human resources & onboarding

Information for Vanderbilt University

Section Contents

Vanderbilt University New Postdoc Onboarding

Welcome to Vanderbilt!

This orientation site is designed to help you navigate your arrival and first few weeks at Vanderbilt.  If you need additional information not covered here, please contact OPA.

Note: Onboarding information differs for Vanderbilt University (VU) and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) postdocs. Please use care when reviewing materials.

Additional Resources

For additional activities and to get involved in the Vanderbilt postdoc community, consider joining the Vanderbilt Postdoc Association (VPA).

For Health and Wellness Protocols for Vanderbilt University, visit Public Health information

Please note: the information below is for Vanderbilt University (VU) postdocs appointed by the OPA.

  • Prior to Your Arrival at Vanderbilt

    Review our Prospective Postdocs page.

    This provides information on Nashville, campus life, and housing resources. 

    Check All Initial Appointment Requirements Have Been Completed

    Check with your department to make sure that the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) has verified that all appointment requirements have been completed, including your background check.

    Please note: the background check includes both the criminal portion and graduate degree verification. Under no circumstances can a postdoc begin employment until all OPA requirements have been met.

    International Postdocs

    If work authorization is needed, please refer to your prospective department for questions regarding visas and costs associated with work authorization.

    If you have a J1 visa, contact:
    International Student & Scholar Services
    Phone: (615) 322-2753
    Email: ISSS

    If you have an H1B visa, contact:
    Global Support Services
    GSS contact information

    Please visit the ISSS and GSS Offices for additional resources.

    For more information regarding employment visas, refer to the GSS website or email the Office of Immigration Services.

    Complete Both Parts of the I-9

    Both parts of the I-9 MUST be completed before your first day of work. You will not be entered into the VU Human Resources systems until the I-9 is completed. If you have questions regarding your I-9, please submit an email for assistance. Note: Postdoctoral Associate, Visiting (9136) should refer to their department for guidance regarding I-9 completion.

    Complete your W-4

    Once you receive your VUnetID, you can complete your W-4 in Oracle under the Pay tab > Tax Withholding.

  • VUnetID & Email

    Your VUnetID and password are required by anyone who wants to login to the VU network and use University resources. Please note that access to VU systems is dependent on your completion of the I-9 form. Once new hire paperwork has been processed, new hire postdocs will receive an email with instruction to claim their VUnetID.

    New users should visit the VUIT New to Vanderbilt to authorize their VUnetID and enroll in DUO Multi-Factor Authentication. 

    VU employees are required to change their VUnetID password once a year. Employees will be notified via email with instructions. 

  • Vanderbilt Commodore Card

    Visit Card Services to upload your photo for your Vanderbilt Commodore Card. 

    Vanderbilt University faculty, staff, and students are eligible to add their Commodore Card to their Apple or Android device to access doors of academic buildings, residential halls, libraries, and rec center as well as utilize for payment for printing (students), dining halls, off-campus merchants, parking, and the book store. More information on the GET app can be found on the Card Services website

  • Setting Up Direct Depost

    Vanderbilt University requires all employees (including faculty, staff, post-docs, temps, and student workers) to enroll in direct deposit as a condition of employment.  Failure to enroll in a timely fashion is a basis for employment action, up to and including separation from employment.

    Employees without bank accounts can join the Vanderbilt Credit Union

    For information to set up or change your direct depost enrollments, visit the Human Resources website

  • Orientation

    OPA holds VU postdoc orientation on the second Wednesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. Your department staff administrator will register you for this session. If you do not receive registration confirmation from OPA, contact the staff administrator in your department to make sure they have submitted your registration.

    OPA orientation is open to all VU Postdocs, which includes:

    • 9145: Postdoctoral Scholars, Research
    • 9146: Postdoctoral Scholars, Trainee
    • 9136: Postdoctoral Associate, Visiting

    If you are a Postdoctoral Scholar, Research (job code: 9145), it is your responsibility to review the Human Resources benefits information and enroll within 30 days of your hire date. You can access all benefit information along with vendor presentations at your own pace. (Please note: you will need your VUnetID and password to access the document.)

    The benefits team is always available to answer questions regarding benefits, please contact us via email at benefits@vanderbilt.edu.

    Note: If you are unsure of your postdoc job title, please refer to your appointment letter.

  • Enroll in Health Insurance

    Postdocs must enroll for health insurance within 30 days of your hire date (both Postdoctoral Scholars, Research and Postdoctoral Scholars, Trainees). For enrollment and plan information, visit the postdoc HR benefits overview.

  • Training and Compliance

    Individual training and compliance requirements can be discussed with your PI/mentor. These may include, but are not limited to: 

    • Responsible Conduct in Research
    • CITI Training
    • Animal Care
  • Transportation and Parking

    In the interest of the security of Vanderbilt students, faculty, and staff, and to manage limited parking resources effectively, the University requires that all vehicles operated on campus by members of the University community be registered with VUPS Parking Services. Registration is required for automobiles, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), trucks, vans, golf carts, mopeds, and motorcycles, etc. Bicycles should be registered with the VUPD. To register, visit Parking Services

    Options for parking include an annual parking permit and the daily parking program.

    Free bus rides are available for all Vanderbilt University students, faculty, staff, and postdocs with WeGo local buses, regional buses, and the WeGo Star by using their physical Commodore Card. This service is available for use any time, not only when commuting to and from campus. 

    Other options for getting to and from campus can be found on the MoveVU website

  • New Postdoc Coffee

    Postdocs are invited to new postdoc coffee on the fourth Thursday of each month*. This is open to all postdocs on campus and gives new postdocs a chance to meet administrators, members of the Vanderbilt Postdoc Association, and other postdocs.

    *unless otherwise noted