Post-Doctoral Research Fellows

Postdoctoral Research Fellows at UMSI

Postdoctoral Research Fellows (hereafter post-docs) are part of the life of UMSI.  

Hiring a Post-Doc

To hire a Postdoc, the faculty member has the discretion to do so as long as there is adequate funding for the position. Before extending an offer, faculty members should consult with UMSI finance and UMSI HR. Please send an email to umsi.human.resources@umich.edu as UMSI HR will assist in creating a job posting, an offer letter, work visa, and onboarding procedures. 

Funding a Post-Doc

If you have received funding to support hiring a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, it’s important that your funding source(s) include a budget to cover salary, fringe benefits, expenses related to a search (if necessary), expenses related to obtaining a work visa (if necessary), and computing or other equipment for the person to use.  

UMSI will typically provide some shared space (and basic office furniture) for the employee to work.  

Resources for a Post-Doc

All post-docs come under the Rackham Graduate School which provides resources and information for all post-docs on campus. UMSI post-docs should take advantage of Rackham's resources, such as the Handbook for Postdoctoral Fellows and the Postdoctoral Orientation.

Most of the post-doctoral fellows at UMSI are on sponsored research projects. They are under the same guidelines as faculty regarding the responsible conduct of research. Please refer to the Research page of this Handbook for information about the responsible conduct of research, specifically the Program for Education and Evaluation in Responsible Research and Scholarship (PEERS) and Institutional Review Board application requirements for human subjects research.

Postdoctoral Research Fellows have access to Carnegie Faculty Development Funds for purposes such as professional development and travel to conferences. The Policy for these funds can be found here. Contact Todd Ayotte for more information (ayotte@umich.edu).

Dispute Resolution Policy and Procedures for Postdoctoral Research Fellows

UMSI has a Dispute Resolution Policy and Procedures for Postdoctoral Research Fellows which seeks to resolve conflicts in an equitable manner. The full policy is linked at the bottom of this page.

The postdoctoral fellows may discuss issues and concerns with the Rackham resolution officer without committing to further disclosure or any formal resolution. Information concerning any visit will not be disclosed without the fellow’s permission, absent compelling reasons (e.g., a court order or a potential threat to safety). You can contact the Rackham resolution officer by email at rackgradstudentquestions@umich.edu or by phone (734) 936-1647. Please remember email is not recommended for confidential discussions.

For more information on Postdoctoral Research Fellows, please see the SPG 201.19 - Postdoctoral Research Fellows.