# Onboarding ## expand\_more ### Onboarding Open all sections Close all sections ### Administrative expand\_more Please contact [Chris Preheim](mailto:cpreheim@oeb.harvard.edu), Senior Academic Appointments Administrator, approximately two weeks prior to your appointment start date to make sure your appointment paperwork is complete and your appointment is ready to be entered into the Harvard system. Notify your faculty mentor and their [faculty assistant](/people/faculty-and-lab-support-staff) of your arrival date and set up a time to meet with them upon arrival. If a postdoc is being paid through Harvard payroll, an I9 form must be completed prior to their appointment being finalized. Please contact [Sarine Der Kaloustian](mailto:sarine_derkaloustian@fas.harvard.edu), Associate Director of Administration, as soon as possible to arrange a visit to complete the I-9, which must be completed in person. Once the appointment is entered, it may take 5-10 business days for it to become active. Due to this, **it is advisable to arrive on campus at least a week before the start of your appointment**. ### I-9 expand\_more If you are being paid through Harvard payroll, you must first complete your I-9 form in person in the OEB Administrative Office, in order to finalize your appointment (including benefits, Harvard ID, etc). Please contact [Sarine Der Kaloustian](mailto:sarine_derkaloustian@fas.harvard.edu), Associate Director of Administration, as soon as possible to arrange an in-person visit to complete the I-9. ### Non-U.S. Citizens expand\_more - **Visa** - Please register at the [Harvard International Office](http://www.hio.harvard.edu/) in the Smith Center Rm 864,1350 Massachusetts Avenue. - **Social Security Card** - If you do not already have a social security card, you must apply for one once you have been in the U.S. for 10 days. The [HIO offers more information](https://www.hio.harvard.edu/social-security-numbers) on this process. - **Other useful documents** - A [Massachusetts ID](https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-massachusetts-identification-card-mass-id) card, or a [driving license](https://www.mass.gov/passenger-class-d-drivers-licenses). ### Harvard University ID expand\_more Your [Harvard ID and your ID card](https://www.campusservicecenter.harvard.edu/id-cards/obtain) are crucial to accessing email, buildings, and the many services, systems, and benefits that come with your position at Harvard. Most online resources within the Harvard community require verification of your identity through your ID number, which is tied to HarvardKey (Harvard's user identity authentication system). Once your appointment is fully processed, you can visit the [Harvard ID (HUID) Office](https://www.campusservicecenter.harvard.edu/contact) at the Smith Campus Center to obtain an Harvard University ID (HUID) card. The office will process your ID while you are there. The ID Office will photograph you for your ID. This image will be used on internal systems and the OEB website (though you may opt to replace with your own headshot for the website). The Smith Campus Center is located at 1350 Massachusetts Avenue in Harvard Square. You will need to bring a government-issued photo ID to obtain an HUID card. Please visit the [HUID office](https://www.campusservicecenter.harvard.edu/contact) for location and hours. ### HarvardKey and Okta expand\_more To access many Harvard systems, you will need both a HarvardKey and Okta login. You can claim your Harvard Key with your HUID number. Visit the [Harvard Key](https://key.harvard.edu/) website, select the "**Claim your Harvard Key**" link, and follow the prompts. You will need the following to claim your Harvard Key: - Your eight-digit Harvard University ID (HUID) - Your last name - Your date of birth - A personal email address to use for account reminders Okta is a passwordless authentication app that provides a more secure way to sign into HarvardKey. Visit the [Okta website](https://www.huit.harvard.edu/passwordless) to set up your account. ### Email expand\_more Once you have your HUID and HarvardKey login, you can set up your email account. Please note you will need to claim your HarvardKey **before** you can get your [FAS email account](https://harvard.service-now.com/ithelp/www.poetry.fas.harvard.edu?id=kb_article&sys_id=952593151be36890351ceb9bbc4bcb76). ### **Choose your FAS email address:** - Use your HarvardKey and password [to log in](https://key.harvard.edu/). - Select the "**Manage Your Account & Services"** link. - Select **“Activate Your Office365 Email and Calendar."** - Follow the on screen instructions to choose your Harvard email address from the options provided. - You will receive an automatic email notification confirming the successful activation of your new Harvard email address, which will then become your **HarvardKey login email address** going forward. Your password remains the same. - Within 24 hours of activation, you should be able to access your [Outlook email inbox online](https://outlook.com/harvard.edu) with your HarvardKey credentials. You can also activate a [Harvard Google Workspace and email account](https://harvard.service-now.com/ithelp?id=kb_article&sys_id=c12fe346dbb1df00c0b55a35dc96194a). Please visit Harvard University IT (HUIT) for guidance. If you have any questions or need technical support during the process, please contact Harvard University IT (HUIT): or 617-495-7777. **Register with MessageMe** [MessageMe](https://messageme.harvard.edu/) lets Harvard contact you quickly in an emergency. Register to receive voice, text, or email alerts: messageme.harvard.edu **Verify your Directory Listing** Verify your personal information in [PeopleSoft](https://login.harvard.edu/oauth2/v1/authorize?response_type=code&scope=openid%20profile%20email&client_id=0oa1y2bprm58xB8DI1d8&state=S_BFUi6nFIaAER7UjL-w-F3q_kI&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fpeoplesoft.hrapps.harvard.edu%2Foidc%2Fcallback&nonce=ZlgXRigRe0XOKEm8lO8CEx3YOkbcSWQjO6HShxzWUqA&code_challenge=PM9X8qsTze4XPY24GJLOYn5dKfaLDWaX7EnFcnSQoK0&code_challenge_method=S256). This information will feed into our directories, at [directory.harvard.edu](http://www.directory.harvard.edu/) (a public listing). Please email with any changes. **Access email and calendar remotely** [Microsoft 365 for Harvard](https://huit.harvard.edu/microsoft-365) provides access to online applications including Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive using your email login. ### Mailing Lists Subscriptions expand\_more Upon your appointment, you will be automatically subscribed to the following lists: - OEB Postdocs List - OEB Seminars (includes MCZ, HUH, Arnold Arboretum research talks, and [HMNH events](https://hmnh.harvard.edu/programs)) - OEB Buildings List (varies depending on the building you will work in) - FAS Office of Postdoctoral Affairs List (FAS PDA) Other departments (e.g. MCB, HUCE, HHMI) have mail lists you may want to join based on your affiliation. A directory of the Life Sciences events sites can be found on the [OEB Website](/life-sciences-events). Please reach out to the administrative offices in these departments for information on joining their lists. Note: MCZ, HUH, and The Arnold Arboretum research talks are all posted to the OEB Seminars list. Please reach out to other departments' administration to be enrolled on their seminars lists. ### Benefits expand\_more If you are eligible for benefits, **you MUST sign up for benefits within 30 days of the activation of your appointment**. The [Benefits Office](https://hr.harvard.edu/benefits-enrollment) will send a benefits package explaining all the options available to benefits-eligible postdocs. The package is sent through the US Postal Service within 10 days of the activation of your appointment. **Please note, the Benefits Office does not issue the benefits packages in person. The package is sent to the addess you entered on your I-9, if you have not received a benefits package within 10 days, please contact** [**Sarine Der Kaloustian**](mailto:sarine_derkaloustian@fas.harvard.edu) **and call the Benefits Office at (617) 496-4001.** You can also review all your options, by watching the [benefits office videos](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLDvfXjXoQKeWXJ8Kp1reNd3tePNxOOhn). For more information on benefits, please see the [benefits section](/benefits) of this OEB postdoc site. Harvard offers many other benefits to help with [work/life balance](https://hr.harvard.edu/benefits-wellbeing). Please visit [Work/Life Benefits ](https://www.oeb.harvard.edu/worklife-benefits)on the OEB Postdoc website for more information. ### Getting Paid expand\_more Postdocs are paid biweekly. Paychecks are received on every other Friday. You can use [PeopleSoft's Self Service](https://oc.finance.harvard.edu/peoplesoft-self-service) tools to view your paycheck, sign up for direct deposit, update your address and emergency contact information, and other options. ### Lab Onboarding expand\_more Consult your lab's [Faculty Assistant](/people/faculty-and-lab-support-staff) for onboarding procedures (including lab safety training, building access, and access to FAS Research Computing) for your lab. ### Community Opportunities expand\_more There are many community opportunities within and outside of OEB. Below are a few. - The [OEB Seminar](/oeb-seminars) series offers two seminar slots per academic year for postdoc-hosted speakers. If you would like to serve on the postdoc speaker selection committee, please contact the faculty seminar chair, [Professor David Haig](https://www.oeb.harvard.edu/people/david-haig). - The [HUH Lunchtime Seminar](https://huh.harvard.edu/events) partners with The Arnold Arboretum for a joint seminar series. For more information on seminar speaker selection, please contact [Jeannette Everritte](https://huh.harvard.edu/people/jeanette-everritt-0), Administrative Manager in the HUH. - The [MCZ Lunchtime Seminar](https://mcz.harvard.edu/seminars) is organized by a postdoc speaker selection committee. For more information, please contact [Melissa Aja](/people/melissa-aja), Administrative Manager in the MCZ. - The [OEB DIB Committee](https://www.oeb.harvard.edu/diversity-inclusion-and-belonging) aims to acknowledge, address, and repair systemic injustice within our community and throughout science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). For more information please contact [Sarine Der Kaloustian](mailto:sarine_derkaloustian@fas.harvard.edu), Associate Director. - The FAS [postdoc association](https://postdoc.fas.harvard.edu/PDA) works closeley with the FAS Postoctoral Office to build community among postdocs and to provide opportunities for professional growth and development. For more information, please contact [Stephen Kargère](https://science.fas.harvard.edu/people/Stephen-Kargere), Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. - The [Boston Postdoctoral Association](https://bostonpostdocs.org/) (BPDA) is a regional coalition of postdocs and postdoctoral associations from 19 Boston-area institutes.BPDA aim is to foster a sense of community, encourage increased communication, and aid in creating a collaborative environment among postdocs by advocacy efforts and organizing social and career development events to bring together postdocs across Greater Boston. If you would like to be a part of BPDA, please visit the [Volunteer Page](https://bostonpostdocs.org/volunteer) to sign up.