Research Track Appointments

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Research Instructor:

Scientists with appropriate doctoral degrees appointed or promoted to the position of Research Instructor will usually meet the following criteria:

  1. Completion of successful postdoctoral work that has usually resulted in publications of papers in peer reviewed journals
  2. Demonstrated ability to teach in the laboratory setting (graduate students, postdoctoral trainees, and staff) and/or through the successful presentation of seminars.
  3. Commitment to learn to write and submit competitive grant applications as PI or as co-investigator under the oversight of a research mentor.
  4. Ability to produce and analyze data and to write publishable manuscripts under the mentorship of the PI.
  5. Desire and aptitude to move toward greater scientific independence through the initial development of collaborative research projects.
  6. The candidates for this position would work in a mentor’s laboratory and, if the mentor and academic supervisor are different or are in different departments, have the written approval of their academic supervisor.
  7. The appointment process requires submission to the department chair of an updated curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, including one from the research mentor and, where appropriate from the academic supervisor. The letter from the research mentor should include a mentoring pledge, a career development plan for the candidate, and a plan for funding the position. Appointments are for one year, are renewable at the discretion of the mentor and department chair, and are subject to fiscal exigency.
  8. These guidelines are intended to structure what is necessary and customary for these appointments. For appointments requiring exception to these guidelines, a letter from the department chair should describe the justification for the exception.

Research Assistant Professor:

Scientists with appropriate doctoral degrees appointed or promoted to the position of Research Assistant Professor will usually meet the following criteria:

  1. Completion of successful postdoctoral work (usually 5 years) that has resulted in co-authorship of papers in peer reviewed journals while serving as a postdoctoral fellow and/or research instructor.
  2. Demonstrated ability to develop collaborative research projects in a manner consistent with the mentor’s research plan and contribute towards the making of scientific advances in the field of work.
  3. Demonstrated ability to teach in the laboratory setting and/or through presentation of papers and/or seminars.
  4. Contribution to grant applications that are collaborative in nature with the mentor and/or demonstrated ability to write competitive grants independently.
  5. Demonstrated desire to move toward scientific independence through submission of grant applications, development of independent research projects, or, with the mentors approval, collaborate with scientists other than the primary mentor with whom the scientist works.
  6. The suggested appointment process includes submission to the department chair an updated curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, including one from the research mentor. The letter from the research mentor should include a mentoring pledge, a career development plan for the research assistant professor, and a plan for funding the position. Appointments are for from one to three years, and are renewable at the discretion of the mentor with the endorsement of department chair, and are subject to fiscal exigency.
  7. These guidelines are intended to structure what is necessary and customary for these appointments. For appointments requiring exception to these guidelines, a letter from the department chair should describe the justification for the exception.
 

Research Associate Professor:

Scientists with appropriate doctoral degrees appointed or promoted to the position of Research Associate Professor will usually meet the following criteria:

  1. Completion of successful research work at the Research Assistant Professor level [or equivalent] resulting in publication of a significant number of papers in excellent journals
  2. Demonstrated ability to make creative intellectual contributions to collaborative research efforts of a team and advance these collaborative projects. Such contributions will be evidenced by the faculty member having been co-investigator on one or more scientific grants, having given invited talks at national or international scientific meetings, having written key manuscripts published in high quality journals, and/or having generated key patents.
  3. Demonstrated ability to teach in the laboratory setting and through presentation of papers and/or seminars.
  4. The appointment process requires submission to the department chair an updated curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, including one from the research mentor which includes a mentoring pledge and a faculty development plan for the research associate professor. Appointments are for from one to three years, are renewable at the discretion of the mentor with the endorsement of the department chair, and are subject to fiscal exigency.
  5. These guidelines are intended to structure what is necessary and customary for these appointments. For appointments requiring exception to these guidelines, a letter from the department chair should describe the justification for the exception.
 

Research Professor:

The Research Professor should have a substantially more developed research program than the Research Associate Professor as demonstrated by an increased number of authored articles, reviews or book chapters, service as a role model for students/residents, and postdoctoral fellows, and development of new programs as a result of his/her bringing a unique research capability to the department or the School of Medicine.

Excellence in research in their area of expertise will usually be evidenced by their giving talks at national or international scientific meetings. The research professor will likely perform independent research and have grants or be co-investigator on grants that fit nicely into the research program of the tenured faculty member(s) with whom he or she works. Collaborative interactions with a broad range of faculty that result in an enriched research environment may serve as a criterion for appointment/promotion to the rank of Research Professor.

The C.V. should reflect continuing productivity and a substantial body of new work since appointment or promotion to Research Associate Professor. Research professors are expected to be members of national research societies. These guidelines are intended to structure what is necessary and customary for these appointments. For appointments requiring exception to these guidelines, a letter from the department chair should describe the justification for the exception.

Note: the Research Professor position differs from the tenured Professor position in that the tenured Professor will have demonstrated the ability to develop a strong research program usually recognized by presence of more than one large peer reviewed grant that has been renewed over a period of time. In addition, the tenured Professor will have demonstrated excellence in teaching and service in the medical school. Moreover, the tenured Professor will have established an international reputation as a leader in his/her field of research and will serve on key national and/or international advisory boards and on editorial boards.

Departmental Expectations for Performance of Research Track (Non-tenure) Faculty

Research: Though specific departmental expectations may vary among departments, there are a number of expectations that should be common across departments. It is expected that individuals in the research track faculty positions will usually spend virtually 100% of their time engaged in research or in support of that activity. These research efforts can be collaborative or independent in nature. If the research is independent, it will be done with the consent of the individual’s faculty mentor who will provide the space and resources for the research track faculty member. Research track faculty members are not normally assigned independent departmental space. If they obtain independent research funds they usually carry out the work within the space assigned to their faculty mentor. Efforts to obtain independent funding should be pursued only with the endorsement of the mentor and the department chair so as to ensure there are adequate resources available to support the proposed research.

Teaching and Service: Faculty in the Research track are not normally required to teach or provide service, unless it is as part of collaborating with users of core facilities they manage or otherwise is specifically defined within their position description. Research track faculty may assist in the teaching and mentoring of graduate students who are being mentored by the supervising faculty member. With approval of the departmental chair, they can serve on graduate student committees.

Review and Promotion: The progress of each research track faculty member above the rank of Instructor will be reviewed by the faculty member with whom they work and the department chair every year. The performance should be evaluated in terms of research accomplishments (laboratory efforts, authorship, presentations), and, if part of the position description, teaching (quality and quantity) and service. A written evaluation of the research track faculty member must be provided to the faculty member by their mentor at the end of three and five years. Promotion should be based on the quality and extent of effort provided by the faculty to their mentor’s program, the importance of the individual to the mentor’s research program, the duration of their faculty appointment, and their collegial qualities. If appropriate, the quality of teaching or the completion of administrative roles should also be included in the promotion packet. Likewise, the acquisition of independent research support will be considered in a very favorable light. Recognition outside of Vanderbilt, though not required for promotion, will strengthen the case for promotion.

Importance of Availability of Financial Support for Research Track Faculty: All research track faculty should be made aware in writing at the time of their appointment and reappointment that their faculty appointment and subsequent reappointments are contingent on the availability of research funding, and that if that funding is no longer available, their effort and salary may be reduced and/or their faculty appointments may be terminated, usually with four months notice.