Team Scientist Offer Letter Approval
Before you extend an offer to a candidate, a business plan, draft offer letter and supporting documents must be approved by the Feinberg dean's office. The business plan and supporting documents are submitted electronically via this online database.
Types of Offers
Offer templates and processes vary depending on the type of offer you are extending. Make sure to select the tab that corresponds to the correct offer type for your candidate.
Full-time Team Scientists receive some or all of their salary from FSM via a Northwestern University paycheck.
Assistant/Associate/Full Professor: FT, NTE Team Scientist Track
Step 1: Prepare a business plan in the business plan database
- On the business plan home page, select the department or division that is extending the offer (if you have access to more than one)
- Select "offer" from the plan type drop down list and then press the button to create a business plan.
- The next screen will show you the list of approved searches available to be filled in the organizational unit you selected. Click on "create plan" beside the FAO number that you want to fill. A new version of the business plan will be created that has the status "offer entry." This editable version of the business plan will be pre-populated with data from the pre-search version of the business plan.
- Update the business plan as necessary so that it matches the offer letter and reflects the offer you are making to the specific finalist identified.
Step 2: Attach the following documents to the business plan:
- Offer Checklist
- If the search is not in the Faculty Recruiting System (FRS), use the Non-FRS NTE Offer Checklist
- If the search is in FRS, use the FRS NTE Offer Checklist. For help with FRS steps, refer to FSM's Guide to Managing Searches in the Faculty Recruiting System.
- Candidate's CV
- Draft offer letter use template for Assistant/Associate/Full Professor, FT, Team Scientist
- Chair's Recommendation for Faculty Appointment
- Search Summary Report
- If the search was not conducted in FRS, complete the Search Summary Report
- If the search was conducted in FRS, download the pre-populated form from FRS.
- CVs of ALL finalists not selected
- Documentation of funding commitments (amount and source) from each unit outside your own that provides funding
Team Scientists are "academic full-time" if their effort totals 100% and their salary is paid in full by one of FSM's approved affiliates: Lurie Children's Hospital, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Stroger Hospital of Cook County or the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. Academic full-time faculty do not receive salary support or a paycheck from FSM/Northwestern University.
Academic full-time faculty should be identified through a national search and hired into a search number obtained through the pre-search process.
Assistant/Associate/Full Professor: ACADEMIC FT, NTE, Team Scientist Track
Step 1: Prepare a business plan in the business plan database
- On the business plan home page, select the department or division that is extending the offer (if you have access to more than one)
- Select "offer" from the plan type drop down list and then press the button to create a business plan.
- The next screen will show you the list of approved searches available to be filled in the organizational unit you selected. Click on "create plan" beside the FAO number that you want to fill. A new version of the business plan will be created that has the status "offer entry." This editable version of the business plan will be pre-populated with data from the pre-search version of the business plan.
- Update the business plan as necessary so that it matches the offer letter and reflects the offer you are making to the specific finalist identified.
Step 2: Attach the following documents to the business plan:
- Offer Checklist
- If the search is not in the Faculty Recruiting System (FRS), use the Non-FRS NTE Offer Checklist
- If the search is in FRS, use the FRS NTE Offer Checklist. For help with FRS steps, refer to FSM's Guide to Managing Searches in the Faculty Recruiting System.
- Candidate's CV
- Draft offer letter use template for Assistant/Associate/Full Professor, ACADEMIC FT, Team Scientist
- Chair's Recommendation for Faculty Appointment
- Search Summary Report
- If the search was not conducted in FRS, complete the Search Summary Report
- If the search was conducted in FRS, download the pre-populated form from FRS.
- CVs of ALL finalists not selected
- If applicable, documentation of funding commitments (amount and source) from any FSM unit providing financial support through a transfer of funds
Part-time Team Scientists receive some or all of their salary from FSM via a Northwestern University paycheck.
Part-time faculty may be hired without having a pre-search number, but if a search was conducted, it is recommended that you document the process. Because they receive salary from FSM, completion of a business plan is required as part of the offer letter review process.
Assistant/Associate/Full Professor: PT, NTE Team Scientist Track
Prepare a business plan in the business plan database and attach the following:
- Offer Checklist
- Candidate's CV
- Draft offer letter use template for Assistant/Associate/Full Professor, PT, Team Scientist
- Chair's Recommendation for Faculty Appointment
- Documentation of funding commitments (amount and source) from each unit outside your own that provides funding
Team Scientists are "academic part-time" if their total effort is less than 100% and their salary is paid in full by one of FSM's approved affiliates: Lurie Children's Hospital, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Stroger Hospital of Cook County or the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. Academic part-time faculty do not receive salary support or a paycheck from FSM/Northwestern University.
Assistant/Associate/Full Professor: ACADEMIC PT, NTE, Team Scientist Track
Academic, part-time faculty are appointed without the need for a pre-search number, business plan, or offer letter approval from FSM. Go directly to the new appointment page to appoint an academic part-time Team Scientist.