Welcome to
The Jackson Laboratory
Postdoctoral Program
Lisa John, M.Ed.
Program Director
Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Programs
Hallmarks
Ø Produce outstanding young scientists fully and effectively engaged in diverse aspects of their professional careers
Ø Excellence in research training at the forefront of mammalian genetics, enabled by strong, knowledgeable and supportive scientists and unparalleled scientific resources
Ø Excellence in career preparation by virtue of requirements and opportunities such as grant writing, ethics workshops and “Whole Scientist” courses and embedded practicums
Ø Diverse array of academic scientific courses at both predoc and postdoc levels, opportunities to engage with international group of notable scientists participating in courses and conferences
Ø Provision of faculty mentoring teams and oversight by a Training Committee to ensure scientific career progress and success of all trainees
Ø Encouragement and facilitation of opportunities for trainees themselves to be mentors to younger scientists
Ø Close collaborations on programs and courses with our academic partners, who are also stakeholders in this program
Ø Provides to all trainees adequate funding, training and scientific resources to ensure their success
The JAX Predoc and Postdoc Committee is the engine from which this program is run. This committee shall:
Ø Consult and advise the JAX Scholar Admissions Committee and Predoc Admissions Committee on the acceptance of trainees at both the predoc- and postdoc levels.
Ø Develop effective strategies to recruit trainees.
Ø Facilitate and ensure that each trainee has an effective mentoring team (research mentor + faculty liaison for postdocs; PhD committee for predocs).
Ø Monitor and assure regular progress evaluation of each trainee by the mentoring teams; develop, in collaboration with the JAX Genomics Education Office, a system for record keeping and subsequent career tracking.
Ø Work with the JAX Genomics Education office and the Scientific Director to plan and execute training grant proposals and other venues for funding.
Ø Work with the JAX Genomics Education office to assure that courses and programs are executed.
Ø Engage in strategic planning for the development of programs and courses.
Ø Support and facilitate self-organized trainee groups (such as the JAX Graduate School Organization, which unites predocs across their diverse academic programs in common goals).
The Jackson Laboratory Postdoctoral Training Program
Overview
The Postdoctoral Program at the Jackson Laboratory (JAX) is a comprehensive and integrated training program that provides superb professional development opportunities for fellows in a context of dedicated research at the forefront of mammalian genetics. The overall aim is to produce outstanding young scientists fully and effectively engaged in diverse aspects of their professional careers. Excellence in research training is enabled by strong, knowledgeable and supportive mentors, a rich scientific and academic environment, and unparalleled scientific resources. Excellence in career preparation is provided by requirements and opportunities such as grant writing, ethics workshops and “Whole Scientist™” courses and embedded practicums. Trainees are exposed to a diverse array of academic scientific courses at both pre- and post-doc levels, as well as opportunities to engage with international array of leading scientists participating in courses and conferences. Guardianship of developing careers is the primary focus of the Training Committee. By providing faculty mentoring teams, oversight by a Training Committee to ensure scientific career progress and educational programs that respond to the postdoc’s training needs.
The Postdoctoral Program ensures all trainees have access to adequate funding opportunities, training and scientific resources to carry out their work leading to successful careers. Institutionally, JAX provides a fully engaged JAX Genomics Education (JGE) Office and administrative support for training and mentoring committees. Funding for stipends and for programmatic opportunities is provided not only through mentor grants, but JAX has also historically provided a limited number of postdoctoral fellowships and stipends. Examples of such funding are T32 training grants and the JAX Scholars Program, which aim to recruit and retain exceptional young scientists and provide them with opportunities to interact with the scientific leaders of the Laboratory.
JAX ensures training excellence through both opportunities and a set of defined expectations to be met by each postdoctoral trainee.
1. Opportunities
· First and foremost is the opportunity to participate in leading research programs at the forefront of mammalian genetics, and application of genetic knowledge to human health and disease
· All trainees have a primary mentor, but also are assigned a faculty liaison and interface annually with the Training Committee; together these interactions constitute a strong professional mentoring network that nurtures the individual careers of each trainee. In the course of meeting with various facets of the mentoring team, each trainee develops an IDP (independent development plan).
