Recruiting Postdocs

Starting the Process

To recruit a new postdoc, please contact your Postdoc Administrator and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) at postdocsupportgwu [dot] edu (postdocsupport[at]gwu[dot]edu).

Postdoc recruitment can only be done within PA7 (PeopleAdmin). No other tools should be used for postdoc job postings.

Below are several considerations, tools, and requirements for hiring a postdoc.

Postdoc appointments, both Postdoctoral Associates and Scholars, have limited terms.

The term of their GW postdoc appointment is limited to 5 years.
If the candidate has previous postdoc experience, then their combined time as a postdoc is limited to 7 years.
- For example, if a candidate has spent 3 years in a postdoctoral position at another institution, then they may be appointed as a postdoc for a maximum term of 4 years at GW (7 years less 3 years of prior experience).
- In extraordinary circumstances, extensions can be considered to the term limit. Requests for extensions must be submitted by the faculty mentor to postdocsupportgwu [dot] edu.

Upon completion of the postdoc term, a postdoctoral fellow must transition into a non-postdoc position at the university or a position at another organization. We recommend that faculty mentors to work with HR Business Partners to offer a staff/faculty position to the postdoc if such an opportunity exists.

The possible titles for postdoctoral fellows are Postdoctoral Associate and Postdoctoral Scholar. All prior postdoc titles under the research staff category no longer exist.

Postdoc titles may include the field of research, e.g., Postdoctoral Associate, Human Paleobiology or Postdoctoral Associate NIST.

Sample Appointment DescriptionsSample descriptions (i.e. Job Standard Templates (JSTs) for postdoctoral scholar and associate appointment positions have been developed and can be used to create postings within the PeopleAdmin (PA7) system.

Download sample postdoc position descriptions (GW log in required)

Effective July 1, 2025, the minimum annualized compensation for postdocs appointed on or after July 1, 2025, is $62,232.

The minimum compensation aligns with year zero of the FY25 NIH National Research Service Awards (NRSA) scale, which is a national standard. The minimum will apply across all GW departments and units, regardless of funding source. NIH updates the NRSA scale annually. GW will continue to reference it to inform starting compensation.

Basic Trainee: $62,232 - $70,343.
Approval Chain: Finance Director -> Postdoc Office.

Advanced Trainee: $70, 344 ‐ $90,000.
Approval Chain: Finance Director -> ADR -> Postdoc Office.

Placement in the basic and advanced range is highly specific to the position and the finalist. Justification is needed for all advanced-level hires.

Budgeting for Postdocs in Sponsored Projects (FY26)

Postdoctoral Associates

GW has negotiated an agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that approves the fringe benefit rate for postdoctoral associates.

Beginning FY26 (i.e., July 1, 2025), the postdoc associate fringe rates will be:

25.02% for postdoctoral associates funded by sponsored projects.

29.00% for postdoctoral associates funded by non-sponsored projects.

More details can be found in the rate agreement and institutional information for sponsored projects.

Postdoctoral Scholars

Each postdoc scholar position is being assessed a monthly fee to cover the cost of the postdoc benefit program. The majority of the monthly fee covers a postdoc scholar’s health and well-being program election. For most postdoc scholars, this fee is an allowable expense on sponsored projects and should be budgeted and charged accordingly. The total monthly fee will be determined by the postdoc scholar’s enrollment in health and welfare plans (i.e., individual or family coverage). Investigators can prepare budgets using the “GW Contribution” values in the “Plan Rates” document on the GW Postdoctoral Benefits Program website.

A small portion of the monthly fee covers certain insurances that are not allowable expenses on sponsored projects (e.g., Basic Long-term Disability (LTD), Basic Life (BL), and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)). The monthly fee to cover LTD, BL, and AD&D is determined by the postdoc’s compensation and will range from approximately $13 to $22 per scholar per month. The fee must be covered by the postdoc scholar’s home department. These rates are subject to change. Any changes would become effective January 1 and would be communicated the preceding fall.

Departments should reach out to the International Services Office to initiate the visa process. Obtaining a visa takes time and patience, so please begin the process well before the postdoc's start date. Postdoc appointments can only proceed once the department and canidate has acquired and provided the university with all necessary documents, including visa documents.