4.2 The appointment process

The appointment process
How you are appointed has a bearing on what benefits you will receive and sometimes upon what resources are available to you. Therefore, as a PDF, it is crucial to understand the nature of your appointment. The following section provides information on the different appointment types, how to apply for positions, what to look for when considering an appointment, and how appointments are processed.

Appointment Types at UBC
Postdoctoral Fellows at UBC are individuals who are in training and work under the general supervision of a faculty member. Appointment as a PDF, according to UBC Policy AP10, is intended to be a temporary position that begins within five years of being awarded the Ph.D. degree or 10 years of being awarded the MD or DDS degree. Exceptions will be considered where the research career has been interrupted by circumstances such as parental responsibilities or illness.

The objective of a PDF appointment is to contribute to UBC's research and teaching mission, to strengthen the PDF’s skill set, publication record and CV, and to build a reputation that will enhance the PDF’s opportunity to secure a more permanent position both within, and outside of, teaching and research.

The PDF designations used at UBC are as follows:
• A Postdoctoral Research Fellow is a member of a research group or an individual researcher working under the general supervision of a faculty member, who may assist with the supervision of graduate students and may be asked to teach. Depending on the funding source, they may be appointed as an employee or as an award recipient.
• A Postdoctoral Fellow is an employee where the individual plays a key role on a research team under the direction of and funded by the supervising faculty member, and is paid a salary.
• A Postdoctoral Fellow is an award recipient where the individual is awarded a competitive fellowship from an external granting agency, which may or may not be paid through UBC, or receives financial support from a sponsoring agency. Award recipients do not have an employment relationship with UBC. They work independently under the mentorship of a supervising faculty member at UBC.
• An additional appointment as a Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow is provided for formal teaching duties. PDFs may be involved in both undergraduate and graduate lecturing, laboratory instruction, tutorials, and supervision of undergraduate projects. Teaching fellows are always appointed as employees.