NIH IRTA postbac program hiring process

[cbs21]

So how does the hiring process work with all of the paperwork? What kind of info do they ask of you? Do you discuss salary? How long does everything generally take?

The reason I ask is that the PI has not specifically stated "you are hired"... but he did say "i'm preparing your package to forward to the director" and I was asked to provide a transcript and other personal info. Does this mean I have a job?

Sounds kind of stupid but I think maybe they are keeping things intentionally vague in case they need to drop me at the last minute due to funding or something? The PI had to ask his boss if he could hire me too...

Previously I was in contact with a lab where I thought I had a job. He calls and says "I think you'd be a great fit in my lab". So I took that to mean I had the job. A week later after I finished my other interviews I said I would like to join and cancelled my other interviews and applications. The next day he says "sorry but i cannot offer the position anymore because we can only have two positions the upcoming year". I said WTF!

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[thesauce]

So how does the hiring process work with all of the paperwork? What kind of info do they ask of you? Do you discuss salary? How long does everything generally take?

The reason I ask is that the PI has not specifically stated "you are hired"... but he did say "i'm preparing your package to forward to the director" and I was asked to provide a transcript and other personal info. Does this mean I have a job?

Sounds kind of stupid but I think maybe they are keeping things intentionally vague in case they need to drop me at the last minute due to funding or something? The PI had to ask his boss if he could hire me too...

Previously I was in contact with a lab where I thought I had a job. He calls and says "I think you'd be a great fit in my lab". So I took that to mean I had the job. A week later after I finished my other interviews I said I would like to join and cancelled my other interviews and applications. The next day he says "sorry but i cannot offer the position anymore because we can only have two positions the upcoming year". I said WTF!

The salary is not negotiable as I understand it. The government just sets the rate (http://www.training.nih.gov/stipends.asp#app3), so I don't think that would be discussed. I'm sorry I can't answer the rest, but good luck!

 

[Xcited392]

Hey what are your stats?

I'm thinking about doing this next year, starting in the summer.

 

[iFearMCAT]

So how does the hiring process work with all of the paperwork? What kind of info do they ask of you? Do you discuss salary? How long does everything generally take?

The reason I ask is that the PI has not specifically stated "you are hired"... but he did say "i'm preparing your package to forward to the director" and I was asked to provide a transcript and other personal info. Does this mean I have a job?

Sounds kind of stupid but I think maybe they are keeping things intentionally vague in case they need to drop me at the last minute due to funding or something? The PI had to ask his boss if he could hire me too...

Previously I was in contact with a lab where I thought I had a job. He calls and says "I think you'd be a great fit in my lab". So I took that to mean I had the job. A week later after I finished my other interviews I said I would like to join and cancelled my other interviews and applications. The next day he says "sorry but i cannot offer the position anymore because we can only have two positions the upcoming year". I said WTF!

PLEASE do yourself a favor and avoid those SOB at the NIIH like the plague. They are no good, stupid, and incompetent. Mass email the PIs at Hopkins/Harvard/Columbia/Cornell etc. they are much much much better and actually know what they are doing. I promise if you do research fulltime at Mass General for 2 years you will have a publication under your belt. Its garaunteed unlike with those toolbags in Maryland. Its always the same escuse "Oh we don't have any money this year"...well thats nice because I just checked and you have 4 million dollars of grants ja&*$%s...man I hate those people at the NIH

 

[thesauce]

PLEASE do yourself a favor and avoid those SOB at the NIIH like the plague. They are no good, stupid, and incompetent. Mass email the PIs at Hopkins/Harvard/Columbia/Cornell etc. they are much much much better and actually know what they are doing. I promise if you do research fulltime at Mass General for 2 years you will have a publication under your belt. Its garaunteed unlike with those toolbags in Maryland. Its always the same escuse "Oh we don't have any money this year"...well thats nice because I just checked and you have 4 million dollars of grants ja&*$%s...man I hate those people at the NIH

You're going in several directions here. First you say that they're stupid and incompetent, then you say that they don't produce publications, then you allude to having applied there multiple times.

FYI: the money is allocated for different purposes. They can't use their grant money to hire IRTAs no matter how much they might like to.

 

[cbs21]

Thanks for the input. Can you all make some guesses on what my status is? Would they need my SS#, emergency contact info, etc. if they weren't hiring me?

 

[thesauce]

Thanks for the input. Can you all make some guesses on what my status is? Would they need my SS#, emergency contact info, etc. if they weren't hiring me?

You're probably hired.

 

[meanderthal]

wait i'm confused. can you just ask?

 

[mannyowens]

I am pretty sure u got the job....unless something out of the ordinary comes up. I went through the same process as well and thats pretty much what they ask for to get you in the system, Its all pretty much for records and justifying that you are qualified for the position you were hired for. Researchers are not the most straight forward people IMO, so I would suggest you get used to the vaqueness

 

[dang025]

it pretty much means that your hired. it must take a while for you to hear back about your package being cleared

 

[SmokeyGray]

I have been a technical IRTA with the NIH for a couple of years, so I know the process fairly well.

From what you described, I think that the PI wants to hire you, but it needs to be approved by the director first. I wouldn't assume that you will for sure get the job until the director notifies the PI of their decision.

The pay is a pre-determined stipend paid on the first of the month. There will be no negotiating for this, but you can get a payment advancement when you begin working.

I loved working at the NIH. I also think it really helped me get into medical school. If you go to the Bethesda campus, you will have alot of resources to help you with the entire application process.