Hiring Instructions

Employment process for postdoctoral fellows

Preparation for Recruitment

Considering hiring a postdoc? Please contact PostdocFellows@Charlotte.edu for a consultation.

NEW: See our Supervisor Resources page for info about hiring waivers as well as the Division of Research’s new postdoctoral hiring program.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON TIMING:

  • All hiring paperwork must be submitted 14 business days prior to the contract start date.
  • Background checks can take up to a month for international candidates.
  • ISSO may require two months in order to arrange the visa.
Review the Postdoctoral Fellows guidelines.
Review University Policy 102.10, Employment of Postdoctoral Fellows.

Develop a position description. (Here is a sample position description.) Please note that the minimum annual salary for Postdoctoral Fellows is $47,476.

Recruitment Process

Create a guest account in NinerTalent (if necessary), and begin a Temp Hire Posting for a Postdoctoral Fellow. Add search committee members, if needed.

Transition the posting to Human Resources.

Use the Print Preview to create PDFs of the internal and external views of the posting to save to your future hire’s file.

We then review the posting and post it to jobs.charlotte.edu, where applicants can begin applying.

Screening Process
Conduct initial screening of applications to identify applicants who meet the minimum criteria advertised for the position and who may be considered further.
Choose top applicant(s) who will be hired as a Postdoctoral Fellow.
Change applicant status of candidate(s) to “Recommend for Hire.”

Submit the Criminal Background Check Request Form so that The Center for Graduate Life and Learning can initiate the background check.

The final candidate will receive an invitation from InfoMart asking them to complete the online consent form. Once the CGLL receives satisfactory results, the Hiring Manager will be notified that the background screening is complete and will be able to move forward with the appointment process.

Please note that if your candidate is a foreign national, the background check may take several weeks, whereas the CGLL usually receives the results for domestic applicants within 2-3 days.

Appointment Process

If hiring a foreign national, contact the International Student/Scholar Office (ISSO) immediately.

If the new hire is a non-resident alien, complete the Foreign National Information Form and submit to the Tax Office.

For more information about the steps to take, the types of visas that are acceptable for employment, the new hire packets for foreign nationals, and links to ISSO and the Tax Office, please visit Human Resources.

Ask the candidate to have their official transcript sent directly to PostDocFellows@charlotte.edu (as well as to the hiring department).

Submit the following documents to PostdocFellows@charlotte.edu. (Please do not combine these documents into one PDF.

The signed contract (AA-35) is required in order for the PD-7 to be processed. Otherwise, for efficiency’s sake, please send paperwork as it is completed rather than sending it all at once.

The required paperwork includes:

  • Agreement for Temporary Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment Form (AA-35)
    • You may request signatures through DocuSign. (Unsure how to do this? Here are instructions.)
    • This form requires the new hire’s signature, the department Chair’s, and the college Dean’s.
    • The final approver to sign on the fourth line should be Steve Penouilh, the Graduate School’s Director of Finance and Business Affairs (spenouil@charlotte.edu).
    • Send the fully-signed PDF to PostDocFellows@charlotte.edu.
    • The initial appointment should be for a 12-month period.
    • Contact us immediately in the event that the contract start date must be changed. We will then provide you with further instructions.
    • The minimum salary must be $47,476.
  • PD-7 Form
    • Please reference these instructions for completing the PD-7, and contact us if you are unsure of anything.
    • If using multiple fund numbers, include them all on one PD-7.
  • Official transcript documenting highest degree earned or Foreign Credential Evaluation
    • This should be sent directly to PostDocFellows@charlotte.edu.
    • If the terminal degree has not yet been conferred, the postdoc’s graduate school should send a letter of completion indicating that the postdoc has fulfilled all of the requirements for their degree. Then, once the final transcript is available, it must be sent as well. (If the candidate is graduating from Charlotte, our office can request the letter of completion. However, the candidate must nevertheless order their official transcripts.)
  • Verification of Credentials for Faculty (AA-34 Fac)
    • ​This is necessary only if the postdoc will be engaged in teaching.
  • Curriculum Vita
  • Position description for Postdoctoral Fellow
  • NinerTalent Posting
    • PDF of external view
  • NinerTalent Posting
    • PDF of internal view
 
The postdoc must complete the Postdoctoral Insurance Request Form (AA-36) even if declining insurance coverage.
Request that Academic Affairs close the posting.

We inform your candidate that they must complete their new hire paperwork and schedule an appointment with Human Resources to complete the federally-required I-9 verification process on or before their first day of work. They must bring a copy of their Agreement for Temporary Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment Form (AA-35) to this appointment. The new hire paperwork and scheduling link are on the Before You Start page of the Human Resources site.

NOTE: The hiring department should ensure that the I-9 has been completed on time. Otherwise, the postdoc will not be able to work until we process a new contract and PD-7, which can take up to two weeks once these documents are submitted to us.

*Note: If the Postdoctoral Fellow accepted the insurance coverage, they will receive health insurance cards from BCBS. If not received, contact BCBSNC Customer Service at 1-800-762-8505 or email@studentbluenc.com.

Procedures for Reappointments & Funding Changes

In order to renew the contract for a Postdoctoral Fellow, raise their salary, or make revisions to fund numbers, a superseding PD-7 and the following documents must be submitted to PostDocFellows@charlotte.edu:
  • Signed Agreement for Temporary Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment Form (AA-35)
  • If the postdoc decides to decline insurance (or accept insurance that was previously declined), they must submit the (AA-36) Form.
  • PD-7
    • ​The initiator should add their email address to the top of the form
    • For a fund number change, the payroll starting date should be the date that the new fund number will be used
    • If there are multiple fund numbers, the superseding PD-7 should include all of them, not just the fund that is changing

It is IMPERATIVE that these documents be submitted at least 45 days prior to the desired revision date.

Separation Procedures

Submit a PD-7 with the revised end date to PostDocFellows@charlotte.edu.

Postdocs should give two weeks notice if they intend to leave their position. Please submit the PD-7 immediately once the postdoc gives notice.