POSTDOCTORAL AFFAIRS

Once implemented, the new centralized process will:

• Define postdoctoral fellows as academic trainees
• Create a centralized hiring and compliance process through Human Resources, including background checks
• Transition the initial appointment process to myHR eRecruit, an online system
• Individual schools and departments will continue to manage the selection process
• Improve the ability to recruit a larger and more diverse candidate pool by posting open positions through Human Resources (For a perspective on the need for equitable hiring practices for postdoctoral trainees, see “How the Opaque Way We Hire Postdocs Contributes to Science’s Diversity Problem” by Terry McGlynn)
• Provide standardization and clarity regarding postdoctoral benefits and titles
• Place limits on postdoctoral tenure and create pathways to other research appointments
• Increase the level of transparency and consistency for postdoctoral trainees, mentors, and departments
• Collect data on postdoctoral trainees that schools and departments can use for grant applications and other activities

All postdoctoral trainees appointed with the title of “Postdoctoral Scholar” will be hired through myHR eRecruit using a process similar to the one used to hire regular staff employees. Human Resources will facilitate the background check process for all Postdoctoral Scholars. A new online form will be used by department administrators to submit these appointments to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs for approval. This online submission and approval process will apply to the majority of all new postdoctoral appointments.

The myHR eRecruit process will not be used for the appointments of postdoctoral fellows who receive their own funding or fellowship, those on T32 training grants, or those with visiting status. These appointments will be processed through a new online form managed by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs in The Graduate School. Human Resources will also facilitate the background check process for postdoctoral fellows appointed through this process.

myHR eRecruit is an online system that facilitates the posting of jobs on Northwestern’s career websites, as well as serves as a central repository for candidate data and applicant materials, including resumes and applications. myHR eRecruit should not be confused with the recruitment of postdoctoral trainees, which is the process finding and selecting candidates for a postdoctoral position.

The myHR eRecruit process will not be used for the reappointment of existing postdoctoral trainees. Reappointments will be processed through an online form managed by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs in The Graduate School.

The bulk of activities associated with the hiring and recruitment of postdoctoral trainees will be retained in the schools and departments. Changes to this process for Postdoctoral Scholars include:

• Applicable positions will be posted by Human Resources for a minimum of five business days
• The initial appointment process will be managed through myHR eRecruit. Final approval for postdoctoral appointments will rest with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will review appointments for the correct coding, benefits, and salary, but it will not approve the scientific merit of the candidate
• All final candidates will undergo a background check facilitated by Human Resources

Department administrators will continue to be responsible for completing all visa-related actions on behalf of the postdoctoral trainee in partnership with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services.

No, postdoctoral trainees are exempt from the University’s Position Management process.