Active and Completed Projects

Changes to Fair Review Policies for Staff Scientist Titles

In April 2022, NIH leadership approved changes to the titling policies for Staff Scientists to receive honorary titles of Associate Scientist and Senior Associate Scientist. These titles are similar to promotions from Research Assistant Professor to Research Associate Professor or Research Professor within academia. Prior to April 2022, there were percentage limits on how many individuals could have these titles (which meant many small ICs could not use them) and not all ICs conferred these titles. 

Each IC is now required to draft and get approved their Staff Scientist Titling policies according to the fair review principles. These policies are being reviewed and approved by OIR and a Staff Scientist Advisory Committee. 

https://oir.nih.gov/sourcebook/personnel/policies-recruitment-processes/fair-review-principles-nominations-staff-scientists-associate-scientist

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Developing NIH-Wide Policy for Displaced Staff Scientists

The Displaced Staff Scientist Committee is working with NIH leadership to establish uniform policies for the relocation of displaced Staff Scientists. A displaced Staff Scientist is one whose associated PI is retiring, terminated, deceased, or otherwise separated from NIH. Core facility managers and some core personnel can also become displaced if the core facility is closed. As the Staff Scientist position is generally a time-limited, renewable position, continued employment of a displaced Staff Scientist is not guaranteed. There is currently no uniform NIH-wide policy for displaced Staff Scientists, and the practices used by individual ICs are not always clearly communicated (or exist) when a Staff Scientist becomes displaced. 

To this end, the Displaced Staff Scientist Committee has started discussions with NIH leadership and are investigating possible unified mechanisms, programs, and policies to facilitate transitions for displaced Staff Scientists. This effort supports retention of the sophisticated laboratory knowledge and extensive institutional knowledge that Staff Scientists accumulate during their tenure.

In February 2024, the committee conducted a survey of Staff Scientists to gather information on the experiences of displaced Staff Scientists. Download the survey here.

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Staff Scientist/Supervisor Letter of Agreement

The SSO Letter of Agreement committee is working with NIH leadership to develop a template letter for Staff Scientists and their supervisor(s) to define and agree on the rights and responsibilities of their Staff Scientist positions. This letter will be drafted upon initial employment and updated at each quadrennial review. This agreement may be modified or updated when a major change in role, change in supervisor, or promotion occurs.

The Letter of Agreement is currently being reviewed by NIH leadership.

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Quadrennial Review Best Practices

Members of the Quad Review Committee are actively reaching out to each IC to gather information on the standard operating procedure (SOP) for their Quadrennial Review of Staff Scientists. A summary will follow.