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J. Milton Adams

John D. Simon
Executive Vice President & Provost

Contact Us

P.O. Box 400226
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4226

Phone:
434-982-2362
Fax:
434-924-1497
Email:
jwt5z@virginia.edu

Professional Research Staff

  1. Employment Procedures

    2. Appointments to the Professional Research Staff must be consistent with the provisions set forth in this memorandum. Prospective personnel should be made fully aware of the conditions of the proposed employment when a position is offered to them.

    A formal written offer stating the terms and conditions of employment may be forwarded to the candidate upon approval of the dean. Upon acceptance of the offer, the transaction should be submitted online to the appropriate vice president for approval and the following forms should be submitted to Human Resources for inclusion in the official personnel file:

    Job Description
    Curriculum Vitae
    Copy of Offer and acceptance letter
    Employment Agreement Form
    I-9 (Certification of Employment Eligibility)

    Aliens may be employed as Professional Research Staff members if they have current permission and appropriate documents from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 makes it illegal to hire knowingly an alien who is not authorized to work. Documents must clearly indicate that a candidate is eligible to work either as a legal alien or as a United States citizen. Failure to examine documents, to sign the verification form (I-9), or the inability to make the I-9 available for government inspection is punishable by a civil fine. It is not necessary to photocopy identity and eligibility documents on U.S. citizens, but for aliens, it is necessary to photocopy and attach such documents to the I-9. No personnel action is processed to put salaried or wage employees (either faculty or classified) on the University payroll without a completed I-9. Questions regarding the I-9 form and the hiring of aliens should be referred to the Director of Transactions and Records, Division of Benefits and Records, Department of Human Resources.

    Students are not eligible for appointment as Professional Research Staff, but must be appointed under the Student Authorization issued by the Office of the Provost. A student is defined as a person enrolled in a degree program with the University of Virginia.

    Documentation of affirmative action recruiting efforts for Professional Research Staff appointments or the approval of exemption which are not exempt from the formal search process is to be submitted at the time of the original appointment. A University of Virginia "report of recruiting activity" will indicate where job announcements have been listed, and provide information regarding the gender and race of applicants (for those willing to disclose race) and those who are interviewed. Refer to the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs (EOP) web page for information regarding the affirmative action procedures of the University.

  2. Terms and Conditions of Employment

    1. Research Staff

      1. Research Assistant

        2. Requires a master's degree or equivalent. Research Assistants perform research duties as directed by the Principal Investigator with a minimum of supervision. The Research Assistant should have the ability to establish his/her own priorities, design methodologies, follow established quality standards, analyze data, prepare written documentation and make formal presentations. The Research Assistant should also have the ability to assume leadership of other research staff. This title is primarily for the person whose employment is for a short term, 12 months or less. However, any position that is expected to continue beyond an initial one-year appointment must be advertised and searched in advance of the initial appointment in accordance with the University of Virginia's EOP procedures.

      2. Research Associate

        3. Requires a doctoral degree. Research Associates work independently and perform assigned research on their own initiative with a minimum of direction. This category is provided for the recent Ph.D. or equivalent whose employment is for a limited time (normally not more than three years) and is for the purpose of acquiring additional experience and training while contributing significantly to a research program.

    2. Senior Research Staff

      1. Research Scientist

        2. Requires a doctoral or master's degree with experience or their equivalent. The individual is expected to perform assigned tasks on his/her own initiative. In addition to a firm background in the particular field, the Research Scientist should demonstrate the ability to assume leadership of small groups and work without additional supervision once objectives are defined and methods of approach set.

      2. Senior Scientist

        3. Requires a doctoral degree or equivalent in training or experience. The individual is expected to have sufficient experience and background to organize small research groups including Assistants through Research Scientists. The individual is expected to perform assigned tasks on his/her own initiative with a minimum of direction. Senior Scientists do not normally serve as co-Principal Investigators on research projects. However, if circumstances warrant this level of service, an appointment as co-Principal Investigator may be granted at the discretion of the dean.

      3. Principal Scientist

        4. Requires a doctoral degree or equivalent (exceptions may be granted in rare instances). Admission to this class is usually restricted to those employees who demonstrate exceptional creative ability and thus, capability of conducting independent research. They participate in the research program at the level of project supervisor or higher and may be named, if appropriate, as Co-Principal Investigator on the research project. They are distinguished from Research Professors because they do not provide formal guidance to students or otherwise participate in the instructional program.

