New Postdocs

Welcome to Oklahoma State University!

Here are some helpful tips and resources to get you started in the right direction. For details regarding policies and health insurance, please visit the Policies and Benefits section of the OSU website.

 

Before Your First Day

1. Confirm with your department’s administrative/financial staff that your online Electronic Personnel Action Form (ePAF) was fully completed. If you are not sure who your department contact person is, you can visit your department’s website or ask your PI. 

2. Once your ePAF is completed, and before or on your start date, complete the UKG New Hire Checklist. A UKG New Hire Checklist requires completion on or before your start date in order for your employment to begin and for you to receive your first paycheck.

   1. Note: For international hires, the ePAF is completed AFTER the UKG Work Permit checklist or the OSU Work Permit Renewal is approved.

3. International Fellows:

   1. J-1 visa holders: You are required to check-in with the Office of International Students and Scholars (ISS) here on campus. Every international scholar joining OSU is required to check-in before employment begins. In order to complete a “check-in” a scholar should bring with them the following documents: passport, visa document (I-20 or DS-2019), and Most Recent I-94 (Admission/Departure card). At this time, a scholar will be asked to fill out the PR-100 (Information Form), and copies of their documents will be made. The Office of International Students and Scholars (ISS) staff can assist scholars with any questions or concerns that they might have at this time. For more information visit the ISS website or call (405) 744-5459.

   2. For those on other visa types or work authorization (such as F-1 OPT/STEM OPT, any EAD, I-797 Approval Notice, or supporting Receipt Notice): You will be assisted by HR-Immigration Services rather than ISS.

      1. If you are new to OSU: Your first step will be to work with your department admin to complete UKG New Hire Checklist and upload your immigration documents to the Employee Documents. Your documents will be reviewed during the Work Permit checklist by HR Immigration Services and the department of Tax & Compliance. 

      2. If you are switching from a student to faculty position: Please contact HR Immigration Services to initiate I-9 reverification and the OSU Work Permit Renewal process.

4. Check Benefits Enrollment. Confirm with your department's administrative/financial staff that you are registered for a new employee Orientation and Benefits session. You can review OSU Benefits information to start planning to make your elections. Elections must be made within your first 30 days of hire.

Benefits Eligibility Criteria:

• Appointment of 0.75 FTE or greater, and

• Appointment must be at least 6 months, and

• Does not have a classification of student employee, TA, GA, adjunct, or temporary employee.

International Hires:

• J-1 visas holders should work with OSU's office of International Students and Scholars.

• All other visa holders are assisted by OSU's Human Resources - Immigration Servies.

 

Your First Week

1. Obtain your BannerID. Your department receives this number as they prepare the ePAF. This is your OSU ID number, also known as your "CWID" or employee ID. If you have previously been enrolled or employed at OSU, you may already have a BannerID.

2. Activate your O-Key account and email.

3. Obtain your OSU ID Card.

4. Purchase a parking permit. If you are parking on campus, you will need a parking permit.  If you have your O-Key credentials you can access the Permit Portal. 

5. Verify that you are registered for an Orientation and Benefits session. Check with your department's administrative/financial staff. 

6. Ask your department's administrative staff to add you to the departmental faculty email distribution list. Postdocs are faculty and you should be invited to attend faculty meetings, seminars, retreats, etc. 

 

During Your First Weeks

1. Review your position description with your PI and/or department head. It is important to understand the expectations for your position.

2. Develop your Individual Development Plan (IDP). The individual development plan (IDP) is a key tool for mapping out and navigating your careers. An IDP includes a mentoring plan based on assessed needs and goals of a trainee, a description of short- and long-term career objectives, and identification of development activities needed to achieve those objectives. An IDP is not a static document but should be revisited and adjusted on a regular basis. The VPR's office has a list of resources for creating an IDP.

3. Complete university required and recommended trainings.

   1. All postdocs must complete training in Responsible Conduct of Research. Please see University Research Compliance (RCR) for instructions to complete the online CITI training course in RCR.

   2. Other required training courses will be listed in the university's PageUp system at talent.okstate.edu; navigate to the top menu bar and click "My Useful Links."

4. Examine your OSU faculty "Experts Directory" webpage, edit it, and make it publicly viewable. Experts Directory is a platform for OSU faculty to showcase their scholarly activities and research. It's a single point of organization and reporting for faculty research, including publications, teaching, grants, and other projects. The directory helps raise your research profile by making information readily available and easily searchable. The OSU library manages the platform. To get started, go here. To search Experts Directory for potential collaborators, see https://experts.okstate.edu/ . 

 

Join the OSU Postdoc listserv!

To receive campus-wide announcements about events, news, and information relevant to the postdoctoral community send a request to postdocs@okstate.edu with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line to join the OSU Postdoc listserv.

 

First Year and Beyond

As you approach the anniversary of first year at OSU, make time to revisit and revise your written Individual Development Plan. Meet with your PI to discuss and update your IDP: Review your goals, assess what has been accomplished, and adjust activities to meet your career objectives.