Postdoctoral Scholar Salary Setting Guidelines

Postdoctoral Scholar Salary Setting Guidelines

3252 Postdoctoral Employee

3253 Postdoctoral Fellow

3254 Postdoctoral Paid Direct

New Appointment

Postdoctoral Scholar appointments are temporary and have fixed end dates.

The initial appointment of a Postdoctoral Scholar at the University shall be for a minimum of one year.

The total duration of an individual’s postdoctoral service may not exceed five years, including postdoctoral service at other institutions. Under unusual circumstances the University may grant an exception to this limit, not to exceed six years. At UCSF, the Assistant Dean for Postdocs approves 6th year exception requests.

Pursuant to the Postdoctoral Scholar’s MOU(Memorandum of Understanding) between the University of California and the UAW union, Article 4, Compensation, the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Stipend Levels are utilized to set the appropriate Postdoctoral Scholar Experience-Based Salary/Stipend minimum as well as provide appropriate increases at each appointment and reappointment period.

Postdoctoral Scholar salaries are determined by the number of months/years of relevant postdoctoral experience upon the appointment or reappointment.

The University may provide compensation to Postdoctoral Scholars at rates above those required by the Bargaining Contract. Such rates may be provided on appointment, reappointment, anniversary date, and/or as a merit increase.

The University may provide additional compensation in excess of the Postdoctoral Scholar’s base salary/stipend rate through a supplement (PDS). Continuance or discontinuance of the supplement is at the sole discretion of the University, unless the supplement is being provided to meet the salary/stipend requirements of Article 4, Compensation, of the collective bargaining agreement.(

Special Circumstances related to salary

# 1-If a Postdoctoral Scholar is appointed on a grant that restricts salary to only the pay as designated by the grant, (e.g., Einstein Fellows, Hubble Fellows) then the grant dictates the salary ofthe Postdoctoral Scholar.

#2- If funding source/granting agency requires salaries that exceed the required NRSA Experience-Based Salary/Stipend Minimum,then the requirements of the granting/sponsoring agency supersedes allsalary-setting and increases for the Postdoctoral Scholars funded by the funding source/granting agency. (Generally applies to Postdoctoral Fellow 3253 titles funded byfellowships/training grants)

#3-When extramural agencies provide salary support at a rate less than the NRSA Experience-Based Salary/Stipend Minimum (with exceptions of #1 and #2 above) and the department proceeds with the appointment of a Postdoctoral Scholar, the department will be required to provide additional funding to bring the salary/stipend level of the Postdoctoral Scholar up to the established minimum. This can be done through a postdoctoral supplement (PDS).(Generally applies to Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Directs 3254 appointments or with Postdoctoral Fellows, 3253 with no funding restrictions)

Reappointment

Increases shall occur in accordance with the provisions in the Postdoctoral Scholar’sMOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the University of California and the UAW Union, Article 4, Compensation.

At anniversary date or reappointment date, Postdoctoral Scholar’s salary must be moved to the next experience-based year of the NRSA Experience-Based Salary/Stipend Minimum.

For example:

APostdoctoral Scholar’s salary is currentlyLevel 1, so upon reappointment, the salary should be moved to Level 2 of the most recent NRSA salary scale (i.e., salary-setting should utilize the most recent NRSA Experience-Based Salary/Stipend Scale)

Funding Restrictions per granting agency

If special circumstance #1 and #2 apply (see “Special Circumstances related to salary”

section above), then the salary placement should be adjusted per the guidelines of the funding agency.

For example if a Postdoctoral Fellow 3253 receives a fellowship that clearly states/restricts the amount of increase the scholar should receive upon reappointment, then the funding guideline is used.

If AboveNRSA Experience-Based Salary/Stipend Minimum

If the Postdoctoral Scholar’s salary is above the required NRSA Experience-Based Salary/Stipend Minimum at anniversary or reappointment date, then the Postdoctoral Scholar is to be provided with at least a 2% salary increase.

For example:

A Postdoctoral Scholar has oneyear of experience and should be paid at $43,680 (on the 2014 scale), but is currently compensated at $50,000. At reappointment, the Experience-Based Salary/Stipend Minimumwould place the Postdoctoral Scholarat level 2,which is at $45,432. However, because the Postdoctoral Scholar’s current salary exceeds the experience-based minimum, at reappointment or anniversary date, s/he will need to receive a 2% increase to the $50,000, bringing her/his salary to $51,000.

Definitions:

Appointmentis defined as the initialappointment into a Postdoctoral Scholar title and/or the initial Date of Hireorwhen a Postdoctoral Scholar’s title changes from one Postdoctoral title to anotherPostdoctoral title due to the change in funding source, a change in Appointment may be required.

For example: 3252 Postdoctoral Employee to 3253 Postdoctoral Fellow

Reappointment is defined as appointing again to a previously held postdoc position when the initial appointment term has ended.

For example: Postdoctoral Scholar is given a second year appointment in either the same or different Postdoctoral title when the initial appointment term has ended.

Anniversaryis defined as the initial date of hire of the Postdoctoral Scholar.This generally applies to multi-year appointments for a Postdoctoral Scholar who was provided with a multi-year appointment during the initial date of hire. The Postdoctoral Scholar remains in the same Postdoctoral title for more than one year.

For example: Postdoctoral Scholar Employee 3252 is hired for a period of two years, from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2016. January 1, 2015 is the firstanniversary of the date of hire (i.e., the start of the second year) and the Postdoctoral Scholar will receive the appropriate increase to the next NRSA Experience-Based Salary minimum.

Appointment and Reappointment Examples

Appointment

New Postdoctoral Scholar (with no prior postdoc experience) John Smith hired as Postdoctoral Scholar Employee 3252, effective January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Salary, NRSA Level 0

Reappointment

John Smith reappointed for second year, Postdoctoral Scholar Employee3252, effective January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015, Salary NRSA Level 1

Or

Appointment

New Postdoctoral Scholar Samantha Jones hired as Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Direct title 3254 effective January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Experience level is 0year.

Home institution/funding agency support is less than the required NRSA Experience-Based Salary/Stipend Minimum. Department provides Postdoctoral Scholar with a supplement to bring her salary to the minimum (postdoctoral supplement or PDS).

Reappointment

Department requests reappointment of Samantha Jones, who will no longer be supported her home institution.Department will support funding for her position. Samantha Jones is reappointed as Postdoctoral Employee, title 3252. Salary increase to level 1of the NRSA Experience-Based/Salary Stipend Scale.

Change in funding source:

When source of funding changes, it may require a Postdoctoral Scholar’s title to be changed and salary reviewed.

The salary review would consider the appropriate NRSA Experience Scale and ensure that the salary is atleast the minimum of the scale for the experience level of the Postdoctoral Scholar.

For example:

Peter Black was appointed as Postdoctoral Employee 3252 at experience level 1, $43,680, from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Mid-appointment, he received a fellowship. The fellowship requires a new effective date of July 1, 2014 with a salary of $50,000. This salary is above the required salary minimum based upon Peter Black’s experience, but the fellowship guidelinesrequire that he receive the stipulated salary as of July 1, 2014.

To implement that, Peter Black’s appointment as Postdoctoral Employee 3252 will need to be ended and a new appointment as Postdoctoral Fellow – 3253 will be established. The new appointment will include the requirements of the granting/sponsoring agency regarding salary increases and adjustment.

Additional Resources

Postdoctoral Scholar Collective Bargaining Unit Contract - PX

Appointment Article

Compensation Article

UCSF Graduate Division – Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

Postdoctoral Scholar’s Payroll Keying Instructions

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