Responsibilities

Responsibilities of Postdocs

Postdocs should familiarize themselves with the following:

• Postdoctoral Research section of the McGill University eCalendar, including guidelines and policies on postdoctoral education
• McGill University Expectations for Graduate Supervision outlined on the Supervision website
• University Policies and Regulations regarding Conduct of Research; Ethical Conduct of Research Involving Human Participants; Research Misconduct; and Inventions and Software, among others
• Other official University Policies and Regulations including the Policy on Harassment and Discrimination, and the Policy Against Sexual Violence
• The Collective Agreement (for unionized postdocs only; consult this page for a definition of the different postdoctoral categories)
• Unit policies and procedures as defined and publicized by the academic unit

Postdocs are expected to adhere to their Letter of Agreement for Postdoctoral Education.

Additional guidelines are included in the Commitments of Postdocs and Supervisors (pdf). 

Responsibilities of supervisors & departments/academic units

Please see the Faculty/Staff section for a complete breakdown of the responsibilities of supervisors and departments/units as they pertain to postdoctoral education.

Conflict resolution

Failure on the part of the postdoc or supervisor to fulfill their responsibilities and commitments is considered to be a breach of the Letter of Agreement. Any issues or conflicts that may arise between a supervisor and postdoc, including those that require disciplinary action, should be dealt with as follows:

• The supervisor and postdoc should meet to attempt to resolve the issue.
• If unresolved, consult the Department Chair.
• If the matter requires further action, please contact the appropriate Associate Dean at Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

For more advice on developing positive working relationships between postdocs and their supervisors, please consult the Supervision website.

Unionized postdocs should consult the relevant parts of the Collective Agreement that pertain to their situation.