Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The candidate must have a terminal degree (i.e., Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate degree such as a Sc.D., M.D., PharmD, J.D.). Additional information is located in the Appointment and Reappointment Guide for Faculty and Staff Administrators (VUnetID required for access, contact OPA if you cannot access).

No, the OPA only appoints postdocs who will primarily be engaged in research activities for the purpose of becoming an independent researcher. Individuals engaged in clinical training are not considered research postdocs. Clinical residencies/fellowships are considered house staff and are appointed by the Office of Graduate Medical Education at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). For additional information, contact the Office of Graduate Medical Education.No, the OPA only appoints postdocs who will primarily be engaged in research activities for the purpose of becoming an independent researcher. Individuals engaged in clinical training are not considered research postdocs. Clinical residencies/fellowships are considered house staff and are appointed by the Office of Graduate Medical Education at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC). For additional information, contact the Office of Graduate Medical Education.

The hiring faculty member/department is responsible for recruiting postdocs. Postdoc recruiting and hiring is not managed by human resources. All open postdoc positions must be posted on the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) website for a minimum of five days before a candidate is selected by following the directions on this page.

If you would like the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs to meet with your candidate while they are on campus or set up a virtual meeting, please reach out to OPA@vanderbilt.edu. 

All schools and colleges have designated a school point of contact (SPOC) responsible for working with faculty and staff on postdoc appointments. The SPOCs work with the department and serve as the liaison to the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) throughout the appointment process. All postdoc appointments must be processed through the OPA. The SPOC for each school is listed on this page.

Before beginning the process of hiring a postdoc faculty should contact the staff administrator in their department that handles postdoc appointments and reappointments. Faculty and staff can also review the Postdoc Faculty & Staff Administrators Webpage which includes the following important information and documents:

• Key points for hiring postdocs.
• The Appointment and Reappointment Guide for Faculty and Staff Administrators (VUnetID required, contact OPA if you cannot access)

Each school has school-specific ‘how to’ guides for staff administrators responsible for appointing and reappointing postdocs. All guides are available on the Postdoctoral Affairs SharePoint. For access to the SharePoint, please email opa@vanderbilt.edu. 

Yes, staff who are responsible for processing postdoc appointments are required to attend a training session with the OPA. This training includes process and policy overview, as well as how to correctly complete each of the required web-based forms. In addition, refresher training sessions are available on request.

All staff (VU and VUMC) who work with postdocs are added to a Microsoft Teams for access to appointment and reappointment documents and other information to help with postdoc appointments. 

Contact OPA to schedule an appointment for training and to be added to the Microsoft Team.

Several factors impact how long it can take the first time a postdoc is appointed at Vanderbilt. For example, if the postdoc has not successfully completed all the requirements for a doctorate degree (i.e., defended and turned in their thesis) or if the postdoc’s degree has not been conferred (see Appointments and Reappointments FAQ: Why do we have to verify degrees and what is the process?). Other factors that impact the process are how long it takes for a department to complete and submit the required forms or if the appointee requires a visa or employment authorization (see Appointments and Reappointments FAQ: Who manages the visa and/or employment authorization process?).

If the appointee has completed all the requirements for a terminal degree from a USA institution, the process takes approximately 4-6 weeks. Appointees with a terminal degree from outside the USA can take a minimum of 8 weeks.

Before starting the hiring process, faculty are strongly encouraged to contact the staff administrator in his/her respective department who manages postdoc appointments for assistance with the appointment process. If you do not know who your staff administrator is, contact your SPOC or opa@vanderbilt.edu.

After the postdoc is hired, faculty are expected to provide advice and assistance regarding the postdoc’s research project and professional career development goals. Mentors are encouraged to review the Compact Between Postdoctoral Appointees and Their Mentors. In addition, mentors are required to provide the postdoc with written and oral input and evaluation annually regarding his/her progress via the Individual Development Plan (IDP). In addition to the IDP, mentors should discuss performance and expectations throughout the year.

Postdoc appointments are for a period of one year and may be renewed if applicable. Vanderbilt has a five-year maximum term limit, which includes prior postdoc experience at other institutions. Special circumstances are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the school or college's dean's office and the OPA.

Postdocs must be appointed in an academic department, with only a few exceptions. They can be affiliated with a center or institute; in which case they are typically appointed into the academic department of their faculty mentor.

For specific questions regarding center or institutes, please reach out to OPA@vanderbilt.edu. 

Vanderbilt has six postdoctoral titles/job codes:

• Postdoctoral Scholar, Research (9145 VU)
• Postdoctoral Scholar, Trainee (9146 VU)
• Research Fellow (9132 VUMC)
• Research Fellow Trainee (9134 VUMC)
• Visiting Research Fellow (9136 VU and VUMC)

A postdoc’s job title is determined by their funding source (i.e., if the postdoc will be compensated by a salary or receive a stipend). During the appointment process, detailed information about the postdoc’s funding is provided by the hiring department.

More information on job codes and classifications can be found in the The Appointment and Reappointment Guide for Faculty and Staff Administrators (VUnetID required, contact OPA if you cannot access).

