Post-Doc-Hiring-Instructions

POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS at UNC CHARLOTTE

Supporting your postdoc experience as a critical part of our research and innovation community

Post Doc Scholars

Hiring and Benefits

Resources

Recruitment, Hiring, and Benefits

Postdoctoral scholars fall under a special category of temporary employment defined by University Policy 102.10. The Division of Research has the responsibility for monitoring and applying policies that relate to postdoctoral appointments.

As part of the University Research Strategic Plan and the University’s Carnegie Classification as Research 1: very high research spending and doctorate production, postdoctoral scholars are critical for our development as a research university that is known for a high quality experience with the postdoc’s well being at the core.

Postdoctoral scholars are appointed for one year and may be renewed for additional one-year increments. However, postdoctoral scholars will be limited to not more than five years total duration, and we will count prior experience as a postdoc in that five-year total.

Preparation for Recruitment
Considering hiring a postdoc? Please contact PostdocFellows@Charlotte.edu for a consultation.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON TIMING:
– All hiring paperwork must be submitted 14 business days prior to the contract start date.
– Background checks can take up to a month or more for international candidates.
– ISSO may require more than two months in order to arrange the visa.
Review University Policy 102.10, Employment of Postdoctoral Fellows.

Employment is contingent upon presentation of satisfactory documentation of credentials prior to the effective date of the appointment.
Please note the minimum annual salary for Postdoctoral Fellows is $47,476.
Develop a draft position description (sample position description) for review by PostdocFellows@Charlotte.edu.
Recruitment Process
Postdoctoral opportunities should be communicated nationally within the discipline. This does not necessarily mean that expensive advertisements are needed, but rather that we make an effort to inform colleagues throughout the country of our openings.

The candidate must undergo the same screening and appointment processes that are required of all postdoctoral scholars, regardless of whether the position was posted to NinerTalent or a waiver process is utilized. Please contact PostdocFellows@charlotte.edu if interested in utilizing the hiring waiver.

Office of Legal Affairs Information for Hiring Committees:
Interview Rights: job interview topics that are permissible and impermissible during the interview.
Interview Questions: list of types of questions you may ask during the interview process.
Interview Performance Assessment: some evaluation rubrics that search committees may use for performance assessment
Create a guest account in NinerTalent (if not using a waiver), and begin a Temp Hire Posting for a Postdoctoral Fellow. Add search committee members, if needed. Transition the posting to Human Resources. Use the Print Preview to create PDFs of the internal and external views of the posting to save to your future hire’s file. The Division of Research – Office of Budget and Personnel will then review the posting and post it to jobs.charlotte.edu, where applicants can begin applying.
Postdoctoral Hiring Waivers
Given the nature of postdoctoral training experiences, postdoctoral scholars may be identified directly through national or international academic professional channels. Academic departments should publicize widely postdoctoral vacancies in order to identify qualified candidates and to promote equal opportunity. While open recruitment through the University’s NinerTalent system is preferred, it is not always required. Circumstances in which posting to NinerTalent can be bypassed include:

a) Program funding transfer: proposed hire of a Principal Investigator (PI) or newly-hired faculty member is bringing project funding to UNC Charlotte along with the filled postdoc position.

b) Extreme time and/or funding constraints on project completion

c) The candidate for the position has completed a doctoral degree at UNC Charlotte within one calendar year of the start date

d) A specific applicant possesses a unique skill, knowledge, and/or ability.

