Research Scientists

The Research Scientist faculty track at UGA includes the ranks of Assistant Research Scientist, Associate Research Scientist and Senior Research Scientist. All of these positions are nontenurable faculty positions within units, involved in some aspect of research, research-related instruction, research service and/or research administration. Research Scientists exhibit a degree of independence beyond that of other research staff and students.

Appointment of Research Scientists

The Office of Research works with the Office of Faculty Affairs to administer the guidelines for the appointments and promotions of Research Scientists. The procedures to appoint a research scientist follow the regular faculty appointment process managed by the Office of Faculty Affairs with the following exceptions:

1. Include the Statement of Roles and Responsibilities and Unit Definition of Privileges in the offer letter in addition to the information required in the Office of Faculty Affairs’ non-tenure track faculty offer letter template.  (Link to Office of Faculty Affairs’ template of alternate paragraphs for a Research Scientist appointment to use in conjunction with the Office of Faculty Affairs’ offer letter template for non-tenure track positions.)
2. The faculty vote that was taken on the appointment of the candidate should be included in the hiring proposal in UGAJobs.  # Yes/# No/# Abstain
3. In the UGAJobs system, Human Resources will route the hiring proposal for the successful candidate through the Office of Research for review and approval.

Promotion of Research Scientists

• Office of Research conducts an annual review of Research Scientist promotion requests from campus units.
• Generally, in a given year, promotion-related activities should occur within a time frame appropriate for faculty on academic-year schedules to complete the process and for the Office of Faculty Affairs/Provost and President to receive the promotion recommendations from Office of Research by a date in January (determined annually by the Office of Faculty Affairs). This normally dictates a deadline for promotion recommendations to reach Office of Research on a date in the preceding November.
• Office of Research sends an announcement each year stating the exact deadline date and any specific instructions. General promotion instructions can be found in the guidelines.
• Announcement of deadline for research scientist promotion dossiers to reach the Office of Research for the 2024-2025 promotion review cycle: Posted here on Research Insights.