Researcher Affairs Specialist

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences?

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) is the historic heart of Harvard University. It is the home of Harvard’s undergraduate program (Harvard College, founded in 1636) as well as all of Harvard’s Ph.D. programs (the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1872), Harvard Athletics and the Division of Continuing Education. The 40 academic departments and 30+ centers of the FAS support a community unparalleled in its academic excellence across the broadest range of liberal arts and sciences disciplines. Together, the FAS seeks to foster an environment of ambition, curiosity and shared commitment to knowledge and truth that elicits excellence from all members of our community and prepares the next generation of leaders through a transformative educational experience.

Job Description

Job Summary:

The Researcher Affairs Specialist administers a portfolio of researcher appointments and serves as a primary resource for faculty, principal investigators, departments, research centers, and researchers throughout the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). The position is responsible for managing researcher appointments throughout the employee lifecycle, including hiring, onboarding, appointment changes, visa coordination, payroll-related transactions, compliance monitoring, and issue resolution. 

Working in partnership with University administrative offices, the Researcher Affairs Specialist ensures researcher personnel actions are processed accurately, efficiently, and in compliance with University policies, collective bargaining agreements, immigration regulations, and applicable federal and state employment laws. The position requires exceptional organizational skills, sound judgment, attention to detail, and a strong customer service orientation while supporting a diverse and complex research community. 

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Researcher Appointment Administration  

• Processes and manages all researcher appointment-related actions, including appointment, reappointments, salary changes, FTE changes, title changes, Reviews researcher appointments, reappointments, and promotions for compliance with FAS policies and appointment guidelines.   

• Maintains researcher personnel records in accordance with FAS processes and policies.   

• Tracks appointment end dates, reappointment dates, and review dates and communicates upcoming actions to departments.