Postdoctoral Training

Postdoctoral Salaries and Benefits Policy – Department of Neurobiology
Effective 7/1/2023

Definition of Postdoctoral appointee:

Postdoctoral appointment involves full‐time research/scholarship and is viewed as training
period to advance their academic and/or research career. The appointee must have received a
PhD or equivalent doctorate, works under the supervision of a faculty member and is expected
to publish the results of his/her research or scholarship.

• Postdoctoral Research Associate (9210) ‐ Are University employees who are receiving
  additional training while performing service for the University, for which they are
  compensated via payroll.
• Postdoctoral Research Associate w/Retirement (9211) ‐ Are University employees who
  are receiving additional training while performing service for the University, for which
  they are compensated via payroll and receive retirement benefits.
• Postdoctoral Paid direct (9207) – Are not employees of the University and are
  compensated directly from a funding agency and do not receive compensation via
  University Payroll. Postdocs on fellowships, training grants and traineeships are moved
  to this job code and are paid by Accounts Payable and are not considered University
  employee for the duration of the fellowship.

Purpose:

To establish departmental guidelines governing Post‐Doctoral Fellow salaries and benefits. This
policy falls under the University of Utah School of Medicine Post‐Doctoral Fellow Salary Policy.
This postdoc salary policy applies to postdocs within the Department of Neurobiology as their
home department. Postdocs mentored by department primary faculty who reside under a
different org ID will adhere to the policy of the department or unit corresponding to that org ID.
Salary and benefits should be specified in writing at the time of postdoc hire.

Salary:

1. We expect that postdocs in the Department of Neurobiology be paid on the most
   current NIH NRSA Kirschstein scale + $2,500, according to number of years’ experience
   they have working as a postdoc: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice‐files/NOTOD‐
   23‐076.html, according to the NIH NRSA Kirschstein scale that is effective as of their
   anniversary date. We expect that salaries for postdoctoral research associates be
   adjusted annually to follow the current financial year NIH/NRSA stipend guidelines. The
   $2,500 supplement over NRSA Kirschstein scale is subject to change should the NIH
   increase the salary scale to match inflation. The supplement amount will be reviewed
   and may be adjusted annually when updated NRSA Kirschstein scales are published.
   Anyone with more than 7 years experience specified on the NRSA scale is expected to
   receive the standard annual increases that are applied to other university staff.
   Individual PIs may deviate from these guidelines based on financial constraints or
   performance. However, compensation practices must be applied consistently within
   each lab in order to maintain equity. The Department Administrator should get the
   approval of the relevant PI before the initial salary is set, and before each salary
   increase.
2. We expect that postdocs start at a level that corresponds to the number of years of
   postdoctoral experience that they have completed before coming to the department.
   For example, a postdoc who finishes his/her PhD and then is a postdoc for six months in
   their thesis lab gets credit for 0 years’ experience when they start in our department,
   and his/her raise to a year 1 postdoc would come at the anniversary of their start date
   in our department, whereas a postdoc who has done a first postdoc for 2 years and 3
   months before starting a second postdoc in our department will get credit for 2 years of
   experience when they start in our department (and would get a raise to a year 3
   postdoc at the 1 year anniversary of their start date in our department).
3. Salary raises for “years of experience” for postdocs should occur on the anniversary of
   their start date in the department, unless otherwise specified by the terms of a
   fellowship. For example, a postdoc who starts here on May 1 will receive his/her first
   raise on May 1 of the following year. Salary increases for global department scale
   adjustments will occur annually in conjunction with the release of the NIH NRSA
   Kirchstein scale, but, they also may occur off-cycle based on significant market
   needs. Annual adjustments would be effective for individual post docs on their next
   anniversary date. An off-cycle change would be approved by the VP's Office to be
   effective on a specified date.
4. In order to maintain equity, we expect that postdocs be initially appointed with job code
   9210 (postdoc res assoc) rather than with job code 9211 (postdoc res assoc w/
   retirement) and that they receive health insurance benefits but are not eligible for the
   associated retirement benefits. Exceptions may be appropriate in extraordinary
   circumstances.
5. We expect that postdocs with 5 years of experience in the department be considered to
   transition to job code 9211 (postdoc res assoc w/ retirement)or job code 9178 (staff
   research associate) or other staff position, and be made eligible for retirement benefits.
6. We expect that the salaries of postdocs who are paid on their own individual awards
   from external sources or by T32 training grants be supplemented (as necessary) up to
   the current NIH NRSA Kirschstein pay scale + $2500 from PI funds (when unrestricted
   funds are available), or to their research associate pay level when not on the NIH NRSA
   payscale. Supplemental support should come from PI unrestricted funds (and may not
   come from PI NIH grant funds as per NIH policy). In cases where postdocs are funded by
   their own fellowships, all of the guidelines, restrictions, and requirements of the funding
   agency or foundation should be followed and take priority (e.g., the salary scale and
   raise schedule can be set by the funding agency). Institutional allowances associated
   with the fellowship may be used to cover health insurance. Postdocs who obtain
   external, merit‐based fellowship funding are eligible for bonus of up to $10,000 per year
   of the awarded fellowship.
7. When a postdoc transitions off an individual fellowship and an associated salary that is
   in excess of the NRSA level for experience, the post doc will revert to the standard
   department salary plan.

Benefits:

1. Postdocs should have health insurance. Faculty grants or research funds pay the
   employer portion of the postdoc's insurance. Postdocs may elect to take advantage of
   their spouse's coverage in cases where this is possible. It is ultimately the responsibility
   of the postdoc to ensure that they have adequate insurance.
2. According to University HR policies, postdocs are eligible for 15 paid vacation days per
   year. They are also eligible for 8 hours per month of sick time (96 hours sick time per
   year) and 16 hours of personal preference days. These should be reported to the PI. The
   reporting process should be discussed with the PI and be consistent within each lab. The
   same leave recommendations pertain to postdocs on fellowship unless otherwise
   specified by the funding agency. The University allows 12 work weeks of FMLA leave.
   This is unpaid unless the postdoc uses vacation or sick leave accrued within the calendar
   year. FMLA information is published on the University’s HR website. Postdocs on
   fellowship may follow the family leave guidelines of the funding agency.
3. Pursuant to Policy 6‐309A, eligible University Postdoctoral Fellows may receive Parental
   Leave Benefits with full pay for a period of up to a total of eight (8) weeks to care for a
   child born, adopted, or fostered on July 1, 2022, or after. The full Rule 6‐309A,
   Postdoctoral Fellows parental Leave, can be found at
   https://regulations.utah.edu/academics/rules/r6‐309a.php. Parental leave needs to be
   requested and postdocs should apply for support through the university’s postdoctoral
   fellows parental leave program: https://postdocs.utah.edu/postdoctoral‐fellowsparental‐
   leave/. Postdocs should complete the Postdoctoral Fellows Parental Leave
   form and the completed form should be submitted to
   the postdoc_parental_leave@utah.edu at least 90‐days before the anticipated birth or
   as soon as reasonably possible before adoption or foster placement

Benefit eligibility chart