Research Associates
All new research associate hires must incorporate the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) approval of the position description.
- Email the draft offer and position description to
ude[dot]ui[at]rhdaca for approval. These approvals will be saved and reviewed by HR before a hire document is approved.
- In the unit, keep the offer letter; research associate personnel files are kept in the unit.
- You are encouraged to do a search, but not required. Any vacancy, interview, and offer eDocs will be approved without delay, if there is a position description on file.
- The ‘visiting research associate’ post (FV8) is still available for temporary appointments.
- Research associates should be performing research under the direction of a research scientist or other faculty: “The title of Research Associate is limited to those research personnel who are not qualified for a research rank but whose positions call for full-time research under the supervision of a faculty member or a person holding a research rank. Persons working at the University as postdoctoral fellows shall be designated as postdoctoral fellows.” IU Policy ACA-20.
- AC1 RSP is the coding for employee Fellows. Externally funded fellows are FLP/FEL.
Include in the position description:
- Title, department, and unit.
- Anticipated salary range; whether this is a new or replacement position.
- Description of duties. Provide percentages for different duties (e.g. 30% working with community partners).
If the description does not seem to fit the classification of research associate, you will be contacted to provide more information or to consider a different appointment type such as staff. In your offer letter include the expected term of service and indicate how and when someone might be notified that the position is ending.
About research associates:
- Primary focus is on research duties.
- Minimum qualification of a master's degree.
- If someone possesses a doctoral degree, consider a postdoc or a research scientist position. Postdocs and research associates primarily assist with research; research scientists are expected to lead.
- Both research scientists and research associates have the same dismissal period, “at least one pay period prior to end of present appointment.” They may take vacation days as the last days worked.
- Consider a staff position, especially if the need is anticipated to be relatively stable/long-lasting.
- Staff can serve as PIs and project directors.
- Staff have the ability to be promoted and campus procedures for grievances; research associates do not.
For questions about School of Medicine appointments, contact ude[dot]ui[at]nmdadaca. Medicine discourages research associate appointments. For all other questions, contact Faculty Affairs at ude[dot]ui[at]rhdaca.
Reviewed and revised: 2/2024.