A postdoctoral appointment is a full-time, exempt position (i.e., a minimum of 40 hours per week). Part-time positions may be approved for extenuating circumstances. The home school’s dean and the director of the OPA must approve all part-time positions.

Postdoctoral Scholar, Research (9145 VU) or Research Fellow (9132 VUMC): flexible work options may be allowed at the discretion of the mentor and/or the department. Postdoctoral Scholar, Trainee (9146 VU) or Research Fellow Trainee (9134 VUMC): are not Vanderbilt employees but may arrange flexible work options at the discretion of the mentor and the funding agency.

University or Medical Center policies for approval must be followed. 

Vanderbilt University administrators should complete this form for out-of-state postdocs following approval to work remotely. More information can be found on the Vanderbilt University Remote and Hybrid Work Toolkit website. 

Vanderbilt Human Resources (VU and VUMC) requires degree verification as part of the background check for all initial, first-time appointed postdocs.

Domestic Appointees: When a doctorate degree from a USA institution has not been conferred yet, the background check will not be able to verify a terminal degree. When this occurs, OPA works directly with the postdoc candidate to obtain a degree verification letter from their institution once all requirements for the degree have been met. 

International Degree Holding Appointees: VU background check vendors can now verify international degrees as part of the postdoc appointee’s background check as long as the degree has been conferred.

Since VUMC background check vendors cannot verify international degrees, verification must be obtained from our verified vendor, TrustForte. The postdoc appointee will receive instructions for ordering a degree verification report when they receive the background check request from OPA. Original reports must be sent directly to OPA.

TrustForte reports 3-5 day turnarounds for degree verifications for a quick degree verification turnaround. The Academic Equivalency report is the recommended evaluation through TrustForte.

If you have already completed such a verification for previous employment, you can send a copy to opa@vanderbilt.edu. OPA will verify with VUMC Human Resources that the report is sufficient for employment. 

No, international degree reports should only be ordered after your doctorate degree has been conferred. When a degree has not been conferred yet, the following is required:

• An official letter from the awarding university on institutional letterhead stating the postdoc has successfully completed all the requirements of a doctorate degree with a conferral date. The OPA will work directly with the postdoc candidate to obtain a degree verification letter from their institution after all requirements for the degree have been met. 
• For VU postdoc candidates: After the degree has been awarded, an educational background check will be initiated by Human Resources. 
• For VUMC postdoc candidates: After the degree has been awarded, the postdoc must order a degree verification from our verified vendor TrustForte. TrustForte reports 3-5 day turnarounds for degree verifications for a quick degree verification turnaround. The Academic Equivalency report is the recommended evaluation through TrustForte.

Department/program staff administrators are responsible for working with the appropriate VU or VUMC Office: VU Global Support Services, VU International Student & Scholar Services or VUMC Global Support Services. The OPA is not involved in managing this part of the hiring process.

Please refer to your prospective department for any questions regarding work authorization and visa costs.

Start dates are contingent upon completion of the required verifications for employment, including the background check. The OPA will notify the department staff administrator and mentor when all verifications have been completed and the postdoc can begin employment. Under no circumstances can a postdoc begin employment without a cleared background check. When the background check is cleared, the OPA notifies the department that the postdoc is cleared to start.

If a postdoc’s job title/code changes during an appointment or reappointment term (e.g., from Research Fellow 9132 VUMC to Research Fellow Trainee 9134 VUMC or Postdoctoral Scholar, Research 9145 VU to Postdoctoral Scholar, Trainee 9146 VU), a revised appointment letter must be issued since a postdoc cannot be appointed without a valid appointment letter. Transition between job titles/codes will also result in changes in health insurance and other benefits. Postdocs classified as Postdoctoral Scholar, Research 9145 VU or Research Fellow 9132 VUMC are eligible for health insurance/benefits provided by their respective Human Resources Department. Postdocs classified as Postdoctoral Scholar, Trainee (9146 VU) or Research Fellow Trainee (9134 VUMC) are eligible for trainee health insurance/benefits provided by their respective institution.

When a job title/code changes, the department/program administrator must:

1. Notify the appropriate School Point of Contact (SPOC). The SPOC will send the administrator the current appointment/reappointment link and return code to modify the Appointment/Reappointment Request Form.
2. Revise the following fields in the form:
   • Anticipated Appointment/Reappointment Start Date.
     • Note: the end date does not change.
   • Postdoc Code/Title.
   • Update the compensation section

For VUMC appointees only

All VUMC appointees also require a revised offer letter to be uploaded in the appointment/reappointment form. Since the revised offer letter will supersede the original letter, it must be dated and signed by the same individuals as the original offer letter. It is not necessary to re-type a new letter. If it is legible, revisions can be made on the original letter by putting a line through the incorrect information, handwriting changes and making sure all the required individuals (i.e., postdoc, mentor and chair/director) date and initial.

