Postdoc Categories

Postdoctoral Fellows are paid appointees performing research under the general supervision of a principal investigator (PI). Postdocs are appointed for one year, with a three-month minimum. They may be eligible for the following:

• May be reappointed annually, but may not hold the appointment for more than 5 years.
• Individuals may serve in this role for up to five years.
• After five years, they may be reclassified to a research associate if their work remains located in the hiring lab.

For information or questions related to the OEB postdoc appointment process, please contact Chris Preheim, Senior Academic Appointments Administrator. 

Categories of Postdocs

• Internal/Employee (paid by Harvard): Internal postdocs are considered Harvard employees and are therefore eligible for Harvard employee benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance, and vacation time.
• Stipendiary (paid via an awarded Fellowship that is managed by Harvard): Stipendiary postdocs who have been awarded an individual fellowship and receive a stipend (not a salary) through Harvard are benefits eligible.
• External (paid directly by another institution, government, or program, e.g. Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and Fulbright): External postdocs are not considered Harvard employees and are therefore ineligible for subsidized Harvard employee benefits. They may, however, purchase the Harvard University Student Health Plan at the Affiliate rate.

Research Associates

This appointment is made to enable individuals who have held at least one postdoctoral fellowship to continue their research under the general supervision of one or more Harvard faculty members. While more advanced than postdocs, research associates still engage in mentored training to enable them to become independent researchers. The appointment, which is contingent on funding, is ordinarily made for one year and can be reappointed for a total of up to five years.

More Information

For more information on all FAS appointments please visit the FAS Appointment and Promotion Handbook (Chapter 13, Sections C and D cover postdocs and research associates) for additional details and policies and procedures regarding Postdoctoral Fellow appointments, which are governed by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).