Postdoc Handbook
The Postdoc Handbook provides information on career resources, employment opportunities, peer interaction, and more.
- Appointment Procedures
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View and/or download the documents related to appointment procedures.
Title Description Type Procedures for Research Titles These procedures are to be used in selecting the appropriate title for an individual associated with in a professional research position. PDF HRMS Position Procedures This information is a supplement to the Help information in the HRMS documents. PDF Sample Offer Letter for University Affiliate Sample offer letter with instructions Word Sample Offer Letter for Paid Postdoctoral Fellows Sample offer letter with instructions Word - Handbook of Operating Procedures
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Handbook of Operating Procedures is the official guides to policies and procedures at the University.
- New Employee Checklist
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New Employee Checklist is an easy step by step checklist to assist you with completing all the required on-boarding items within your first month on the job.
- Non-Employee Benefits
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Identification
An identification card (ID) can be obtained, with prior approval from your host department, by visiting the ID Center, located on the first floor of the Flawn Academic Center, FAC 102.
Building Access and Office Space
Room keys (or proximity card) can be obtained with prior approval from your host department by visiting Lock & Key Services.
Parking
If you wish to park an automobile or motorcycle on the campus, you must obtain a parking permit. This can be arranged at the discretion of your host department, in a request on letterhead addressed to Parking and Transportation Services. This letter will entitle you to an “A” parking permit.
Recreational Sports
Research Affiliates are eligible to use the gym or any other recreation facilities. There is a charge for membership, which must be paid in advance. Membership is at the faculty/staff level. Visit the Division of Recreational Sport for more information.
Discounts
As a Research Affiliate you are entitled to the same discounts on campus events as every other member of the UT faculty.
Insurance
Insurance benefits are available for eligible fellowship holders.
To qualify for insurance as a Research Affiliate – Postdoctoral (A010), you must be serving a postdoctoral fellowship with the sponsorship of a UT Austin faculty member. Your eligibility will continue as long as you are serving the fellowship and maintain sponsorship of a faculty member.
All research affiliate postdocs are eligible to enroll in the UT Student Health Insurance Plan:
- The UT Student Health Insurance Plan is provided by Academic Health Plans through BlueCross/BlueShield of Texas. This plan includes comprehensive coverage compliant with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) at a Gold Level.
- University Health Services (UHS) – Service Extension Fee ($50 per semester): this is not an insurance plan, but it allows access to UHS facilities and services. After the fee is paid for a semester, the individual can use UHS services through the end of that semester.
Insurance requirements for J-1 Scholars
Visit Handbook of Operating Procedures for further information on Research Affiliates.
- Employee Services
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View available employee services on Human Resources website.
- Housing
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Visit International Office for housing information.
- Personal Finances
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- Overview of Tax Issues for Postdocs
- How your payroll taxes are calculated?
- Modifying your payroll information
- Free tax preparation provided by Foundation Communities for Austin area residents who make less than $55,000 a year (find a location near you.)
- If your income is $64,000 or less file free with "FreeFile".
- Find answers to some tax related questions: AskUS
- How to claim your W-2:
If you have an upgraded UT EID, you can receive your W-2 via the Web by downloading an official copy from the My W-2 website. If you do not have an upgraded UT EID or do not claim your W-2 electronically, it will be mailed to your campus mail address if your assignment continues through January 15. If your assignment ends before January 15, your W-2 will be mailed to your permanent (W-2) address by the end of January. To review or update the addresses that The University of Texas at Austin has on file for you, go to My Employee Addresses. - Tax preparation savings through UFCU
- Tax guidance for non-residents provided by the International Office.
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- IRS information for fellowship grant recipients (Topic 421 - Scholarships, Fellowship Grants, and Other Grants).
- Retirement Program Options at UT
- NEW! Retirement Planning Interactive Game
- Career Development and Job Opportunities
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Career Development Resources
- Faculty Innovation Center
- Career Tools – Burroughs Wellcome site
- HireUTexas: Access UT
- UT career management and job opportunities
- Austin American-Statesman
- Austin Chamber of Commerce work page
- Free career fairs
- ScienceCareers – From the journal Science
- NatureJobs
- Minority Postdoc
- Non-Academic Job Search
Preparing for an Interview
- Interview tips
- http://liberalarts.utexas.edu/lacs/students/interview/overview.php
- http://www.engr.utexas.edu/ecac/yourcareer/interviews
- https://law.utexas.edu/career/category/interviewing-tips/
- https://my.mccombs.utexas.edu/BBA/Career-Services/~/media/5375F520C6244F8C8FD9388929E1D108.ashx
- http://education.utexas.edu/about/offices/career-services/interviewing
- International vs. U.S. Interview:
http://www.engr.utexas.edu/ecac/yourcareer/help/123-internationalinterview - Videos on Interviewing and Etiquette:
https://law.utexas.edu/career/2013/08/13/three-minute-videos-on-interviewing-and-etiquette-tips/ - Sample interview questions:
http://www.engr.utexas.edu/ecac/yourcareer/interviews/samplequestions - Interviewing skills and sample questions (NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education)
- Some tips on phone interviewing:
https://www.training.nih.gov/tips_on_preparing_for_your_phone_interview - Panel interviewing:
https://www.utexas.edu/ugs/archer/interviewing/tips
- Academic Position Interview
- 15 Things to Consider as You Prepare for Your Faculty Interview:
https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2012/03/12/15-things-to-consider-as-you-prepare-for-your-faculty-interview/ - Preparing for Academic Interviews (from NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education)
- Interviews for Academic Positions:
https://postdocs.cornell.edu/interviews-academic-positions
- 15 Things to Consider as You Prepare for Your Faculty Interview:
- Position in Industry Interview
- https://postdocs.cornell.edu/interview-positions-industry
- Bio-Pharma Industry tips:
http://www.biospace.com/News/top-interviewing-tips-for-the-bio-pharma-industry/168156 - Jobs outside Academia:
https://career.ucsf.edu/phds/non-academic-career/interviewing-effectively - On placing R&D professionals:
http://www.clarksearch.com/a-pharmaceutical-recruiters-interview-tips-for-life-science-jobs/
UT alumni qualify for career services provided by the RecruitUT office.
