How do I hire a Postdoctoral Fellow on my PAIRE funds?
You may hire a postdoc to work on your PAIRE funds by contacting hr@paire.org and you must go through your Stanford University (SU) department to get the postdoc a Stanford postdoc appointment.
If I do not have a SU faculty appointment how do I obtain a SU appointment for my postdoc?
Check with VAPAHCS faculty colleagues to see if one will “sponsor” your postdoc through their SU department.
Is there someone at SU that I need to contact regarding obtaining a postdoc appointment?
You will need to notify the Fellowship Coordinator for the specific department with which you are associated (or your sponsor is associated). Provide the coordinator with as much information as you can to facilitate the appointment. SU has a comprehensive website that addresses postdoc requirements for appointments: http://postdocs.stanford.edu.
How do I establish a pay rate for my postdoc?
SU provides guidance on how to determine pay for postdocs on their website. PAIRE adheres to SU’s pay guidelines for postdocs. You may pay more than the listed amount on the website but you cannot pay less. Your fellowship coordinator will assist with determining the appropriate rate of pay once the postdoc’s paperwork is received. See below:
Per SU: “The University Provost establishes minimum pay levels based on the years of cumulative research experience a Postdoctoral Scholar has when appointed. When determining pay rates for Postdoctoral Scholars, years, and months of research experience should be based on postdoctoral research worked at Stanford University or other institutions. For MDs the years of concentrated research listed on the curriculum vitae may be used; internship and residencies do not count for research years.”
Does my postdoc receive a pay increase during his/her appointment?
SU has established October 1st of each year as the date for the postdoc rates to change. Per above, the rate will changed based on the months of relevant research since hire date. PAIRE HR and the department Fellowship Coordinator will facilitate the increases based on approval from the PI. A PI may increase his/her postdoc’s salary at any time but October 1st is a required pay increase date.
Do I need to complete a performance evaluation on my postdoc?
SU requires the sponsor to work with the postdoctoral fellow to develop a plan of research and goals for the training period. See Research Policy Handbook for specifics. PAIRE suggests that the PI complete an annual performance review but no associated salary increase is required at that time. Please contact the Stanford Office of Postdoctoral Affairs for official guidelines regarding postdoctoral fellows.
Is there a fringe benefit rate associated with hiring a postdoc?
Yes. The fringe rate includes PI contribution towards medical coverage (requirement for postdocs) and employer taxes. The current fringe rate is approximately 22%.
What other benefits will my postdoc receive?
Postdocs are eligible to defer to the PAIRE 401(k) Retirement plan, are eligible for medical, dental and vision coverage and receive $10,000 life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. As a Postdoctoral Fellow appointed through Stanford University, s/he will have access to certain University privileges, such as Stanford email address, ID card, library privileges, and housing information.
If my postdoc requires a visa, what should I do?
Contact your SU fellowship coordinator to initiate the visa process. In general, SU processes a J1 visa for postdocs. If the postdoc already has a different category of visa, contact hr@paire.org prior to making any commitment to the postdoc. NOTE: Unlike Stanford, PAIRE PIs are required to pay the legal fees for an H1B visa which currently cost ~$2,500. This may be charged to the grant for which you are hiring the postdoc.
I want my postdoc to apply for fellowships, are there any restrictions?
Refer to the Postdoctoral Scholar section of the Research Policy Handbook for information pertaining to restrictions for fellowships. One such restriction states that “Postdoctoral Fellowships may not be awarded to international scholars on an H1B (employment) visa.” It is important to remember that restriction when discussing visa options with postdocs.