  3. Length of Appointment

    4. Initial appointments for Research Scientists, Senior Scientists, or Principal Scientists shall not exceed three years. Appointments for Research Assistants and Research Associates shall not normally exceed one year. Appointments for Research Assistants are non-renewable unless appropriate EOP procedures have been followed. Appointments for Research Associates may be renewed, but the total term of employment for research associates in a training status ("post-docs") shall not normally exceed three years. For those research associates who are not in a training status, appropriate EOP procedures must be followed in order to renew the appointment past the first year.

    Appointments to the Professional Research Staff are usually for the period of time for which salary sources have been identified. At no time is the University obligated to continued employment should the source of that salary (i.e., grant, contract, etc.) be terminated or reduced below the level of compensation for the position.

  4. Reappointment and Standards for Notice

    5. Monitoring the progress of newly appointed members of the Professional Research Staff is the responsibility of the appropriate principal investigator. An evaluation is made prior to the end of the first term of appointment to ascertain that the staff member is performing the assigned duties in a highly satisfactory manner. If the evaluation is positive and sufficient salary funds are available, Research Scientists, Senior Scientists, and Principal Scientists can normally expect to be reappointed for another one to three succeeding years; Research Associates and Research Assistants may be renewed under the terms specified under Length of Appointment. For all members of the Professional Research Staff, a minimum of one month's notice shall be given in the event of non-reappointment or termination due to insufficient research funds. Notice of non reappointment for reasons other than insufficient funds shall be one month for each year of service at the University, up to a maximum of six months. However, the University shall make every reasonable effort to provide as much notice as possible, regardless of the circumstance.

  5. Removal by Action for Just Cause

    6. Members of the Professional Research Staff may be removed for just cause. Stated causes for removal shall include, but not be limited to: professional incompetence, unacceptable performance after due notice, unethical conduct, misconduct that interferes with the capacity of the employee to perform effectively the requirements of his/her employment, or falsification of credentials or experience.

    Removal for cause is to be preceded by a pre-termination hearing meeting between the employee and the supervisor, in order to give the employee an opportunity to provide additional information. This hearing meeting is required before a decision can be made to terminate. In cases where there is some likelihood of threat to health or safety, this meeting can be waived, with notice to and prior approval granted by the appropriate vice president.

    Following a decision to discharge, written notice will be given to the individual and the appropriate dean and vice president. The notice is subject to invocation by the affected employee of the Employment Matters Review Procedure, which is detailed below. When a member of the Professional Research Staff has been notified of the intention to remove him/her for cause, the appropriate vice president and provost or his/her designee may suspend the staff member's employment at any time and continue the suspension until a final decision concerning removal has been reached by the appropriate procedures.

  6. Employment Matters Review Procedure

    7. A member of the Professional Research Staff may present an employment-related complaint or dispute relating to employment to his/her immediate supervisor. If the member is not satisfied with the supervisor's response, he/she may present the matter to the appropriate chairman or dean within five working days. If not satisfied with the dean or department chair's response, the staff member may present the matter to the next level of authority within five working days. The final level of referral shall be the Vice President and Provost or, for staff members in the Health Sciences Center, the Vice President and Provost for Health Sciences. In all cases, unless mutually agreed otherwise, each level of referral must respond to the employee within five working days.

  7. Salary Schedule and Salary Review

    8. Starting salaries are established in accordance with the schedule of normal starting salary established by the Board of Visitors (www.virginia.edu/budget). All annual salary adjustments are for merit increases, and will normally be effective on the date state-funded increases are effective, unless a school elects as a policy to use anniversary dates as the date for salary increases. Salaries should be set in increments of $100 and increases greater than 15% should be justified in writing and approved by the appropriate vice president.

  8. Patent and Copyright Policy

    9. As a condition of employment, any person who may be engaged in University research is required to execute a patent agreement with the University in which the rights and obligations of both parties are defined.

  9. Leave

    1. Holidays

      2. In addition to accumulated annual leave or vacation, Professional Research Staff are granted eleven holidays in accordance with the University's holiday policies and schedule for classified personnel.

    2. Annual Leave

      3. Research Assistants accrue leave at the same rates as classified staff:

      0-5 Years of Service:
      Monthly Accrual Rate= 8 hours
      Maximum Accumulation= 192 hours

      5-10 Years of Service:
      Monthly Accrual Rate= 10 hours
      Maximum Accumulation= 240 hours

      10-20 Years of Service:
      Monthly Accrual Rate= 12 hours
      Maximum Accumulation= 288 hours

      Greater than 20 Years of Service:
      Monthly Accrual Rate= 14 hours
      Maximum Accumulation= 336 hours

      Research Assistants employed on less than a full-time basis accumulate leave proportionally to their part-time status. Use of annual leave is to be approved in advance by the individual's supervisor. Leave records are maintained on an automated leave report and unused annual leave will be reported and paid in a lump sum at the time of separation, subject to any limitations in effect at the time.

