A. Research Appointments Summary Table

Research Appointments Matrix

	Definition	P.I. Rights?	Doctorate Required?	Search Required? Letters?	Appointment Duration
Fellows	This appointment is made to enable the individual to engage in individual research opportunities under the sponsorship of a principal investigator, an academic department, or an affiliated center within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.	No	Ordinarily, individuals with doctorates are not allowed to serve as Fellows	Search depends on the type of appointment	Ordinarily 3-12 months; reappointment may be possible, for a total of no more than 3 years.
Postdoctoral Fellows	This appointment is made to enable the individual to continue his/her/their research under the general supervision of one or more Harvard faculty members.	No (with very limited exceptions)	Yes	Search depends on the type of appointment. 2-3 recommendation letters required in all searches (and see 13C.3.a. for a non-search where 3 letters are required).	3-12 months; reappointment may be possible, for a total of 3-5 years.
Research Associates	This appointment is made to enable the individual to continue his/her/their research under the general supervision of one or more Harvard faculty members. Ordinarily, at least three years of postdoctoral experience.	No (with very limited exceptions)	Yes	Search depends on the type of appointment. 3 recommendation letters required in all searches (and see 13D.3.b. for a non-search where 3 letters are required).	1 year; reappointment may be possible, for a total of up to 5 years.
Research Fellows	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 is currently ordinarily restricted to the Rowland Institute, the Society of Fellows, John Harvard Distinguished Science Fellows, and NSF-Simons Fellows).	Yes (with certain restrictions)	Yes	Search required. Three recommendation letters required.	3-12 months; reappointment may be possible, for a total of up to 5 years.
Research Scientist (or Research Scholar)	This appointment is made to secure the paid professional services of an individual in support of research projects directed by one or more faculty members. A modicum of independence in pursuing his/her/their own research. Ordinarily, at least five years of postdoctoral experience.	Co-P.I. rights (with certain restrictions). No full P.I. rights (with very limited exceptions).	Yes	For external searches, 3 recommendation letters and 2 external letters required. For internal promotions, 5 evaluative letters required (at least 3 must be external to Harvard).	5 years; reappointment may be possible.
Senior Research Scientist (or Senior Research Scholar)	This appointment is made to secure the paid professional services of an individual in support of the intellectual pursuits of a faculty member(s), department, core facility, or research center. Able to conduct his/her/their own independent research in collaboration with a faculty member or in support of a core facility or research center. Ordinarily, at least ten years of postdoctoral experience.	Yes	Yes	For external searches, 2 recommendation letters and 5 external letters required. For internal promotions, 7 evaluative letters (at least 5 must be external to Harvard).	5 years; reappointment may be possible.
Senior Research Fellows	This appointment is the highest non-faculty research position at the FAS. Senior Research Fellows conduct independent research necessary to the intellectual pursuits of a department or research center.	Yes	Yes	Search required. 8-10 external letters required.	Unspecified duration
Visiting Scholars	This appointment is made to enable an individual, ordinarily on paid leave from a scholarly post elsewhere, to carry out his/her/their own work in association with a Harvard faculty member or members.	No	No	No search required.	3-12 months; reappointment may be possible, for a total of ordinarily no more than 2 consecutive years. Reappointment may be possible again after a lapse of 2 years.
Associates	This appointment allows for an unpaid affiliation with the FAS, in furtherance of a well-defined, specific institutional objective.	n/a	No	No search required.	3-12 months; reappointment may be possible.