· All trainees attend the annual Whole Scientist™ course. This four-day workshop expands the professional skills that lead to fulfilling science careers, including ethical considerations, science communication, entrepreneurship, teaching and mentoring skills, and laboratory management skills.
· Trainees participate in scientific interest groups, journal clubs and the stellar JAX seminar series, as well as have the privilege off attending many of the JAX courses and conferences.
· Trainees have the opportunity to mentor research interns through programs such as the Summer Student program, or to teach in courses such as graduate classes offered through U. Maine and Tufts, further building their academic credentials and further integrating the education programs at Jackson.
· Trainees become members of a close-knit community of pre- and post-doctoral fellows, participating in monthly science forums and social gatherings. The forum is the venue for many JAX training workshops.
2. Requirements
JAX postdoctoral fellows are strongly encouraged to meet the following goals:
· Submit applications for independent external fellowship funding. This is done in close collaboration with the postdoc’s mentor. Support and guidance are provided by the Office of Sponsored Programs and Scientific Program Development as well as science forum workshops.
· Attend six hours of responsible conduct of research discussions and/or presentations per year, which is required for postdocs who are funded on an NIH Training (T32) or Fellowship grant( F32) and recommended for all trainees. This can be accomplished by attendance at the Whole Scientist™ course (see above), lectures presented at JAX by leaders in the field of ethics or participation with CITI- Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative online modules. Postdocs are responsible for maintaining their training participation and including it in their annual performance review document.
· Continually evolve an independent career development plan (IDP) in collaboration with mentoring team. The IDP will be initiated at the “Whole Scientist™” short course or with the Program Director for Pre and Postdocs. Meeting with a mentoring team will provide guided dialogue on career development.
· Present a talk or poster at least once a year at an international, national or JAX meeting and report this in the annual review form.
· Publish the results of research on a regular basis.
To ensure that each postdoctoral trainee is “on track” in his/her career and meets the performance expectations, each trainee has a network of annual review supports. The training committee review will be based on documents providing a brief research report of progress and plans for the coming year, a short evaluation of the training experience by the trainee, brief evaluative statement by the mentor and progress toward an independent career, publications and fellowship proposals. An electronic form will be sent to the trainee yearly just before the annual anniversary of the start date; this is to be completed and submitted to the JAX Genomics Education Office. Additional reviews will be done annually via Human Resources performance review and by informal meetings with the Training committee designed to provide supported guidance. These are all intended to support postdocs and to ensure each postdoc is provided the best training and guidance during their JAX tenure.
JAX faculty mentors must meet certain requirements and expectations:
· Provide sufficient funding, space and resources to support the postdoc (salary, benefits) and execute the project.
· Provide mentoring with the trainees’ research and career development in mind and taken into consideration, especially with decisions on funding, publication, etc.
· Allow time for the postdoctoral trainee to attend required functions such as the Whole Scientist™ course, JAX seminars and national/international meetings.
· Be available regularly for their postdoc via meetings and email. In cases of prolonged or frequent mentor absences, a co-mentorship will be arranged that is agreed upon by the postdoc, primary mentor and the Training Committee.
· Opportunity to provide JGE with a brief narrative for the postdoc’s annual career development review packet, following reminder from JGE office 30 days prior to the review. This narrative can include progress, kudos and concerns.
JAX liaisons also must meet certain requirements:
· Meet at least annually with postdoc trainee to provide guidance
· Attend all JAX presentations by the postdoc and provide the postdoc with feedback
· Opportunity to provide JGE with a brief narrative for the postdoc’s annual review packet, following reminder from JGE 30 days prior to the review. This narrative can include progress, kudos and concerns.
· Alert JGE or Training Committee co-Chairs of potential problems or concerns on behalf of the postdoc
3. Program Facilitation and Direction
· Training Committee co-Chairs and JGE act as a confidential sounding board for postdocs, mentors and liaisons. The information gathered by any one of these members is shared amongst the other members confidentially unless there is a conflict of interest
· The Postdoctoral program is jointly administered by JGE and the Pre and Postdoc Training Committee. Any participant (trainee or mentor) may bring any questions or concerns and may seek guidance from these entities.
