Recruiting a Postdoc

Types of Postdocs at Queen’s: Categorization of Postdocs

The categorization of a Postdoc’s employment relationship with Queen’s University will depend on several factors including source of income. Some postdocs will be employees at Queen’s. These postdocs are considered Postdoctoral Fellows. Some postdocs will not be considered employees of the University. These postdocs will be considered Postdoctoral Guests. Further information on this distinction is below. 

Please email fro@queensu.ca for clarification if you are unsure which categorization of postdoc fits your circumstance.

Postdoctoral Fellow

If a faculty member in your Unit anticipates employing a new Postdoctoral Fellow who they will supervise (“faculty supervisor”) and who will be compensated in whole or in part  (i.e. salary and benefits) by the faculty member’s research funds, it is likely that the proper characterization of the relationship is employment (“Postdoctoral Fellow”) and that the appointee will be included as a member of the PSAC Unit 2 bargaining unit and employed on the terms of the Collective Agreement between Queen’s University and PSAC for Postdoctoral Fellows (Unit 2). For more information, please contact fro@queensu.ca

A copy of the collective agreement can be accessed here.

Postdoctoral Guests

If a person has secured their own transferable funding from an external grant-funding agency (e.g. a Tri-Agency award) which will be the sole source of funding (i.e. they will not receive any income from Queen’s University nor participate in benefits plans that Queen’s provides to its employees), it is likely that the proper characterization of the relationship is Postdoctoral Guest. If a faculty member in your Unit is expecting and intends to mentor a new Postdoc who has secured their own funding, please contact postdoc@queensu.ca for information about supporting Postdoctoral Guests in their transition to Queen’s University, and to obtain a template welcome letter that can be completed and delivered. Postdoctoral Guests are not employees of Queen’s University and they are not included within the ambit of the Collective Agreement between Queen’s University and PSAC for Postdoctoral Fellows (Unit 2)

Hiring a Postdoctoral Fellow

  1. Set clear expectations for the fellowship in writing, identifying the individual(s) responsible for determining the research program, designating other mentors, clarifying any teaching opportunities, outlining duties for career support, defining contract extension prospects, and ensuring funding is secure for the fellowship duration. 
    1. See the Faculty Relations Office’s ‘Post-doctoral Fellow Form’ for examples of potential topics of discussion.
  2. Complete a Postdoctoral Fellow Appointment Letter.
    1. Letter templates can be accessed on the Faculty Relations Office website.
  3. Send the letter to the departmental and/or faculty Staffing Officer for review.
  4. Parties sign the appointment letter and share a copy with the HR, their Staffing Officer, and with PSAC 901.
    1.  If the Postdoctoral Fellow is an international scholar, please see the Immigration and Relocation Support website for steps to obtain a work permit.
  5. The host department onboards the Postdoctoral Fellow as an employee.

Note: Faculty members who hired Postdoctoral Fellows are responsible for covering associated benefit costs of their employee.

Welcoming a Postdoctoral Guest

  1. Contact postdoc@queensu.ca for the Postdoctoral Guest Welcome Letter template.
  2. Parties sign the welcome letter and share a copy with the Coordinator of Postdoctoral Affairs and their department.
    1. If the Postdoctoral Fellow is an international scholar, please see the Immigration and Relocation Support website for steps to obtain a work permit.
  3. The host department’s IT representative requests a Contingent Worker NetID for the Postdoctoral Guest.

  1. Contact postdoc@queensu.ca for the Postdoctoral Guest Welcome Letter template.
  2. Parties sign the welcome letter and share a copy with the Coordinator of Postdoctoral Affairs and their department.
  3. The host department’s IT representative requests a Contingent Worker NetID for the Postdoctoral Guest.

The faculty mentor must create a TRAQ to receive the postdoctoral fellowship award from the Tri-Agency or Mitacs. External awards administered by Queen’s cannot be sent to the Postdoctoral Guest until a TRAQ has been established and activated fully.

Step 1: Postdoctoral fellowship award holder confirms their acceptance and start date directly to appropriate Tri-Agency program.

Step 2: Award holder completes Request for First Installment Form

Award holders complete Parts 1-3 of the Request for First Installment form and submits the form to the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (SGSPA) via postdoc@queensu.ca. The SGSPA completes Part 4 of the form and provides the PDF with a signed copy for their records and to support the creation of a TRAQ.

Step 3: Faculty member creates a TRAQ for the award.

  1. Log into MyQueensU/SOLUS portal (my.queensu.ca), scroll down to Research Applications, click on TRAQ Researcher Portal link. Enter your Queen’s Net ID and password when prompted.
  2. Click APPLY NEW
  3. Under Awards, click TRAQ DSS FORM
  4. Complete the different tabs of the TRAQ DSS FORM, as described here. 
  5. In the Attachments tab, attach award letter from the Tri-Agency. If you have a copy of the proposal sent in application for the award that can be uploaded as well.
  6. Receive your activated TRAQ.
  7. Log in to the TRAQ Researcher Portal and click on Applications (Submitted-Post Review) or Reminders*.
  8. When prompted, upload and submit a budget (template here) and signing authority form to create a Project number. Video instructions are available. You will also receive email instructions from TRAQ on how to complete this step.
  9. Share the TRAQ number and Project number to SGSPA via postdoc@queensu.ca account.

