describe the NRSA postdoctoral position and appointment
4. Prior correspondence with FAO regarding special circumstances, if applicable
5. Current CV

Use this procedure for an individual whose regular postdoc record was put on leave in order to move them into a NRSA postdoc position and now their NRSA postdoc is ending so they need to return to the regular postdoc position.

Complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page). Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:

1. NU Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment form, signed by department chair or center director and the Principal Investigator
   • In the "Action Requested" section:
     • Select Reappointment 
     • Select Salary Adjustment (if paid by NU and salary is moving from the NRSA record to the regular postdoc record, or other salary update is being applied)
   • In the "Job Title" section, select Postdoctoral Fellow and write in Return from leave to change NRSA Postdoc to Reg Postdoc
   • If the candidate has a visa, write "VISA" in two places: (1) at the top of this form and (2) in the Comments and Notes section of the OnBase submission form.
2. Years of Experience Calculator to confirm minimum required salary
3. Position Data/Appointment Forms
   • Postdoctoral Scholar Record (typically record 0), downloaded from myHR and updated:
     • Appt form action/reason codes (enter 3 actions with the same effective date, matching the start date in the NRSA position):
       • RFL RFL to return from leave
       • DTA REA to reappoint in this record
       • PAY SAJ to add salary to this record (if this position is paid by NU, you will transfer salary from the NRSA record back to the regular postdoc record)
     • Other changes on appointment form for regular postdoc record
       
       • Cross out the appointment end date and update
       • Cross out the compensation rate and annual FTE salary and update as appropriate
       • Cross out the percent full-time (it's probably 0 from when the record was put on leave) and update to accurate percentage (100 for a full-time position; this should match the % full-time on the position side of the form)
       • Change the primary role to Y for the regular postdoc record
     • No change to position side of regular postdoc record (unless you are changing percent full-time to something different than it was before the leave. In that case, you will need to use POS HRS to update Std Hours and % Full Time)
   • Terminate the NRSA Postdoc position (this will likely be Record 1)
     • Appt form action reason codes: TER EXP (or another appropriate termination code)
       • Enter an Effective Date that matches the effective date for the return from leave on the regular postdoc record
       • Cross out the Appointment End Date and enter one that is the day before the effective date of the termination (unless existing appt end date is already accurate)
     • Position form action/reason codes: POS INA
       • Enter effective date that matches appointment side of the form
4. Prior correspondence with FAO regarding special circumstances, if applicable
5. Current CV

Complete the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page) and attach these documents:

• Upload the Personal Data Form separately to its respective button if more than six months since termination
• Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:
  1. NU Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment form signed by the Principal Investigator and chair of the department or center director.
     • Check the reappointment box and write REHIRE
     • If the candidate has a visa, write "VISA" in two places: (1) at the top of this form and (2) in the Comments and Notes section of the OnBase submission form.
     • Salary for all postdoctoral fellows must be commensurate with the NIH NRSA stipend rate for years of experience as a postdoctoral fellow. View the FSM policy and NRSA stipend levels.
  2. Years of Experience Calculator to confirm minimum required salary
  3. Position Data/Appointment Forms
     Appointment form Action/Reason = REH/REA
  4. Written justification if appointment term deviates from one year
     • If shorter: written justification that (1) explains the reason for the short term and (2) confirms that upon conclusion of the short term, the employee will either be reappointed for a full year or terminated
     • If longer: written justification that (1) explains the reason for the longer term and (2) confirms that funding is guaranteed for the duration of the appointment. The maximum term length is three years.
  5. Prior correspondence with FAO regarding special circumstances, if applicable
  6. CV if more than six months since termination

New department completes the OnBase submission form (for help, view this OnBase page) and attaches these documents:

• Upload the Personal Data Form separately to its respective button
  
  • If the appointee has worked for the medical school in the last six months in a RESEARCH STAFF position, you don't need to submit a personal data form.
• Combine the following documents into a single PDF file and upload to the Position / Appointment Form button. When combining documents, use this order:
  1. NU Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment form
     • If the candidate has a visa, write "VISA" in two places: (1) at the top of this form and (2) in the Comments and Notes section of the OnBase submission form.
     • Salary for all postdoctoral fellows must be commensurate with the NIH NRSA stipend rate for years of experience as a postdoctoral fellow. View FSM policy, NRSA stipend levels, and the Years of Experience Calculator.
  2. Years of Experience Calculator to confirm minimum required salary
  3. Position Data/Appointment Forms downloaded from myHR and updated
     • Former department downloads forms from myHR, signs, and sends to new department
     • Appointment form Action/Reason = XFR/DPO, and change appropriate fields
     • Position Data Form Action/Reason = POS NEW if opening a new position; no change necessary if using an existing position
  4. Written justification if appointment term deviates from one year
     • If shorter: written justification that (1) explains the reason for the short term and (2) confirms that upon conclusion of the short term, the employee will either be reappointed for a full year or terminated
     • If longer: written justification that (1) explains the reason for the longer term and (2) confirms that funding is guaranteed for the duration of the appointment. The maximum term length is three years.
  5. Prior correspondence with FAO regarding special circumstances, if applicable
  6. CV

Do not submit OnBase requests to FAO for leaves of absence for Postdoctoral Fellows. Leaves of absence are coordinated by the Benefits Division. Please contact them for assistance: benefits@northwestern.edu.