New Research Faculty Onboarding
The Office of Faculty Development is committed to helping you navigate your first steps as a new faculty member so you can get your research program up and running as soon as possible.
Onboarding Process
Below, you will find a detailed to-do list broken down by timeframe, outlining the essential tasks and milestones to ensure your successful integration into UTSW. From pre-arrival preparations to ongoing professional development, we are committed to providing you with the support and resources you need to thrive in your new role.
To-do Lists
Before Arriving
- Will you be transferring your grant(s) to UTSW?
- Check out this webpage from Sponsored Programs which includes the Incoming PI Checklist.
- Will you be starting your lab?
- Make an inventory of lab items from your previous lab that you envision your group continuing to use
- Work with your Division Administrator pre-order any equipment /supplies you want delivered by your start date
- Work with your Division Administrator post any staff positions you are hoping to fill in conjunction with your start date
- Will you be relocating to Texas?
- Work with your Department Administrator for relocation process.
- Ask your Department Administrator to set up your email (typically only 60 days before your hire date). This is especially important for faculty who are bringing research animals.
- When your email address is ready:
- Complete required trainings
- Will you be transferring your grant(s) to UTSW?
First Week
- Work with Department Administrator on ordering systems and processes (PeopleSoft, Procurement Portal)
- Work closely with Department Administrator when submiting expenses sourced to your startup fund commitments
- Set up Microsoft 365 and OneDrive
- Set up BioHPC, BOX, if needed
- Log into TALEO to complete required trainings
- Complete some introductory training sessions
- Log into Profile+ to set up faculty profile
- Download your free digital copy of The Academic Medicine Starter Kit: Timeless Tips & Guidance for Early-Career Faculty Members
- The goal of this book is to equip you with the advice, strategies, tools, and wisdom to build a successful career in academic medicine. It represents a culmination of over five years of in-depth interviews on the Faculty Factory podcast, featuring more than 120 academic leaders and faculty members from 31 academic health centers across North America.
- Work with Department Administrator on ordering systems and processes (PeopleSoft, Procurement Portal)
0-3 Months
- Complete required trainings
- Contact Digital Team via web@utsouthwestern.edu to set up lab website
- Become a faculty member in a Graduate program (requires VPN)
- Set up mentorships (peer, scientific, and career mentors)
- Order items from PeopleSoft > Procurement Portal
- Connect with SPA for information on Early Investigator Awards and the process for submitting grants eAgreements or eGrants
- Place hiring ads for research staff
- Ask your Department Administrator for a template and salary ranges
- Recruitment
- Connect with Conflict of Interest Office
- Get connected
- Join the NewPIs at UTSW Slack to get connected.
- Ask Department Administrator for WIPS and seminar schedules
- Acquire organizational chart for your department and the graduate school
- Create a schedule and strategy for your visibility and future collaborator connections. Examples: Attend WIPs, retreats, pilot grants, foster inclusion, connect with mentors
- Visit Faculty Corner
First Year
- Apply for academic memberships & affiliations
- Attend Promotion and Tenure workshops
- Enroll in SMART (Scientific Management Accelerating Research and Tenure) by contacting facdev@utsouthwestern.edu
- Prepare CV using the Promotion and Tenure template. Update quarterly with all relevant activities
- Set up mentoring team
- Familiarize yourself with UTSW Core Facilities
- Faculty must complete formal mentor ship-training in order to join the graduate school of Biomedical Science faculty as full members to become the primary research mentor for graduate students. Please contact the Graduate School via GradMentoring@utsouthwestern.edu for current information on mentor training options.
First 3 Years
- Explore the Faculty Development and Faculty Wellness websites to learn about coaching resources and training programs. Contact Faculty Development at FacDev@UTSouthwestern.edu or Faculty Wellness at FacultyWellness@UTSouthwestern.edu.
- Explore educator skill development:
- Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Micro-Credentialing Course
- Educator Developmentat UT Southwestern (EDU) program
- Learn how to successfully obtain an R-Grant (SOAR program)
3+ Years
- Enroll in LEAD, a leadership program for junior faculty
As Needed
- To transfer materials to other institutions, go to eAgreements
- Follow UTSW travel procedures
- Obtain DEA License for controlled drugs: contact ARC Vet Service for guidance
- Disclosures of Inventions and Intellectual Property Questionnaire (IPQ): contact the Office of Technology Development
- For available software packages, please contact Information Resources- Strategy and Engagement (IRSE)
Below are essential guidance and resources for our new faculty.
- Build a Lab Website
If you wish to create and manage your lab website yourself or with the help of a lab member, please log into Taleo and complete the Lab Member Training.
If you prefer the website be created for you, please submit a ServiceNow form to the Digital team. Please web@utsouthwestern.edu the Digital team with any questions or concerns.
A lab website is required to be a full faculty member in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (except Clinical Psychology).
- Build Faculty Profile
On your start date, a blank faculty profile will go live in the Faculty Directory. All faculty members can log into Profile+ with their UTSW credentials to create their profile.
- Hire Staff
Work with your Department Administrator regarding the procedure for posting positions and interviewing/hiring. More information about the position review process.
- Join Graduate Faculty
Please visit Joining the Graduate Faculty.
- Material Transfer Agreements
Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs)
For sending UT Southwestern materials or data to outside scientists in academia, government, or industry, or obtaining materials or data from scientists in academia, government, or industry.
- Purchase Equipment
Work with your Department Administrator or Lab Manager to purchase equipment. All purchases should be made through UTSW procedures. Some large equipment, such as fridges, freezers, microscopes/rigs may have long lead times. Ask department admins to setup demos of microscopes if needed.
Create an inventory of lab items. Include equipment, reagents, supplies, consumables, etc with vendor/catalog information.
- Recruit Postdocs
- Connect with Postdoctoral Affairs Office for posting postdoc positions
- Please visit Recruiting Postdocs
- Recruit Students
- Please visit Recruiting Students
- A lab website is required on the Research Labs website
- Secure Lab Animals
- iacuc@utsouthwestern.edu IACUC to be assigned online trainings
- Setup TOPAZ access
- Start and submit Animal Protocol via TOPAZ. Protocol won’t get reviewed or submitted until you are on campus. Ask recent hires to share their protocol if procedures/organisms are similar.
- Submit ARC space request form
- Obtain DEA License. Required for controlled substances for some animal work to get analgesics/anesthesia. To obtain your own license contact the ARC.
- If you are bringing animals from your current institution, you can bring them in under a holding protocol. They will go into quarantine for ~4 weeks. Please contact ARC for guidance.
- Request Animal Facility access: ADAPT Login > ARC Access Request
Training
To ensure a smooth transition and to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary for success, we have listed required and essential trainings below.
- New Employee Orientation (In Person)
New Employee Orientation provides employees with valuable information about UT Southwestern, our mission, our vision, and available resources.
- Animal Research (IACUC)
All research projects conducted by faculty, students, or employees that involve live vertebrate animals require prior review and approval by the IACUC.
- Animal Research Center (ARC)
Please see ARC Training Resources
- Human Research Protection Program (HRPP)
HRPP offers both required and optional training opportunities in a multitude of formats.
- Lab Safety Training
The Office of Safety and Business Continuity offers a variety of courses designed to provide safety training to all UT Southwestern Medical Center employees, students, and faculty. Please see program-specific trainings.
Approvals Required
We understand the importance of ensuring that all research endeavors adhere to ethical standards, regulatory requirements, and institutional policies. We will guide you through the necessary steps and procedures for obtaining approvals.
- Animal Research (IACUC)
Starting the IACUC Protocol Submission Process
All animal research activities must be described, reviewed, and approved by the IACUC prior to initiation. Information regarding the IACUC Protocol can be found on the IACUC webpage.
Familiarize yourself with TOPAZ, the web-based software application for IACUC protocol management.
- Human Research (HRPP)
All human subject research conducted by UT Southwestern faculty, staff, or students on behalf of UT Southwestern is overseen by the Human Research Protection Program (HRPP)
- Stem Cell Research (SCRO)
The Stem Cell Research Oversight (SCRO) Committee provides oversight for research on human embryos, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), and human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) at UT Southwestern.
- Radioactivity & Research
Radiation use approval is required prior to working with radiation. Please see Radiation Safety.
- Recombinant DNA
Use of recombinant DNA for protocols require approval. More information.
- Biohazard
Use of biohazard materials requires approval. Please see general information describing biological materials used on campus.
Quick Links
To facilitate your integration into our UTSW community, below are additional helpful resources.
- Agreements for Cooperative and Sponsored Research
- Clinical Research
- Computation_TACC
- Computation_BioHPC
- eAgreements
- Faculty Corner
- Faculty Development
- Faculty Directory
- Graduate School
- Lab Manager Forum
- Information Resources
- Information Resources- Storage
- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
- Institutional Review Board
- Library Databases and ejournals
- Mentoring Responsibilities of Faculty
- Newsroom
- Occupational Safety
- Office of Technology Development
- Organization of the Graduate School
- Phone Directory
- Postdoctoral Scholars
- Research Core Facilities
- Research Labs
- Research Portal
- Research Support
- Safety and Business Continuity
- Saftey Communications and Alerts
- Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA)
- Stem Cell research oversight
Contact Us
FacDev@UTSouthwestern.edu the Office of Faculty Development.
