To assist researchers, the Office of Research & Innovation has generated checklists to help streamline the hiring process.
- Research personnel refers to individuals who participate, on a temporary basis, in funded and unfunded research at Trent University;
- Research personnel are individuals whose remuneration comes from one of the following sources:
- Grants from an agency, external to the University given to a researcher or group of researchers for the purpose of supporting research-related activities;
- Grants given by the University for the purpose of conducting academic research;
- Contracts entered into by the University for the performance of research with specific deliverables; and
- Philanthropic donations received from a donor in support of research activities.
Definitions and Terms
There are three categories for research personnel:
- Professional research project personnel;
- Technical and administrative personnel; and
- Student research personnel.
Research Employee Recruitment
The following information should be used as a guide to hire or obtain the services of a researcher:
Step 1: Determine what classification of research personnel is required.
Step 2: Prepare a position/job description.
Step 3: Advertise where appropriate/required.
Step 4: Select candidate.
Step 5: Complete Research Personnel Employment Record Form.
Step 6: Forward to the Research Finance for processing.
Step 7: To make any changes to the original Research Personnel Employment Record Form, complete and submit a Research Personnel Amendment Form to the Research Finance.
Refer to the Handbook for Hiring Research Project Personnel for more information.
Refer to the Student Recruitment page for more information.
Forms
Research Personnel Employment Record Form
Research Personnel Amendment Form
Postdoctoral Fellows and Visiting Scholars
When hiring a postdoctoral fellow or inviting a visiting scholar, please first complete the relevant postdoctoral fellow or visiting scholar application below. Send the selected form and the attachments specified on the form to the Coordinator, Research Conduct and Reporting for processing.
Note: Foreign Visiting Scholars at Trent need to be allowed to work legally in Canada, regardless of whether the offered position is paid. Therefore, submitting the appropriate form is required for both paid visits and unpaid appointments (i.e. self-funded, scholarships from home institutions, MITACS GRI).
In the case of foreign applicants, the information included in the Application Form will help us determine the type of legal immigration status required from the applicant to commence the appointment.
After the VPRI approves the Application Form, the Office of Research and Innovation will issue the Offer Letter. If a work permit is required, we will use the information provided in the Application Form to apply to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the Offer of Employment number for the applicant.
If a Trent faculty member invites a foreign Visiting Scholar for a short-term visit, these research visitors might be exempt from applying for a work permit if they meet the criteria of 120-day work permit exemption for researchers policy.
Please refer to the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada website to learn more about the conditions for foreign visitors to work in Canada.
Research Personnel Employment Record Form should be completed and submitted to Research Finance after the applicant receives the Offer Letter from Trent, and their work permit application is approved by the IRCC (if applicable).
If you are hiring a foreign Visiting Scholar or a foreign Postdoctoral Fellow, it is imperative that the job duties, job location, wages/benefits, and employment start and end dates in the Research Personnel Employment Record Form match the information provided in the Application Form and in the Offer Letter throughout the employment period.
Changes to the conditions of the appointment for foreign workers require the temporary worker to apply to change the conditions of their work permit.
Postdoctoral Fellow and Visiting Scholar Appointment - procedure summary
Policy on Postdoctoral Fellows and Visiting Scholars
Forms
Postdoctoral Fellow Application Form
Visiting Scholar Application Form
Foreign Postdoctoral Fellow Application Form
Foreign Visiting Scholar Application Form