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Prospective Postdoctoral Scholars

Initial Appointment Process

Postdoctoral Scholar Hire Process. Our postdoc hire overview diagram is a simple tool designed to help Faculty/PIs and prospective postdocs understand the process of hiring postdocs in the Department of Statistics and at the University of Washington. This is a two- to three-step process: recruitment (either competitive or non-competitive), hiring, and--if an employment visa is needed--visa application. Review the postdoc hire overview diagram linked above for details.

Kristine Chan, Manager of Department Operations, at (kyunchan@uw.edu), will receive the hire request from the Faculty/PI and contact the candidate for documentation required for hire. 

Postdoctoral Scholar Titles. Funding, pay type, and Ph.D. conferral status generally determines a postdoc's formal title and benefits eligibility at the University of Washington. Review the Postdoctoral Scholar titles page on the AHR website for details. 

Compensation. For complete details on Postdoctoral Scholar compensation requirement, review Section 32.2 of the UAW Postdoctoral Scholar Contract. Details on Individual Postdoctoral Scholar Salary Increases are found in Section 32.3; upon each annual anniversary, the postdoc is required to receive a min. of a 2% increase.

Postdoctoral Scholar experience-based salary scale (07/01/2021 – 01/31/2023):

Postdoc experience level  Minimum annual full-time salary equivalent
0 (0 – 11 months) $ 53,760
1 (12 – 23 months)  $ 54,144
2 (24 – 35 months) $ 54,540
3 (36 – 47 months)   $ 56,712
4 (48 – 59 months)  $ 58,608
5 (60 – 71 months)*   $ 60,780*

*By exception due to extraordinary circumstances for family care and/or personal illness, or COVID-19-related circumstances
 

International Postdoc Visa Process

Incoming international Postdoctoral Scholars generally are sponsored on a J-1 visa. If a postdoc is currently on a J-1 visa with another institution, the UW will sponsor the transfer of the J-1 and any subsequent extensions. Any employee on a J-1 visa must exhaust their five years of J-1 eligibility before changing status to H-1B. If a postdoc is currently on an H-1B visa with another institution, the UW will sponsor the transfer of the H-1B and any subsequent extensions. 

Upon receipt of the signed offer letter, Kristine will submit a request to the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) visa team requesting a visa process. The CAS team will reach out directly to the Postdoctoral Scholar for all required documents. To view the employment visa timelines, click here.

Please note that lead time may change due to COVID-19 related circumstances.

If you have any other visa related questions, please direct them to Kristine Chan (kyunchan@uw.edu).
 

Onboarding

Statistics Postdoctoral Scholars Onboarding Guide (for all new Postdoctoral Scholars)

Welcome Day. All new employees are required to register for and attend Welcome Day, the formal UW orientation program. Welcome Day introduces the UW Employee Benefits package, including retirement plan options, and gives you the opportunity to receive guidance and ask questions about your benefits selections. Since most enrollment deadlines fall within 31 days of an employee’s eligibility date, you should attend Welcome Day during your first few weeks of employment. If you are eligible for the bargaining unit represented by UAW 4121 (the postdoc union), you have the opportunity to meet with representatives from this union.

Benefits. Benefits are provided to Postdoctoral Scholars who are paid a salary by the UW and meet other eligibility requirements. If you are or will be a member of the UAW union, you can review Article 9 of the contract for information on benefits. You can find information on medical, dental, and other plans online. 

Questions about eligibility may be directed to Kristine Chan (kyunchan@uw.edu). Questions about specific plans can be directed to the ISC and the UW Benefits Office (ischelp@uw.edu). You can also check out more information in the Benefits Summary for Postdoctoral Scholars page.

It is important to note that Postdoctoral Scholar - Fellows do not receive retirement benefits, and that Paid Direct postdoctoral scholars do not receive any fringe benefits.

ID Card and Bus Pass. Upon arriving to the UW, you will need to obtain a UW Husky Card, which is your employee ID. Visit the UW Husky Card Office during their operating business hours - no appointment is necessary. You must obtain a Husky Card before activating your U-PASS/bus pass. Transportation Services and the U-PASS (bus pass) program will help you get to the UW’s Seattle campus and better understand your commute options. 
 

F.A.Q.

  1. How do I get hired as a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Statistics at the UW?

    The first action to take is to contact the Faculty or PI you want to work with. PI's do their own recruiting and hiring of postdocs through our department.
     
  2. Who do I contact if I want to discuss a Postdoctoral Scholar Competitive Recruitment?

    Faculty and PIs should contact Kristine Chan (kyunchan@uw.edu) for assistance with postdoc competitive recruitments.
     
  3. Once I have conducted a recruitment and am ready to hire a Postdoctoral Scholar, who should I contact?

    Please email Kristine Chan (kyunchan@uw.edu) with any questions or information on the hiring process. You may also review the Postdoctoral Scholar Hiring Overview.
     
  4. What is the difference between a Postdoctoral Scholar and a Postdoctoral Scholar - Fellow?

    In short, a Postdoctoral Scholar - Fellow receives a stipend from a training grant funding source. UW Academic HR page on Postdoctoral Scholar page explains the differences between the titles and the requirements. Note that Postdoctoral Scholar - Fellows do not receive retirement benefits due to their funding sources. 
     
  5. Who should I contact if my visa needs to be extended?

    Contact Kristine Chan (kyunchan@uw.edu). If you are a faculty supervisor to a postdoc, Kristine will most likely reach out to you prior to the visa and postdoc appointment end date since she keeps track faculty/postdoc HR and visas, and is familiar with the deadlines that the College of Arts & Science (CAS) and International Scholar’s Office (ISO) set for the type of visa your postdoc has.
     

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