(1) Description
This appointment is made in areas where extensive postdoctoral experience prior to a junior faculty appointment is the norm and accords recent recipients of doctoral degrees a modicum of independence in conducting research under the auspices of departments or centers (this appointment currently is ordinarily restricted to the Rowland Institute, the Society of Fellows, John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellows (JHDSF) and NSF-Simons Fellows.
Research fellows are eligible for limited principal investigator privileges. The divisional dean will specify limitations, including mechanisms for review of substances, and space and resource commitments, with advice from the Committee on Research Policy where appropriate. P.I. rights for Research Fellows require the approval of the program director, e.g., the Director of the Rowland Institute, for Rowland Fellows; the Chair of the Society of Fellows, for Junior Fellows in the Society; the Director of the John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellows, for JHDSF Fellows; and the Director of the NSF-Simons Center for NSF-Simons Fellows.
The appointment, which is contingent on funding, is made for a minimum of three months and is not to exceed 12 months. Reappointment may be possible; individuals may serve in this category, whether full- or part-time, for a maximum of five years. Feedback on performance will be provided on an annual basis. Appointees will be eligible for appointment to junior faculty positions or to the research scientist or senior research scientist positions. (Ordinarily, in calculating the number of years of service in the non-tenured instructional ranks for which an individual is eligible, no more than two years of service in the professional research ranks of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, full- or part-time, may be excluded.)
Note: Members of the FAS and University community are expected to familiarize themselves with, and conform to, Harvard policies on teaching, research, and service, as appropriate to their position. Please see Chapter 2, “FAS and University Policies,” for more information.
In keeping with Harvard University’s Intellectual Property policies (https://otd.harvard.edu/) and other research policies, faculty and researchers are expected to sign electronically the Harvard University Participation Agreement by the start of their appointment.
(2) Salary
Research fellows are paid the standard salary set by the fellow’s program.
(3) Appointment/Search Procedures
Searches for appointments to this rank must be authorized, in advance, by the divisional dean, who will stipulate search procedures and oversight mechanisms with due concern for breadth of the selection process and the relationship of research fellows to junior faculty and to those holding other categories of research appointments. Departments or principal investigators should place an advertisement in an appropriate professional journal, indicating the availability of positions in their areas. Other suggested recruitment methods include posting open positions on the department’s webpage, making direct inquiries in the service of developing a diverse pool, and consulting lists of diverse individuals, including women and minorities. Advertising copy must indicate that Harvard is “an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, protected veteran status, disability, genetic information, military service, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or other protected status.” Care should be taken to avoid language that could be construed as discriminatory with regard to age. Please note that print advertisements are not required for research appointments; online ads are sufficient.
As three recommendation letters must be obtained for all short-list candidates, the advertisement may indicate that candidates should submit with their application either contact information for three recommendation letters or else three recommendation letters. All recommendation letters should be from experts at the ladder faculty ranks; it may be appropriate to include highly accomplished senior researchers from corporations or research institutes, or well-established museum professionals or practicing artists.
(4) Documentation Requirements
The department must submit items a.-e. to the Appointments Office in the Office for Faculty Affairs via Aurora and deliver item f. to Central Payroll:
a. 1 electronic PDF copy of the candidate’s curriculum vitae.
b. 1 electronic PDF copy of a description of the search process, including:
i. A statement describing the steps taken to identify candidates from diverse populations, including women and minorities.
ii. A description of how the leading candidate was identified.
iii. A description of how many diverse individuals applied or were considered.
iv. Comparison of the candidate with all other leading candidates (in particular, women and minorities), and reasons why the other leading candidates were not chosen.
v. Copies of all advertisements.
c. The candidate’s recommendation letters.
d. 1 electronic PDF copy of the research fellow offer letter/letter of agreement between the candidate and the director or PI, as appropriate, describing the terms and conditions of the appointment. Please cc Roanne Bosch (roannebosch@fas.harvard.edu), the Communications and Outreach Coordinator in FAS Research Administration Services. Roanne will assign the postdoctoral fellow any required trainings applicable to FAS/SEAS faculty and Principal Investigators named on sponsored projects.
e. 1 electronic PDF copy of the Departmental EEO Report displaying aggregate demographic data from the search. This report, which does not identify characteristics of individual applicants, can be retrieved through the ARIeS system.
f. Original, completed I-9 form and any necessary payroll documents. (If the research fellow is paid as an employee, an I-9 form is required for a first appointment or after a break in service of one year or more. Note: If a valid I-9 is already on file, this is indicated in item b.)
Departments should retain documents according to practices recommended by Harvard Archives at https://grs.harvard.edu/ (please log in).