1. Return the revised form to the SPOC who will notify OPA to send a modified appointment letter to the postdoc and copy the department.
2. Complete the following required forms and all HR processes:

If a postdoc’s title/job code changes from a Postdoctoral Scholar, Research (9145 VU) to a Postdoctoral Scholar, Trainee (VU 9146) OR a Research Fellow (VUMC 9132) to a Research Fellow Trainee (VUMC 9134):

• • VU:
    • See the guides in the Oracle Help Center –
      • Step 1 (add new): Change Assignment for a Postdoc (postdocs only)
      • Step 2 (end prior): End an assignment for a person (applies to all persons)
      • Other helpful guides:
        • Change a person’s salary (applies to all persons)
    • Submit a Benefits Action Form (BAF) to the OPA by the deadline noted on the BAF. Enrollment must occur within 30 days of the postdoc’s hire date.
  • VUMC:
    • Follow directions in My Workday Implementation Guides. Contact your department/unit's SuperUser for further guidance. 
    • Submit a Benefits Action Form (BAF) to Meredith Price by the deadline noted on the BAF. Submission of the BAF is required. Meredith Price reviews and sends the BAF to Garnett-Powers confirming the postdoc’s eligibility. Once the department staff administrator submits the BAF to Meredith Price, the postdoc will receive an e-mail from their department staff administrator with a link to enroll in benefits. The postdoc will enroll on the Garnett-Powers website and they will receive an automated confirmation from Garnett-Powers confirming submission. A second confirmation will be sent from Garnett-Powers once their enrollment with Aetna has been confirmed. Enrollment must occur within 30 days of the postdoc’s hire date. Postdocs are strongly encouraged to check with their department/program staff administrator to confirm a BAF was sent to Meredith Price.

If a postdoc is moving from a Postdoctoral Scholar, Trainee (VU: 9146) to a Postdoctoral Scholar, Research (VU: 9145) OR a Research Fellow Trainee (VUMC: 9134) to a Research Fellow (VUMC 9132):

• • VU:
    • See the guides in the Oracle Help Center –
      • Step 1 (add new): Change Assignment for a Postdoc (postdocs only)
      • Step 2 (end prior): End an assignment for a person (applies to all persons)
      • Other helpful guides:
        • Change a person’s salary (applies to all persons)
    • End date the stipend award compensation and costing in Oracle.
    • Submit a BAF to terminate the postdoc in trainee insurance prior to the requested termination date or no later than two weeks after the requested termination date.
    • Register the postdoc for the VUMC Human Resources Orientation. Note: the postdoc must be enrolled in health insurance within 30 days of the hire date.
  • VUMC:
    • Follow directions in My Workday Implementation Guides. Contact your department/unit's SuperUser for further guidance. 
    • Submit a BAF to terminate the postdoc from trainee insurance prior to the requested termination date or no later than two weeks after the requested termination date.
    • Register the postdoc for the VUMC Human Resources Orientation. Note: the postdoc must be enrolled in health insurance within 30 days of the hire date.

Yes, postdocs are required to complete their first IDP within three months of their hire date and annually as part of the reappointed requirements.

• Postdocs will automatically receive IDPs electronically. The initial IDP is sent one month after the start date. The reappointment IDP is sent following acknowledgement from the department administrator that a postdoc will be reappointed. 
• The Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a valuable communication and planning tool that facilitates collaboration between postdoctoral scholars and their research mentor/principal investigator (PI). An annual IDP is one component of a broader professional development and mentoring strategy. The IDP is an opportunity to discuss the fellow’s long-term career goals and identify short-term objectives that will help the fellow achieve career success. These short-term goals should include goals for the fellow’s career and professional development (e.g. developing contacts and skills pertinent to the field they hope to pursue) as well as goals for the research project.
• NIH policy requires an IDP for all postdocs supported by any NIH grant.

All new postdocs are required to complete the CITI course during their initial year of appointment. In addition, plans for ongoing RCR training must be discussed as part of the annual reappointment process. Additional information is located on this page.

The department/program staff administrator will automatically receive a short questionnaire four months prior to the postdoc’s current appointment end date. Staff are responsible for consulting with the mentor to determine if the postdoc will be reappointed.

If the postdoc will not be reappointed:

• Department/program administrator terminates the postdoc via Oracle (VU) or WorkDay (VUMC).

If the postdoc will be reappointed:

• Department/program administrator automatically receives the appropriate Reappointment Request Form.
• Postdoc automatically receives the IDP.

Important: Both a completed, approved Reappointment Request Form and IDP are required in order to be reappointed. The postdoc is copied on the Home School Dean’s reappointment notification email when both items are submitted to OPA.

As soon as the OPA receives the completed Reappointment Request Form* from the home school dean’s office, reappointment letters are issued within seven days (typically, sooner).

*Note: reappointment requests forms cannot be submitted to the OPA until the annual IDP is completed. The most common reason for a delay in processing a reappointment letter is an unsubmitted IDP.

A comprehensive listing of resources for postdocs can be found on the OPA web site here. The NIH Office of Intramural Training & Education  and the National Postdoctoral Association are also good sources of information.

Departments/programs complete the appropriate new hire and payroll forms and processes required by human resources (VU or VUMC).

For VU Postdocs: Bringing in a new postdoc (first time)- See the guide in the Oracle Help Center Hire a new postdoc

For VUMC Postdocs: Bringing in a new postdoc (first time) - See the guides located in the MyWorkday Implementation.