Note: It may take a few weeks for the TRAQ and project number to be fully activated. Please contact traq@queensu.ca if you require any assistance with creating a TRAQ.

Step 4: SGSPA receives award funds from Tri-Agency.

Typically, the award funds are transferred mid-month before the award start date.

Step 5: SGSPA transfers funds to TRAQ account.

It takes approximately 24 hours for the funds to land in the TRAQ account after sending the transfer.

Step 6: Faculty TRAQ holder or staff administrator with acQuire Requester access submits a Research Payment Request Form to transfer the award from TRAQ to postdoctoral fellowship award holder.

Tips: To gain acQuire Requester status, you must complete the required training from Strategic Procurement Services.

If you require additional information or support on creating a Research Payment Request, please contact postdoc@queensu.ca

Step 7: Award holder inputs their information through the Secure Supplier Information Collection Form to receive payment.

Note: Please do not transmit any confidential data via email.  Your banking information and SIN should only be entered via the Secure Supplier Information Collection Form.

  1. Complete the Secure Supplier Information Collection Form Secure Supplier Information Collection Form from the Queens University Financial Services team to securely submit your SIN.
  2. Send the following information to the Requester who will enter the payment request in acQuire (Faculty supervisor or a departmental administrator).
    a. Your current home mailing address
    b. Confirm your preferred payment method (cheque, EFT, or wire transfer)

Tips: To help award holders fill out the Secure Supplier information Collection Form (i.e., Step 1 above), please see below:

  • Identify Business Relationship with Queen's - enter Pending Requisition or Form ID, and/or Associated Department/Contact Name: Tri-Agency Postdoctoral award number
  • Supplier Name: Award holder Recipient’s Name
  • Legal Structure of Supplier: Individual or Sole Proprietorship
  • Supplier is providing Queen's with: Services
  • Enter Social Insurance Number (Canadian), SSN (US) or N/A (International)
  • Preferred Remittance Method of Supplier: Select preferred payment type (if Outside North America, you must choose foreign wire transfer)

Step 8: The TRAQ account holder approves Research Payment Form in acQuire

Please reach out to the Coordinator, Postdoctoral Affairs at postdoc@queensu.ca if you have questions.

Step 1: Faculty member creates a TRAQ for the award.

  1. Log into MyQueensU/SOLUS portal (my.queensu.ca), scroll down to Research Applications, click on TRAQ Researcher Portal link. Enter your Queen’s Net ID and password when prompted.
  2. Click APPLY NEW
  3. Under Awards, click TRAQ DSS FORM
  4. Complete the different tabs of the TRAQ DSS FORM, as described here. 
  5. In the Attachments tab, attach award letter from Mitacs. If you have a copy of the proposal sent in application for the award that can be uploaded as well.
  6. Receive your activated TRAQ.
  7. Log in to the TRAQ Researcher Portal and click on Applications (Submitted-Post Review) or Reminders*.
  8. When prompted, upload and submit a budget (template here) and signing authority form to create a Project number. Video instructions are available. You will also receive email instructions from TRAQ on how to complete this step.

Note: It may take a few weeks for the TRAQ and project number to be fully activated. Please contact traq@queensu.ca if you require any assistance with creating a TRAQ.

Step 2: Queen’s receives award from Mitacs.

Step 3: Faculty TRAQ holder or staff administrator with acQuire Requester access submits a Research Payment Request Form to transfer the award from TRAQ to postdoctoral fellowship award holder.

Tips: To gain acQuire Requester status, you must complete the required training from Strategic Procurement Services.

If you require additional information or support on creating a Research Payment Request, please contact postdoc@queensu.ca

Step 4: Award holder inputs their information through the Secure Supplier Information Collection Form to receive payment.

Note: Please do not transmit any confidential data via email.  Your banking information and SIN should only be entered via the Secure Supplier Information Collection Form.

  1. Complete the Secure Supplier Information Collection Form Secure Supplier Information Collection Form from the Queens University Financial Services team to securely submit your SIN.
  2. Send the following information to the Requester who will enter the payment request in acQuire (Faculty supervisor or a departmental administrator).
    a. Your current home mailing address
    b. Confirm your preferred payment method (cheque, EFT, or wire transfer)

Tips: To help award holders fill out the Secure Supplier information Collection Form (i.e., Step 1 above), please see below:

  • Identify Business Relationship with Queen's - enter Pending Requisition or Form ID, and/or Associated Department/Contact Name: Mitacs Application Reference Number
  • Supplier Name: Award holder Recipient’s Name
  • Legal Structure of Supplier: Individual or Sole Proprietorship
  • Supplier is providing Queen's with: Services
  • Enter Social Insurance Number (Canadian), SSN (US) or N/A (International)
  • Preferred Remittance Method of Supplier: Select preferred payment type (if Outside North America, you must choose foreign wire transfer)

Step 5: The TRAQ account holder approves Research Payment Form in acQuire

Please reach out to the Coordinator, Postdoctoral Affairs at postdoc@queensu.ca if you have questions.

Please contact postdoc@queensu.ca to discuss next steps if the prospective Postdoctoral Guest is funded by an external award, other than Tri-Agency or Mitacs fellowship programs, which requires the host institution to administer the award.