If hiring using the waiver request, submit the candidate’s curriculum vita to: PostdocFellows@Charlotte.edu.
Screening & Selection Process
Conduct initial screening of applications to identify applicants who meet the minimum criteria advertised for the position and who may be considered further.
Choose top applicant(s) who will be interviewed as a Postdoctoral Fellow and conduct interviews.
Work with the Division of Research – Office of Budget and Personnel (PostdocFellows@Charlotte.edu) to make the offer.
Change applicant status of candidate(s) to “Recommend for Hire.”
Request Division of Research – Office of Budget and Personnel (PostdocFellows@Charlotte.edu) close the posting.
Criminal Background Check
Submit the Criminal Background Check Request Form so that Division of Research- Budget and Personnel Office can initiate the background check. The final candidate will receive an invitation from InfoMart asking them to complete the online consent form (please warn them it is being sent, as it can sometimes end up in a spam filter). Once the Division of Research- Budget and Personnel Office receives satisfactory results, the Hiring Manager will be notified that the background screening is complete and will be able to move forward with the appointment process. Please note that if your candidate is a foreign national, the background check may take several weeks, whereas domestic applicants typically occur within 2-3 business days.
Appointment Process
Postdoc appointments are made using Form AA-35 (“Agreement for Temporary Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment”) and require the signature of the Department Chair, Dean, the Director of Budget and Personnel-Division of Research, and the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research. The initial appointment should be for a 12-month period.

Processing the Agreement for Temporary Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment Form (AA-35)
You must request signatures through DocuSign. For UNC Charlotte emails, you must use the non-alias version. Unsure how to do this? Please see the instructions.

Contact us immediately in the event that the contract start date must be changed. We will then provide you with further instructions.
Insurance. The postdoc must complete the Postdoctoral Insurance Request Form (AA-36) even if declining insurance coverage.

*Note: If the Postdoctoral Fellow accepted the insurance coverage, they will receive health insurance cards from BCBS. If not received, contact BCBSNC Customer Service at 1-800-762-8505 or email@studentbluenc.com.
Foreign National Hires. If hiring a foreign national, please contact the International Student and Scholar Office immediately for consultation. If the new hire is a non-resident alien, complete the Foreign National Information Form and submit to the Tax Office. For more information about the steps to take, the types of visas that are acceptable for employment, the new hire packets for foreign nationals, and links to ISSO and the Tax Office, please visit Human Resources.
Official transcript documenting highest degree earned or Foreign Credential Evaluation. Ask the candidate to have their official transcript sent directly to PostDocFellows@charlotte.edu (as well as to the hiring department).

If the terminal degree has not yet been conferred, the postdoc’s graduate school should send a letter of completion indicating that the postdoc has fulfilled all of the requirements for their degree. Then, once the final transcript is available, it must be officially sent.
Verification of Credentials for Faculty (AA-34 Fac). This is necessary only if the postdoc will be engaged in teaching.
PD-7 Form. Reference these instructions for completing the PD-7, and contact PostDocFellows@charlotte.edu if you have any questions. If using multiple fund numbers, include them all on one PD-7.
New Hire Paperwork (for the Postdoc). The Division of Research- Office of Budget and Personnel will inform your candidate that they must complete their new hire paperwork and schedule an appointment with Human Resources to complete the federally-required I-9 verification process on or before their first day of work. They must bring a copy of their Agreement for Temporary Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment Form (AA-35) to this appointment. The new hire paperwork and scheduling link are on the Before You Start page of the Human Resources site.

NOTE: The hiring department should ensure that the I-9 has been completed on time. Otherwise, the postdoc will not be able to work until we process a new contract and PD-7, which can take up to two weeks once these documents are resubmitted.
Reappointments & Funding Changes
In order to renew the contract for a Postdoctoral Fellow, raise their salary, or make revisions to fund numbers, a superseding PD-7 and the following documents must be submitted to PostDocFellows@charlotte.edu at least 45 days prior to the desired revision date:

1. Signed Agreement for Temporary Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment Form (AA-35)

2. If the postdoc decides to decline insurance (or accept insurance that was previously declined), they must submit the (AA-36) Form.