JAX Genomics Education Office:
The Pre and Postdoc Program Director provides oversight, management and development of current and new training programs that ensure all postdocs have the opportunity to meet the expectations of the JAX training program
Current programs offered are:
· Science Forum: monthly meetings to provide training workshops, discuss and identify new training needs, build a community of pre and postdocs.
· Delivery of the annual Whole Scientist™ course
· Management of academic year embedded module practicums by developing “problem sets” the group would work on that are relevant and usable by JAX. For example, science communication would be comprised of 4-5 interested pre and postdocs and guided by a JAX Mice and Service leader to produce the scientific content for an identified webinar.
· Meeting 1:1 with postdocs to discuss career decisions and assist in identifying relevant training opportunities
· Disseminating all funding opportunities to pre and postdocs
· Continuous review and up-dates on training opportunities based on postdoc’s needs
· Administrative support for committee
Pre and Postdoc Training Committee will provide:
· Review of Career Development packets submitted by postdocs and provides feedback to postdoc, mentor and liaison following the review.
· Development and discussion of suggested training programs with Pre and Postdoc Program Director. Program Director will be responsible to implement these.
General Guidelines
JAX Genomics Education offers the following support:
Relocation:
JAX: JGE pays up to a max of $2000 per postdoc hire for reimbursable relocation expenses. Receipts are required, and all charges must be in the postdoc's name.
The Postdoc must complete and sign a Relocation Expense Report form. This form is located at:
http://myjax.jax.org/fiscal_services/forms.html
The postdoc completes the relocation expense form with all receipts in his/her name and submits to HR office.
Travel to scientific meetings:
Each postdoc receives $750 toward travel expenses from the JGE Office per year to attend a scientific meeting or workshop.
The Postdoc obtains a Travel Request Form (TRA Form, PDF) that can be found at: http://myjax.jax.org/travel/forms.html
The completed form is given to the designated official in the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), who annotates the specific account numbers on their form and signs off. The postdoc’s mentor pays for any expenses, over and above the $750.
Human Resources:
The most complete listing and detailed description of the salary, benefits, vacation accrual, sick leave and other valuable benefit and Humane Resources compliance information available to postdoctoral fellows is located on the website:
Human Resources http://myjax.jax.org/hr/index.html
This resides on an internal page and can only be accessed when you have an active JAX email. You will have this email following your first day of orientation.
It is the responsibility of all JAX employees to review and be compliant with all Laboratory policies.
Research fellows receive appointments that are of limited duration. These appointments are provided to individuals who have received a terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M.), and who are receiving advanced research training while participating in research at JAX. Postdoctoral fellows are defined as mentored trainees that are no more than five years beyond the receipt of a terminal degree. Time taken off for other training or employment does not count toward this five-year limit. The duration of your appointment is at the discretion of your faculty mentor and is based on your scientific progress and available funding.
Postdoctoral Trainee Pay:
Individuals are paid a stipend, regardless of the funding source, and effort is devoted to research training activity. Such stipends may be charged to institutional or individual training grants, external fellowships or other JAX funds. It is important to work with your faculty mentor to determine the funding sources that are available to apply for, as this is an essential component of your training.
Postdoctoral Vacation
Individuals in postdoctoral positions may accrue up to 15 days of vacation time per year, with a maximum accrual of 30 days. Vacation time accrues at the rate of 4.62 hours per bi-weekly pay period. There is no salary in lieu of time-off granted. Postdocs may not use vacation time before the time has accrued. At the conclusion of a postdoc’s training, unused vacation time is paid out if you leave JAX after your postdoc. If a postdoc remains at JAX and accepts another position within the Laboratory, any accrued vacation time moves to the new position. It is the postdoc’s responsibility to accurately report to your timekeeper, on a weekly basis, any vacation time used.