Fellowship Time

Fellowship time is the sum of research time and professional development time as defined below.

• Research time is time spent on research planning, performing experiments, data analysis, reading papers, preparing manuscripts, preparing and delivering presentations, attending group meetings or journal clubs, participating in trainings, seminars, and/or conferences specifically related to the research group, and NIH-wide seminars such as the Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series.
• Professional development time is time attending workshops and courses unrelated to your research responsibilities, preparation of job or school applications, preparation for graduate/professional school exams, informational interviews, interviews for new positions, career and professional development workshops, and shadowing (on or off campus).

Fellowship schedule is the weekly schedule when you are typically expected to be engaged in fellowship activities; a fellowship schedule may include time on campus, at an approved off-campus location, or from an approved telework location. The fellowship schedule includes research and protected professional development time.

Designated Agency Official (DAO) is the individual in your research group responsible for working with you to establish your fellowship schedule. They will also be responsible for professional development time and leave. This will be your Principal Investigator (PI) or a staff scientist, lab manager or administrative officer they designate.

You are expected to report to your research group ~40 hours weekly. While most fellowship time will focus on your research-related responsibilities, you are encouraged to engage in professional development activities and are provided with ~10% protected time as part of your fellowship schedules for these activities.

At the outset of the fellowship, you and your supervisor should agree upon a schedule that supports the needs of the research group while helping you achieve your broader personal, career, and educational goals.

• Most fellowship activities will take place Monday through Friday, generally between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. However, scientific needs may dictate a different schedule, including early morning, evening, and/or weekend work. This is permissible, but only if agreeable to both parties.
• Fellowship schedules are flexible and may vary week-to-week but only if discussed in advance and agreeable to both parties.
• Supervisors are not required to approve weekend work in lieu of weekday attendance, but this is allowable when appropriate.
• Fellowship schedules may change in an emergency and when experimental plans change. In these cases, we hope that you and your PI or daily supervisor can come to a mutually agreeable schedule that promotes the advancement of science and respects your needs and outside responsibilities.
• Fellowship time includes brief periods of time taken for eating and personal breaks, as needed.
• Changes in the fellowship schedule (temporary or permanent) should be documented in writing by the fellow and the DAO and both parties should retain the email to avoid future misunderstandings.

Nothing precludes you from voluntarily choosing to engage in fellowship activities more than ~40 hours per week; however, you should not feel forced to do so. Furthermore, you may not be required to participate in work activities on the weekend or when the government is closed unless there is a compelling research need.

Fellows with concerns regarding fellowship schedules should discuss them directly with their PI or daily supervisor. If that feels challenging or the discussions does not resolve the issue, reach out to [email protected] for guidance.

Professional development time may be used to participate in workshops and courses unrelated to your research, preparation of job or school applications, preparation for graduate/professional school exams, informational interviews, interviews for new positions, professional development training, well-being advising, shadowing on or off campus, and classes unrelated to the NIH research.

• Some activities listed above, such as interviews, shadowing, or study time, may exceed monthly limits. In those situations, you may request leave to participate in the activity, following the leave policy discussed here.
• Seminars relevant to your research, WALS, and other Institute or Center (IC) or NIH-wide seminars, journal clubs, and scientific retreats are more appropriately considered activities that are part of a successful NIH fellowship experience and are not counted as fellowship time.
• If a course takes place in the late afternoon outside of your approved fellowship schedule, you do not need to take leave or professional development time as this is your personal time.
• If you exceed your monthly professional development time allotment, you may request leave.

You must submit requests to participate in professional development activities in writing, via email, to the DAO in your research group.

• The request must include the date(s) and time(s) and the total time requested, in hours. The request should briefly describe the activity (e.g., career/educational meeting, OITE or IC training, shadowing, library course, etc.). For privacy purposes, you are not required to provide details regarding the purpose of meetings with OITE staff.
• Upon review, the DAO will approve or deny the request. Failure of the DAO to respond to a request for protected professional development time will be considered approval of the request.
• Fellows with concerns regarding professional development time should discuss them directly with their PI or daily supervisor. If the discussion does not resolve the issue, reach out to [email protected] for guidance.

Non-FTE fellows are required to use the OITE FAST Tracker to maintain accurate records regarding their fellowship schedule, professional development time, and leave (dealt with here).

• The FAST Tracker should be stored on a server where you, your PI and/or DAO have access so that all parties can be accountable for the accuracy of the record.
• A new tracker should be started upon renewal of your fellowship. If you transfer groups mid-way through a fellowship year, continue using the same Tracker.
• The FAST Tracker has three sections:
  • A weekly certification that you tended to fellowship responsibilities for ~40 hours (unless you were on approved leave)
  • Attendance at professional development activities, including the duration of the activity.
  • Approved absences with or without stipend (leave) which is discussed in more detail here.
• When there are differences of opinion regarding fellowship schedules, leave, or professional development time, fellows may be requested to share their FAST Tracker with IC or OITE staff to assist in resolving the issue(s).