3. PD-7 ​The initiator should add their email address to the top of the form

4. For a fund number change, the payroll starting date should be the date that the new fund number will be used

5. If there are multiple fund numbers, the superseding PD-7 should include all of them, not just the fund that is changing


NOTE: Funding source changes do not require pre-approval and can be handled by a superseding PD-7. However, if the appointment terms change (e.g. change in duties, change in pay, change in dates) a new contract may be required and the hiring department should contact the Division of Research – Budget and Personnel Office in advance of any proposed changes. Appointment term changes should be rare exceptions.
Separation Procedures
Postdocs should provide written notice at least two weeks prior to the final date of work to their supervisor.
The Department should submit a PD-7 immediately with the revised end date to PostDocFellows@charlotte.edu.
Benefits
Insurance

UNC Charlotte offers a Student Blue Medical Insurance plan to all Postdoctoral fellows. It begins in the first of the month following the month of hire and ends the last day of the month of appointment (does not extend for 30 days). The monthly premium for this plan is $480.24.

For those Postdocs with insured spouses, their monthly premium will be an additional $448.99 The monthly premium to cover children will be an additional $427.60 (the child rate does not depend on the number of children enrolled). The monthly premium to cover family (spouse and child/ren) will be an additional $876.88. If a spouse and/or children are not currently insured under this plan, the Postdoc may add them with an effective date of July 1, 2025, during the open enrollment period (July 1 through July 31).

Postdocs should utilize Student Health on campus for preventative, sick, and injury office visits. Please refer to the University Health Services fee to learn what is and is not available. (This fee is covered for postdocs. Their access to health services is the same as students who pay the fee.)

For policy coverage and eligibility details, please call 800-762-8505 or visit the “Student Blue” portal of Blue Cross/Blue Shield: https://studentblue.bcbsnc.com/unccpd/login. (Here is a guide for navigating the portal.)
Moving Expenses
Postdocs are NOT eligible for reimbursement for moving expenses. They are currently classified as temporary employees. Unfortunately, according to University policy we cannot offer reimbursement at this time.
Counseling and Psychological Services: Postdocs have access to CAPS, including group therapy and one-on-one appointments.
Parental Leave For Postdoctoral Fellows: Post-Doctoral Fellows are entitled to take up to six (6) weeks of leave immediately following the birth or adoption of a child. This policy recognizes that supporting a post-doctoral fellow is a shared responsibility between the PI, the Department, the College, and the Division of Research.

While this policy recognizes the protections afforded to pregnant women under Title IX, the policy goes beyond the legal protections to ensure that, in cases where a parent is a postdoctoral fellow at UNC Charlotte, that parent has the option to take leave.

This policy does not attempt to cover every circumstance related to parental accommodations. Rather, this policy should be seen as the baseline for accommodations. Principal Investigators/advisors are encouraged to be creative and flexible when accommodating post-docs.

GOAL: 1) Provide funding and staffing to ensure that the research can continue during the leave period; and 2. Enable the postdoc to take paid parental leave without losing their position.

Process. Advanced planning is important so that research obligations can be met.

Post-docs seeking to take parental leave should: 1) discuss and create a plan with the PI mentor at least eight (8) weeks prior to leave to ensure that progress on the research continues during leave; 2) submit a parental leave request form (coming soon!)

The Advisor/PI should: 1) If the Post-doc is grant-funded, the PI will proactively work with the Division of Research to determine if grant funding can be used to pay the salary during leave. If that is not possible, the Division of Research will consult with Academic Affairs to identify funds. 2) If a PI has specific, research-related deadlines that fall during the planned leave, the PI should discuss these needs with the Division of Research to determine if temporary funding for another individual might be available. Hiring a temporary replacement is not always possible, given the deep expertise that might be needed. Advanced planning will help minimize impacts in these situations.
Retirement Plans: Enrollment in 403(b) and 457(b)
Postdoctoral scholars subject to FICA are eligible to participate in the UNC System Voluntary 403(b), the North Carolina 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan, or the UNC System 457(b) Retirement Plan. More information here.
Vacation and Sick Leave
As temporary employees, postdocs will not accrue vacation or sick leave. However, the University recognizes that postdocs will likely work non-standard hours in the course of their duties, and faculty supervisors may make appropriate arrangements for compensatory leave per the specific working conditions.