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Clemson University Graduate School

Recruiting & Hiring PEPS

Postdoctoral and Early Professional Scholars (PEPS) may hold a wide range of positions at Clemson. These faculty roles are outlined in the Faculty Manual. The type of position depends on both the expectations and requirements for the role, as well as in response to the needs and constraints of each department. For instance, postdoctoral fellows are considered to be trainee roles in which professional development and mentorship should be incorporated. However, postdocs are often restricted from applying as a PI for federal grants and are considered to be temporary roles, and as a result, some departments may choose to hire a scholar as a Research Assistant Professor or Research Associate. Be sure to review the Faculty Manual, as well as discuss internally and with HR before determining what structure might be most appropriate for a specific position.

It is recommended that a statement related to teaching be included in PEPS position descriptions to ensure PEPS, such as postdocs, can be the instructor of record on courses. If departments do not include teaching as a responsibility and hope to add it as a responsibility in the future, an amendment to the PEPS visa documentation and/or application may be required for international scholars, depending on visa status.

In addition to determining how best to structure a position, departments and/or supervisors will also need to work with HR to recruit and hire. HR provides guidance on these processes through their site at Talent Acquisition Site.

Supervisors should be aware that there may be additional restrictions for international scholars depending on visa status. For information about employment based on visa types, visit International Employment Page. For more information about STEM OPT extensions for F-1 visa holders, visit Homeland Security Page.

Vacant faculty positions should be listed through Interfolio, Clemson’s recruitment platform. Supervisors may also consider posting PEPS opportunities.

 

Reach out to the PEPS Coordinator to discuss other potential options!

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Adding PEPS as Intructors of Record

Although PEPS are faculty, some paperwork necessary to designated them as the instructor of record may not be completed at the time of hire. The process for adding PEPS as instructors of record is the same as for other Faculty and differs from the process for adding graduate students as the teacher of record. Below is an overview of the process with links to resources:

PEPS/Faculty complete the required FERPA training, Information Systems Confidentiality Statement, and the iROAR Security Request Form on the Registrar's Onboarding and Access Page.

Registration Coordinators/Departments complete the Faculty Credentials Form available on the Institutional Effectiveness Page. Completed Faculty Credential Forms should be sent to your department’s Registration Coordinator.

Registration Coordinators/Departments complete the iROAR Instructor Access Form available on the Office of Institutional Research Page.

International scholars should contact International Services to discuss any potential impacts of any added responsibilities or changes in compensation that might impact visa status.

A lab instructor demonstrates experiment equipment to students

Mentoring

Teacher and student talk across a desk in a school office, with books and photos on a shelf nearby.

Mentorship is a crucial component of traineeships, such as postdoctoral fellows. We recommend supervisors of postdocs and equivalent roles establish mentoring agreements and plans. The Graduate School provides resources and guidance for these through the Graduate Center for Transformational Mentorship (GCTM).

We also encourage faculty mentors at Clemson University to have their graduate and postdoctoral trainees complete an Individual Development Plan (IDP) and review it with the trainee regularly.

To access these resources, visit the Federal Grant Mentoring Resources Page.    

Additionally many federal agencies require a mentoring component for trainee roles, such as the NIH. Make sure to review any grant documents for mentoring requirements, and check agency sites for further guidance.  Please be encouraged to reach out the PEPS Coordinator, Dr. Rieta Drinkwine (cupostdoc@clemson.edu) with questions.