- Professional Development
- Teaching & Learning
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- Faculty Innovation Center
- University Libraries: The University Libraries are a vital source of information in all formats and in all subjects. The Libraries also provide expert consultation, instruction, and document delivery services for researchers.
- Conducting Research
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- Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP)
- Research Development & Grant Writing
- Tips for Successful Proposals:
- Writing Proposals for NIH Awards:
- The K Kiosk: Information about NIH Career Development Awards
- Tips for New NIH Grant Applicants from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
- Grant Writing Tips & Submitting an NRSA to NIH from Sarah Bottjer, the University of Southern California (PDF)
- Ten Steps to Writing a Winning R01 Application from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
- Writing Proposals for NSF Awards:
- Statistical Consulting Services (PDF)
- Publishing
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Open Access Publishing
- Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ): DOAJ is an online directory that indexes and provides access to quality open access, peer-reviewed journals.
- Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA): This is a smaller group of open access publishers (including those who publish books) who have agreed to a set a code of conduct. These are listed by publisher while DOAJ lists by journal (multiple journals could be published by the same publisher).
- The University of Texas Libraries Digital Repository (UTDR): UTDR was established to provide open, online access to the products of the University’s research and scholarship, to preserve these works for future generations, to promote new models of scholarly communication, and to help deepen community understanding of the value of higher education. Postdocs can submit publications under UT Faculty/Researcher Works.
- List of funding agencies that explicitly allow direct use of their grants to cover article-processing charges: Many funding agencies allow the use of grants to cover article-processing charges. The Wellcome Trust, Research Council UK, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the US National Institutes for Health, strongly encourage open access publication. For more information, visit: BioMed Central, The Open Access Publisher.
- Peer Interaction
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Links to organized postdoctoral groups and programs at The University of Texas at Austin. If you have established a postdoctoral fellows organization or your department has a postdoctoral program, we can add your contact information and Web site. Submit requests by e-mail to the Office of the Vice President for Research.
- National Postdoctoral Association
- The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) is a member-driven organization that provides a unique, national voice for postdoctoral scholars. The University of Texas at Austin, through the Graduate School, has purchased a sustaining membership from the NPA, which entitles everyone affiliated with the university to obtain a free affiliate membership in the NPA. The affiliate member enrollment form is online. This is a significant new benefit for post docs and other individuals at the university.
- Postdoctoral Association Toolkit
- UT Postdoctoral Association: [in progress]
- CNS Postdoctoral Association
- Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences: Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
- Listserve
- Postdoctoral fellows can sign on to the mailing list to share information between each other and find announcements from the Office of the Vice President for Research. Join the postdocs mailing list – a forum for postdocs to share their ideas, experiences, and questions with each other.
- To subscribe, follow the instructions at UT Lists. Subscribe to: postdocs@utlists.utexas.edu (in Research category). If you have any questions about the postdocs listserv, send e-mail to the Office of the Vice President for Research.
- National Postdoctoral Association
- Office of the Ombuds
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The staff ombuds can assist postdoctoral fellows with any work-related difficulty, including interpersonal conflict or misunderstandings, as well as academic or administrative concerns.
- Health and Wellness
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HealthPoint Wellness: The HealthPoint Wellness Program is part of Human Resources. The overall goal of the HealthPoint Work-life Balance and Wellness Program is to improve the health and well-being of faculty and staff.
Employee Assistance Program: Provides behavioral health expertise, promotes wellness, and develops solutions to life's challenges, through brief counseling and consultation services, crisis intervention, assessment and referral, educational and training programs, and supervisory consultation.
UT RecSports: The Division of Recreational Sports has served the campus community since 1916, making it one of the oldest and largest collegiate recreational programs in the country. To become a member, visit the Membership options page.
University Health Services through Service Extension Fee: Post-docs and visiting scholars who are not officially registered for classes at UT Austin can pay the Service Extension fee. Specific documentation from the program with which they are affiliated is required. The UHS Service Extension fee allows qualified individuals, like post-docs, to get access to the same UHS care a services that current students enjoy by paying this Service Extension Fee. This fee is an access fee, not an insurance plan.