      Research Associates, Research Scientists, Senior Scientists and Principal Scientists who hold twelve month appointments are granted one month (22 working days) of vacation each July 1, to be used each year at a time approved by the Principal Investigator. Vacations must be used within the year earned and cannot be carried from one year to the next. No payment will be made at the time of separation for unused vacation time.

      Those members of the Research Staff who change job classification to the Senior Research Staff (e.g., from Research Assistant to Research Scientist) do not receive payment for any annual leave balances remaining on the effective date of the change, nor are any annual leave balances carried forward.

    3. Sick Leave

      4. Research Staff and Senior Research Staff and research faculty who participate in VRS and are hired on or after January 1, 1999 and those hired prior to that date who opted into the program are entitled to coverage under the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program Leave (VSDP) which provides 64 hours of sick leave (with an additional 8 hours added for each 5 years of service up to a maximum total of 120 hours) annually on January 10 of each year. If employment begins on or after July 1, 40  hours will be received the first day of employment. Sick leave should be documented and submitted on leave reports according to established guidelines. Sick leave is taken in accordance with the policy for Classified Staff and may not be carried forward to the next year; nor can payment be received upon termination. Eligible part-time employees earn leave at one-half of the above leave amounts. Refer to the Human Resources web site for more information on the classified sick leave policies.

      Research Assistants and Research Associates hired prior to January 1, 1999 who chose not to opt into the VSDP accrue sick leave at the rate of ten hours (1-1/4 days) per month with no limit of accrual. The appropriate Research Administrator maintains sick leave records. Sick leave is taken in accordance with the policy for Classified Staff. Refer to the Human Resources web site for more information on the classified sick leave policies, as well as the family leave policy for classified staff. Upon separation after five years of continuous service, the employee may receive a lump sum payment equal to one-fourth of unused accumulated sick leave up to a maximum of $5,000.

      Sick leave is provided to members of the Senior Research Staff (Research Scientist, Senior Scientist, Principal Scientist) as it is to members of the faculty.

      The temporary disability policy applicable to faculty at the time shall apply to Senior Research Staff. University Human Resources requires all short term disability claims for employees in optional retirement plans (ORPs) to be submitted through The Standard, a third party vendor contracted by the University. For more information, please refer to the plan web site maintained by University Human Resources.

    4. Family and Personal Leave

      5. Eligible Research Staff and and Senior Research Staff, full-time or part-time, who participate in VSDP receive 32 hours (with an additional  8 hours after 10 years of service) of family and personal leave. If employment begins on or after July 1, 16 hours will be received the first day of employment. Family Personal Leave should be documented and submitted on leave reports according to established guidelines. Family and Personal leave should be taken for short-term absences due to family illness or for the care of a family member. It may also be taken for other purposes, provided reasonable notice is given to the supervisor and approved. Unused Family and Personal Leave cannot be carried forward to the next year; nor can payment be received upon termination of employment.

    5. Compensatory Leave

      6. In general, members of the Professional Research Staff, because of their level of responsibility and effort, are not eligible for compensatory leave. Research Assistants may earn compensatory leave only if the employee is considered essential and therefore required to work on inclement weather days, or for time worked on recognized holidays as scheduled by his/her supervisor.

  10. Insurance Benefits and Retirement

    1. Health Insurance

      2. Health insurance is available for full-time Professional Research Staff under the Commonwealth of Virginia State Plan. This insurance becomes effective the first month of employment if work begins on the first work day of the month; otherwise coverage is effective the first day of the following month. Coverage is an optional University benefit. If coverage is waived or not applied for within 31 days of employment date, the employee will not be eligible to enroll for family coverage until the next open enrollment period. Employee-only coverage may be elected at any time, to be effective the first of the following month. The benefits under, and rules concerning, the State plan may change from time to time. The Division of Benefits and Records will schedule a benefit orientation meeting with the employee; all applicable forms will be completed at that time.

    2. Life Insurance

      3. All full-time Professional Research Staff personnel participate in the life insurance program associated with the retirement program in which they are enrolled. This insurance provides a combination of life, accidental death, and dismemberment coverage. This is term life insurance paid for by the University.

    3. Retirement

      4. All full-time Professional Research Staff personnel participate in the Virginia Supplemental Retirement System (VSRS). Half-time salaried research staff with a minimum 50% FTE and 6 month appointment are eligible for VRS benefits including life insurance. Full-time Senior Research Staff holding an appointment of three years or more may elect to participate in the University’s Faculty Retirement Program. Details regarding the optional retirement programs currently offered are available from the Division of Benefits and Records.