Overview
The University of Texas at Arlington has dedicated in one-time Regents Research Excellence Program funding to support postdoctoral fellows as Phase 4 of the RISE 100 initiative. This funding will support three cohorts of postdoctoral fellows. Each cohort will include between 8-15 postdoctoral fellows. Phase 1 was conducted in Spring 2024 and Phase 2 will commence in Fall 2024.
Awards will be made to faculty to support the hiring of a postdoc for two years to conduct research in an area of interest to the faculty mentor. Mentors will be expected to develop their protégé’s capability as an independent researcher and scholar who will be competitive for prestigious academic or non-academic opportunities. Awards will support:
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Salary of up to $60,000 for 12 months (suggested as a competitive amount)
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Comprehensive employee benefits
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A discretionary research, travel, and professional development budget (suggested amount of $5,000 – $10,000 for 2-year term)
Eligibility
All tenured and tenure-track faculty who have successfully passed their third-year review are eligible to apply.
Criteria
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Research area aligns with one of the five strategic research areas: Health and the Human Condition, Sustainable Communities, Culture and Societal Transformations, Data-Driven Discovery, and Global Environmental Impact.
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Faculty mentor has already been successful in securing competitive, external research funding and is poised to move to an even higher level of success with additional support from a postdoc.
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Faculty mentor (or their department) has adequate resources for the postdoc to have office space, a computer, and access to equipment and supplies as appropriate to the research.
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Proposed work will lead to a new or greatly expanded funding stream for the faculty mentor. Examples include center grants, interdisciplinary collaborative grants, or postdoctoral and PhD student training grants. The dollar amount of new funding anticipated is less important than the expanded scope and impact of research activity to be led by the PI, as appropriate to their discipline.
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To support the HSRU Alliance, we anticipate setting aside 2-3 awards for proposals that commit to recruiting among member institutions. PI’s of such proposals must commit to nominating their postdoc for the HSRU program, and supporting the goals and activities of this program (add link to program).
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To strengthen centers and institutes, we anticipate setting aside 2-3 awards for proposals to hire a postdoc that will serve a center or institute. PI’s of such proposals should explain how the scope, impact, visibility, or funding of the center/institute will be expanded by the activities of the postdoc.
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Faculty mentor agrees to be accountable for the new position resulting in increased external funding for their research program, including possible continued support for the postdoc position beyond the 2-year "startup" period. Faculty mentor commits to submitting at least one major proposal each year. A major proposal should include at least one fully funded doctoral GRA position and full IDC returns.
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Faculty mentor commits to providing career-enhancing mentoring through an individual development plan, to be submitted to the Graduate School within 6 weeks of hiring. with 10% of postdoc time available for professional development activities that enhance skills, job market knowledge, and career success.
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Commitment to funding travel, professional development and providing needed technology such as a computer. The discretionary budget of $5,000 - $10,000 is expected to be funded by the PI’s resources, their department, or their center (where applicable).
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The postdoc position may include an opportunity to engage in teaching. If so, please indicate what the teaching experience is proposed to be. Teaching should be limited to no more than one course per year.
Application Process
To apply for Postdoc Cohort #2, please provide an application letter (3-page maximum) addressing the above criteria and providing the postdoctoral candidate’s resume or, if not known, the eligibility criteria. An application letter template may be found here. These materials should be combined into a single PDF file and emailed to grover@uta.edu. To receive full consideration, submit your application before 6:00 pm on December 2, 2024.
Selection Process
We are currently prioritizing anticipated start dates between June 1, 2025, start date for the postdoc, but other dates prior to August 31, 2025, are acceptable. Applications will be reviewed, and awardees will be selected by the Vice President for Research and Innovation in consultation with the Dean of the Graduate School, and relevant Dean(s) or their designee(s). All applicants will be notified of a decision via email by February 12, 2025.
FAQs
Am I eligible to apply?
The only eligibility criteria are that the applicant must hold a tenure-track or tenured faculty position and must have successfully passed their third-year review.
What is the required format of the application?
A single pdf is required that includes a cover letter and either the CV of your top postdoc candidate or your list of criteria. An application letter template has been provided here; however, there is no required format for either the cover letter or CV. It is suggested that your cover letter addresses these preferential criteria for selection:
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Research area aligns with one of the strategic initiatives described here. Statement of whether/how the proposal addresses the additional priorities of supporting centers/institutes or recruiting from HSRU Alliance members.
- Faculty mentor has already been successful in securing competitive, external research funding and is poised to move to an even higher level of success with additional support from a postdoc.
- Envisioned work will lead to a new or greatly expanded activity and funding stream for the faculty member.
- Faculty mentor agrees to be accountable for accomplishing increased external funding for their research program, and for the mentoring and development of their protégé.
- The source of funding to support travel, professional development, and equipment.
Am I required to pre-select my postdoc candidate to apply?
Proposals that have identified a candidate will receive priority, especially if they make a case for the individual’s high potential. However, faculty are eligible to apply without having to pre-select a postdoctoral candidate. If an application does not include a CV, please briefly list what qualifications would be required in a candidate. Upon award notification, the PI will be approved to run a job announcement and advertisement, if needed.
Is my existing postdoc eligible for funding under the RISE 100 Program?
The intent of the postdoctoral hiring program is to grow research expenditures AND the number of postdocs doing research at UTA. Thus, an application for a new postdoc represents a higher priority than one requesting continued support for a current employee.
Is the postdoctoral hiring program for STEM-only fields?
Although one of our goals is to add substantially to the "Science & Engineering Research Staff," including postdocs, the postdoctoral hiring program is not limited to those fields. The postdoc must be research-focused and dedicated to enhancing your productivity and impact, and directly increasing your annual research expenditures as appropriate to available opportunities.