Postdocs Fellows & Research Associates

The purpose of this web page is to provide Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Associates with information and contacts that will enhance their employment at MSU.

MSU Postdoctoral Association

Information for Postdoctoral Fellows

Definition of "Postdoctoral Fellow"
Postdoctoral Fellows are usually appointed with outside support such as training grants, and usually come to work with MSU faculty for specific purposes. Postdoctoral fellows are not considered to be MSU employees.

Appointments and Responsibilities
Postdoctoral fellows are hired through specific grants which define their research project(s). Salaries are generally paid through grants or through specific fellowships.

Benefits
Postdoctoral fellows who are not covered on another policy (i.e. as a spouse or a dependent) are required to have individual health coverage. Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible for University coverage but will, if appointed for at least nine months, be qualified to enroll in one of the University's health plans, with certain stipulations. The details of these provisions are available in Faculty Handbook.

Information for Research Associates

Definition of "Research Associate"
Research associates are employed by MSU on either a temporary or "fixed-term" basis; that is, their employment has a given end-date. They are hired to work on research projects with MSU faculty, and are considered to be employees of MSU. They are covered by the policies and procedures in the Faculty Handbook.

Appointments and Responsibilities
Research associates are hired by academic departments through the initiative of principal investigators; therefore there are no overarching University guidelines for responsibilities. The responsibilities involved with the appointment should be determined by the department of faculty member and clearly presented to the research associate. Salary rates for research associates are competitive for the specific discipline.

Benefits
Health Plan Coverage: Research associates who are appointed at least 50 percent time for a minimum of nine months are eligible for MSU's Faculty and Academic Staff Health Care Coverage. Individuals must enroll within 60 days of their initial appointment, or during a period of Open Enrollment. Health plan coverage is available under a preferred provider organization (PPO) or health maintenance organization (HMO). Details of the various plans and the coverage provided are available on the web. Should you have questions or need more information, contact the Benefits office at 517-353-4434.

Retirement: Research associates may contribute to a base retirement plan upon their initial employment and are eligible for University contribution to this retirement plan after two years (24 months) from the date of initial appointment. A complete description of the University Retirement Plans is available in the Retirement Plans section of the Faculty Handbook.

Automatic University Benefits: The University provides certain Faculty/Academic Staff benefits to research associates who are appointed at 50 percent time or more for a minimum of nine months or more. These benefits are automatically received and include: life insurance, Social Security contributions, travel accident coverage and worker's compensation. Descriptions of these, and of additional optional benefits, are available in the Benefit Programs section of the Faculty Handbook.

Sick Leave Policy: Research associates, under the title of "Academic Staff," are covered by the Medical Leave policy in the Faculty Handbook. This Medical Leave policy is a University-wide policy, but it is administered by each department, so questions should be directed to the department chair.

University Resources for Post-docs & RAs

Housing and Community Information
The ELmanac is MSU's community resource site. It includes on and off-campus housing, business resources, community group and religious organization contacts, and other information to help you settle into the MSU/East Lansing area.

Conference Funding
Funding for postdoctoral fellow participation in conferences, and conference presentations, beyond that provided by a particular fellowship, is at the discretion of the faculty supervisor and the department. There may be some funds designated for conferences as part of the fellowship or grant. Funding for research associate participation in conferences, and conference presentations is at the discretion of the principal investigator and the department.

Finding Funding
Sometimes there are funds available from external funding agencies, and often these can be found on the web via our Funding Opportunities website.

Grievance Procedure at Michigan State University
Faculty/Academic Staff members with the rank of professor, associate professor, assistant professor, lecturer, instructor, assistant instructor, research associate, specialist, or librarian may initiate a grievance procedure alleging violation of existing policies or established practices by an administrator. This can be done by filing a complaint with the Faculty Grievance Official pursuant to the procedures set forth in Faculty Grievance Procedures in the Faculty Handbook.

Career Resources for Post-docs & RAs

Career and Placement Services
Postdoctoral fellows and research associates are welcome to make use of the services of the Career Services and Placement Center, located at 113 Student Services Building, without limitation. While the staff most often advises for entry-level employment, assistant directors are available to help with other employment advising. There is also a resource room available in Room 6 of the Student Services Building, with information on careers and job searches.

In order to participate in the interviewing process, you must submit a letter from your department verifying your status. You will be treated as an alumnus and issued a password which allows you access to the phone system by which you find out about interviews. Questions can be directed to the Career Services and Placement Center at 517.355.9510 or to the Director, Kelly Bishop.

Courses
Both research associates and postdoctoral fellows may enroll in courses at MSU. Approval is required by your faculty supervisor and from your department chairperson prior to enrollment. To audit a class, approval by the chairperson of the department offering the class is also needed .Research associates are subject to the credit limit (an average of 4 credits per semester with a maximum of 8 credits in an academic year) under Study at MSU by Faculty Members in the Faculty Handbook.

Teaching and Research Development Workshops
The Graduate School, the TA Program, and the Lilly Fellows Faculty Seminar Program all offer workshops open to postdocs and research associates that deal with many different aspects of teaching and research.

There are extensive professional development resources available at MSU and on the web, many directed to specific areas of the sciences and engineering. Numerous web sites address the opportunities for PhDs in business and industry.

Contacts -- Departments and Offices at MSU

• Academic Human Resources Terry Curry, Assistant Vice President
  Michigan State University
  422 Administration Building
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-353-5300
• Benefits Office - for questions regarding health insurance and other benefits 140 Nisbet Building
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-353-4434
• Career Services and Placement Center - for employment advising & interviews Kelley Bishop, Director
  113 Student Services Building
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-355-9510
• Employee Assistance Program - general & family counseling for faculty & staff Lisa L. Davidson, EAP Coordinator
  Third Floor, Olin Health Center
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-355-4506
• The Graduate School - for general assistance, programs, and workshops Dr. Karen Klomparens, Dean
  Dr. Tony Nunez, Associate Dean
  Michigan State University
  110 Linton Hall
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-355-0301
• Institutional Research Boards (IRBs) for Human Subjects Research - for questions regarding the rights of human subjects in research BIRB (Biomedical and Health Sciences Institutional Review Board)
  CRIRB (Community Research Institutional Review Board)
  SIRB (Social Science, Behavioral and Education Institutional Review Board)
  202 Olds Hall
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-355-2180
  Fax: 517-432-4503
  BIRB and SIRB E-mail: irb@msu.edu
  CRIRB E-mail: crirb@msu.edu
• Office of Intellectual Property - for questions of intellectual property Michael Poterala, Director
  246 Administration Building
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1046
  Phone: 517-432-4500
• Office of International Students and Scholars - for information & assistance to international faculty & students Peter Briggs, Director
  103 International Center
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-353-1720
• Office of Radiation Chemical and Biological Safety (ORCBS) John Parmer, Director
  C124 Research Complex
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-355-0153
• University Housing - University apartments and hall assignments Bruce Haskell, Associate Director
  100 University Housing Building
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-355-9550
• University Intellectual Integrity Officer - for questions of research integrity and responsible conduct of research James M. Pivarnik, University Intellectual Integrity Officer
  204 Olds Hall
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-432-6698
• Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies Ian Gray, Vice President
  232 Administration Building
  Michigan State University
  East Lansing, Michigan 48824
  Phone: 517-355-0306