Associates (inclusive of Associates, Teaching Associates, Research Associates, and Principal Associates) are full-time professional non-faculty appointments recommended by a department for persons working in a technical, educational, or professional capacity in association with faculty members. Their contribution is primarily in support of research, service, or teaching programs (see criteria below). The teaching of Harvard learners is not a requirement for Associate appointments. Associate appointments may be recommended directly to the Office for Human Resources (for HMS-paid individuals) or to the Office for Faculty Affairs (for individuals based at affiliates) by Department Heads subject to the criteria indicated below.
Ranks below Principal Associate have the option to be reviewed by the appointing Department Executive Committee, if such is the agreed-upon practice within that particular group. However, Principal Associate appointments require signed approval by the chair of Department Executive Committee. Associates may only move to faculty positions following a search.
Associate
- Engaged in well-defined research for specific institutional objectives under the direction of a principal investigator or for a department or clinical service under the direction of a faculty member
- A bachelor’s degree in a field directly related to the work or a combination of related education and experience will be required
- 1-year renewable term
Teaching Associate
- Provide teaching support for an educational program under the direction of a Department Head or the Dean for Medical Education
- Hold an advanced degree in a field related to the teaching program (required)
- 1-year renewable term
Research Associate
- Contribute significantly to the design and execution of experiments or research projects, working in collaboration with the research sponsor
- Hold an advanced degree appropriate to the field of research or a combination of related education and a high level of research experience
- Ordinarily, individuals receiving this appointment will have had at least three years of postdoctoral experience and will possess a doctoral degree at the time of appointment. Incumbents are not generally accorded the status of a principal investigator, but authorization may be granted upon recommendation of the Department Head
- 1-year renewable term
Principal Associate
- A 3-year term appointment recommended by the Department Head to the Dean
- Provides significant services (professional and technical)—often in a leadership capacity—for a program or research project under the direction of a principal investigator or for a department or clinical service under the direction of a faculty member. Candidate’s activities should demonstrate a level of growth and achievement that surpass expectations for Research Associate or Teaching Associate
- Ordinarily holds an advanced degree in a field directly related to the work or, in rare cases, a combination of related education and substantial experience within HMS/HSDM. Incumbents are not generally accorded the status of a principal investigator, but authorization may be granted upon recommendation of the Department Head
- This appointment is not typically an entry-level appointment; ordinarily, approval is based on evidence of achievement in another Associate role at HMS/HSDM
- There is no requirement for individual grant funding or major-author publications; however, successful candidates will typically have a significant track record of academic accomplishment, often as a critical contributor to research teams
- This position is only available as a full-time position and requires at least four (4) days onsite at HMS/HSDM or an affiliated institution
Last updated June 2023