PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES

HOW TO HIRE LAB STAFF & STUDENT ASSISTANTS

Refer to “How to Hire an Academic Employee”

when hiring a Specialist, Project Scientist or Postdoc

The Principal Investigator:

  • Determines if there is a vacancy to be filled
  • Determines the type of position needed(limited, career, casual)
  • Determines funding (in consultation with the Finance Analyst)
  • Determines the appropriate job classification and completes or updates the job description, if needed (in consultation with the Personnel Analyst)

The Personnel Analyst

  • Assists the PI with the above
  • Obtains recruitment approval from the “Dean” (limited & career only)
  • Submits a job requisition to HR (limited & career)
  • Posts job ad to ZotLink (casual only)
  • Assists with the review of applications, as needed

DETERMINE THE TYPE OF STAFF POSITION NEEDED

Note: The following does not apply to Student Assistants, who are “casual” employees and not considered “staff.”

Career / An appointment established at a fixed or variable percent of time at 50% or more of full-time, which is expected to continue for one year or longer. A career employee does not have an appointment end date.
**Job posting required**
Limited / Any percent of time, fixed or variable, during which an employee is expected to be on pay status for less than 1,000 hours in a 12-month period. An employee holding a limited appointment is automatically terminated as of the last day of the appointment unless there is an earlier separation or formal extension of the appointment in writing.
**Job posting not required**

JOB CLASSIFICATION & DESCRIPTION

Staff positions require HR approved job classifications and descriptions (with the exception of Student Assistants). If the PI determines to use an existing job description without any changes, than HR will not need to review and approve a new job description.

The PI must determine job duties and responsibilities and specify the required skills, knowledge and abilities for the position. This information will be used to determinate the appropriate classification for the position as well as to write the job description. The Personnel Analyst has detailed information about each classificationas well as sample job descriptions and salary information.

Following is a summary of the classification specifications for the most commonly used lab staff titles:

Laboratory Assistant Series (I-IV)

Lab Assistants perform or supervise the performance of standardized and recurring technical procedures in the teaching and/or research laboratory; perform or supervise a variety of business operations related to management of a laboratory; and perform other related duties as required. Incumbents in the series may work under the supervision of academic personnel, SRAs, or higher level Laboratory Assistants. Assignments may require specialized knowledge of a field or area of discipline, however, they do not require the thorough understanding of the scientific principles involved or knowledge of the discipline as required for incumbents in the Staff Research Associate series.

Lab Helper

Under close supervision incumbents perform simple duties of a routine nature in a teaching or research laboratory. Lab Helpers wash, wrap and sterilize glassware, equipment and/or instruments; fill, label and distribute media and reagent bottles; clean, check and replenish standard laboratory equipment and supplies and order new stocks of supplies as necessary; dust and wash shelves and counters; clean sinks; check and record temperatures of refrigerators and incubators; check and clean centrifuges; keep standard solution bottles filled; prepare labels; provide clean towels, test tubes, cover slips, filter and lens paper and keep records of supplies furnished.

Staff Research Associate Series

SRAs perform or supervise the performance of laboratory and/or field experimental procedures in support of academically-supervised research and teaching; and perform other related duties as required. Incumbents work under academic supervision.

Student Assistant Series (I-IV)

Note: this is considered a “casual” employee and job posting/search requirements differ from those of “staff.”

  • Student must be registered for at least 6 units or intend to register the following quarter
  • Generally do not work more than 49% time during instructional periods
  • Flexible work schedule
  • May be eligible for work study, which pays 75% of their wage up to a certain dollar amount
  • This position is secondary to academic and student life

Under supervision, Student Assistants perform duties ranging from unskilled to skilled and/or specialized in a variety of positions. The series is characterized by the generally temporary nature of appointments, the general absence of continuing responsibility for the work performed, and the diversity of duties that may be assigned. The responsibilities of these positions are as varied as the functions that they support. The work is assigned ranges from simple, routine, and repetitive tasks to complex assignments requiring the application of academic and/or technical skill or training.

COMMON LAB STAFF TITLES

TITLE / EXEMPT / NON-EXEMPT / UNION / VISA ELIGIBILITY / SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL / MUST BE SUPERVISED IN LAB
Lab Assistant I / - / X / X / - / X / X
Lab Assistant II, III, IV / - / X / X / - / X / -
Lab Helper / - / X / X / X / X
Staff Research Associate I / - / X / - / - / X / -
Staff Research Associate II (non-exempt) / - / X / X / J1 / - / -
Staff Research Associate
II, III, IV / X / - / - / J1 / - / -
SRA –Supervisor
II, III, IV / X / - / - / J1 / - / -
Student Assistant
I, II, III, IV / - / X / - / F1 / X / X

JOB POSTINGS

A job posting is NOT required for limited and casual positions IFyou have already identified the final candidate. You will only post an ad when you need to conduct a search.

All careerpositions must be posted and applicants reviewed.

All ads must be posted for a minimum of 10 business days.

Once a requisition is submitted to HR (career & limited only):

  • Allow a minimum of 3 business days before HR posts your ad if using an existing job description
  • Allow a minimum of 7 business before HR posts your ad if using a new or updated jobdescription

REVIEW OF APPLICANTS

Once a posting is closed the search committee must review all applicants and interview any qualified candidates before making a final selection. The Department Personnel Analyst will assist withthis process.

ONLINE RESOURCES

Hiring Staff:

Hiring Students: