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Notice of Resignation

Description

Postdoctoral trainees are expected to provide at least 20 business days’ notice of resignation to both their faculty mentor and the departmental appointment administrator or business office.

The resignation notice should be dated and include the effective last day of work. The postdoctoral trainee may also include the reason for resignation, to the extent they are comfortable sharing it.

It is good practice for the faculty mentor or supervisor to acknowledge the resignation in writing.

Research and Project Closeout

Before departure, the postdoctoral trainee must ensure that research materials, records, databases, and project files are left in a condition that allows continuation of the work.

Records include both hard copy and electronic materials and should be properly labeled, organized, and shared through secure University, laboratory, department, or sponsor-approved systems.

Postdoctoral trainees should follow applicable laboratory, department, school, sponsor, data management, and research compliance requirements before departure.

Department Offboarding Responsibilities

The home department is responsible for completing local offboarding steps. This may include collecting University property, such as PennCard, keys, equipment, library materials, or other University-owned items.

Departments should also take reasonable steps to review and remove, or request removal of, the departing postdoctoral trainee’s access to University, school, department, laboratory, and other information systems containing personal, confidential, proprietary, or research data.

Exit Survey

Postdoctoral trainees should complete the OPA Postdoc Exit Survey before or shortly after their departure.

Postdoctoral trainees appointed through Biomedical Postdoctoral Programs (BPP) should also follow BPP-specific exit procedures, including completion of the BPP exit survey where applicable.

For University policy guidance, postdoctoral trainees, faculty mentors, and administrators should review the Policy for Postdoctoral Trainees at the University of Pennsylvania.

View Penn Postdoctoral Trainee Policy

Related FAQs

Can postdocs work part-time?

No, postdoc appointments are full time (40 hours per week), based on the expectation that the postdoc will be fully involved in scholarly pursuits. In special cases, upon written request of the appointee and concurrence of the mentor; the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, may grant an exception when the postdoc is unable to make a full-time commitment for reasons of health, family responsibilities, or employment external to Penn. Such a request must take into account extramural funding agency requirements, if any. When a reduced-time appointment has been approved, the mentor and postdoc shall sign an appointment letter specifying the reduction in hours of work, reduction in stipend, and concomitant responsibilities. NOTE: Benefits are based on a postdoc percentage of full-time employment (FTE). A change in FTE may result in a change to benefits.

Can postdocs work remotely?

Generally, no, postdocs are expected to be based primarily in Philadelphia for the full duration of the fellowship period unless the research program requires a remote location. However, the final determination of a postdocs eligibility to work remotely is left to the discretion of their PI and/or Faculty mentor. Postdocs on a J-1 visa, or any other visa are not permitted to be fully remote. Postdocs on a J-1 visa can only participate in remote work two days in a five-day work week. The postdoc and mentor should follow the University Flexible, Hybrid & Remote Work policy as well as their school, department, or center’s policy regarding remote work.

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