Postdoctoral Fellows Policy

Policy Number

R50.03

Policy Sponsor

Vice-President, Research and Innovation

Original Effective Date

October 26, 2000

Date of Last Review

June 25, 2026

Most Recent Amendment Effective Date

June 25, 2026

Associated Documents

R50.03.pdf

Procedures.pdf

1.0 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

1.1 Postdoctoral fellows (PDFs) are key contributors to 911吃瓜鈥檚 Research enterprise. 911吃瓜 recognizes the role of PDFs in supporting our Research mission. A Postdoctoral Fellow (鈥淧DF鈥�) is a valued member of the University community, whose primary focus is Research and whose principal objectives include broadening the PDF鈥檚 Research-related expertise, building associations with established researchers, and strengthening the PDF鈥檚 publication record, thereby enhancing the PDF鈥檚 future employment opportunities. As researchers, PDFs have the opportunity to make significant contributions to their chosen fields, to the University, and to the University鈥檚 Faculty researchers and graduate students.

1.2 The purpose of this Policy is to define the status and the role of a person holding an appointment as a PDF and, in support of this purpose, to establish the requirements for such appointments and to outline the scope of a PDF鈥檚 intended activities.

1.3 This Policy distinguishes between a PDF who is funded through a grant, contract, or other funding mechanism which is held by either a Faculty member or the University and a PDF who is funded through a fellowship provided by an external agency.

2.0 GLOSSARY

2.1 Postdoctoral Fellow or PDF means a person who has completed a doctoral degree and who has been appointed by the University for a limited period of time to undertake advanced Research and further professional development in association with one or more of the University鈥檚 Faculty Members.

2.1.1 There are two appointment categories for PDFs:

a. a PDF whose salary is paid in whole or in part, either from funds held by a University Faculty Member or from the University鈥檚 financial resources or a combination of the two, will be appointed as an Internal PDF. An internal PDF is an employee of the University;

b. a PDF who has secured funding from an external funding organization or a fellowship program which is external to the University and whose salary is paid wholly from such funding will be considered as an external PDF. An external PDF is not an employee of the University. Use of the University鈥檚 facilities to manage and account for an external PDF鈥檚 funding, including processing of payroll and administration benefits, does not alter the status of external PDF.

c. a PDF who is paid from both internal and external funding is considered an internal and external PDF and is considered an employee of the University and would hold both an internal and external appointment at the University.

d. Unless otherwise required by the context, both internal and external PDFs will be referred to in this policy simply as PDFs.

2.2 Research means an undertaking intended to extend knowledge through a disciplined inquiry or systematic investigation or both.

2.3 Faculty Member means a University grant eligible faculty member who has been designated to oversee the activities associated with a PDF鈥檚 advanced research and further professional development. For purposes of this definition, a 鈥淔aculty Member鈥� includes a person holding an appointment at the University in one of the following appointment types: Adjunct, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, and Professor Emeritus.

2.4 Supervisor means the Faculty Member with primary responsibility for the employment relationship between the PDF and the University. In the case that the Faculty Member described in 4.3 is an employee of the University, they may simultaneously serve as the sole Supervisor. Should the Faculty Member defined in 2.3 above not be an employee of the University, then that PDF must be co-supervised by a Faculty Member employed by the University.

2.5 University means 911吃瓜.

3.0 SCOPE AND JURISDICTION

3.1 This policy applies to PDFs, Faculty Members, and administrators at the University.

4.0 POLICY

4.1 Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment Requirements:

4.1.1 A PDF will be appointed for an indefinite term but in all cases with an indication of the anticipated duration of appointment.

4.1.2 A PDF鈥檚 initial appointment at 911吃瓜 will have an anticipated duration of one year and it must be made within the first five years after the PDF鈥檚 completion of a doctoral degree. Subject to satisfactory performance during a PDF鈥檚 initial appointment and the continued availability of sufficient funding, a PDF will be eligible for but not guaranteed to receive further appointments, each with an anticipated duration of one year; it is however at the Supervisor鈥檚 discretion that an appointment of a longer duration (e.g., 16 months, 2 years, etc.) may be possible. The total duration of a PDF鈥檚 initial and further appointment(s) at 911吃瓜, taken as a whole, must not exceed five years.

4.1.3 An exception to the requirements set out in section 4.1.2 above may be made by the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (鈥淰PRI鈥�) or Associate Vice-President, Research (鈥淎VPR鈥�) on application but only when such an application is made in advance, in writing, and in conformity with the following provisions:

a. an appointment of less than one year may be made in circumstances the VPRI or AVPR reasonably considers to be exceptional. An application for an appointment of less than one year in duration must acknowledge that such an appointment may adversely impact a PDF鈥檚 eligibility for benefits and confirm that this risk has been brought to the PDF鈥檚 attention;

b. if the basis for requesting an exception is that a PDF鈥檚 appointment has been interrupted by a leave provided for or required by law, including without limitation a maternity, parental, adoption, or disability-related leave, the circumstances giving rise to the application will be deemed to be exceptional.

4.1.4 All PDFs must have a Supervisor.

4.1.5 All PDFs are required to adhere to all applicable University policies.

4.1.6 At all times, both the offer and the continuation of an appointment as a PDF will be subject to the availability of sufficient funding.

4.2 Postdoctoral Fellow Eligible Activities:

4.2.1 In addition to undertaking Research, a PDF may also be involved in undergraduate and graduate lecturing, laboratory instruction, tutorials, assisting with supervision of undergraduate projects, and the supervision (other than senior supervision) of graduate students.

4.2.2 PDFs will not normally be eligible to hold grant funding independently. A PDF who proposes to hold grant funding independently must undertake a thorough and careful review of the relevant eligibility requirements before taking any steps to obtain such grant funding. An application for such grant funding will be considered an exceptional measure. A PDF who proposes to hold grant funding independently must obtain the written approval of the VPRI or AVPR to do so before applying for such funding. The VPRI or AVPR will only consider granting such an approval when the duration of the proposed external funding does not exceed the anticipated duration of the PDF鈥檚 then current appointment.

5.0 INTERPRETATION

5.1 Disputed questions about the interpretation and application of this policy and its associated procedures must be referred to the President, whose decision in these matters will be final.

6.0 REVISION HISTORY AND MANDATED REVIEW DATE

June 2026 - Policy updated in its entirety

MANDATED REVIEW
June 2031

911吃瓜

911吃瓜