Researcher Recruitment Guidelines
Pre-Advertising
All research posts are established under the terms of the grant from the relevant funding body / agency. To initiate the recruitment process, confirmation is required from the PI and the Finance Office that the appropriate funding is available and a budget code is in place. Once this has been confirmed, the PI should discuss the requirements and level of the role with a DCU People Representative.
When a position at the level of Postdoctoral Researcher, Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow is established, the Principal Investigator (PI) / Hiring Manager will outline the main requirements of the role in a job description which should cover the following:
- The key provisions of the role
- Principle duties and responsibilities
- Experience and qualifications required
If it is an existing position, the PI should consider whether the job has changed, and whether the job description needs to be changed to accurately reflect the current requirements of the post. The relevant DCU People Representative can assist the PI where necessary in this process.
Under the DCU Research Career Framework job description templates have been developed and agreed and are available from the DCU People Representative.
These templates contain the main duties and responsibilities usually associated with the particular level of position; however, there is also the option to amend or include further details which are deemed necessary and relevant to the post.
In order to ensure a quick recruitment and selection timeframe, it is recommended that the PI discusses and agrees the recruitment timeline with the DCU People Representative at the earliest opportunity. The timeline should take account of the time required for the advertising, shortlisting, interview and offer stage. Consideration should also be given to notice periods, employment permit requirements and Garda vetting where appropriate.
Advertising
All new research positions that qualify for entry onto the DCU Research Career Framework at the level of Postdoctoral Researcher Level 1, Research Fellow Level 2 and Senior Research Fellow Level 3 should be filled by way of open and public competition. The duration of posts advertised should be in line with duration of the funding available.
To advertise a post the PI should submit to DCU People Representative the finalised job description. In consultation with the DCU People Representative, the most appropriate advertising methods and media can be discussed and agreed having regard to the particular requirements and nature of the role.
The post will be advertised on the DCU People Vacancies Portal for internal and external applicants and on the public websites including the University’s external website. The advert will also be placed in other media at the request of the PI for example: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs; www.Jobs.ac.uk; www.Universityvacancies.com; www.Linkedin.com. The advert / job description will include information in relation to the DCU Research Career Framework and the level of the post being advertised are included on the advert.
Pre-Interview
The Centre Director / PI has responsibility for screening/shortlisting all the applications received to produce a shortlist for interview. Other appropriate members from the Centre may also be asked to participate in the screening/shortlisting process. It is recommended that at least one other appropriate person be involved. Details of the reasons for shortlisting candidates should be recorded. All applications will be shortlisted against the selection criteria / competencies as defined in the job description. The Chairperson will then present to the board a selection of shortlisted candidates which will be assessed by the board at interview.
The guiding principle for nominating a board is that it must consist of appropriately qualified individuals who can determine the candidate most suitable for appointment. Board members should at least be comprised of the following having regard to gender representation:
- The Centre Director or relevant PI - (Chairperson of the Board)
- An internal expert
- An external expert
- DCU People Representative
N.B. The Centre Director or the relevant PI will normally chair the board.
Given the nature of the research roles in the Research Career Framework, the board will have a strong academic representation. The expertise required at each of the levels is outlined below.
Level 1 - Experts must have the equivalent to Research Framework Level 2 experience and qualifications in an area(s) relevant to the position being interviewed.
Level 2 – Experts must have the equivalent to Research Framework Level 3 experience and qualifications in an area(s) relevant to the position being interviewed.).
Level 3 – For this senior level research post the board will normally consist of:
- Executive Dean of Faculty or his/her nominee (Chairperson of the Board)
- The Head of School
- The relevant PI – if he/she is not the Head of Unit
- An external expert
- DCU People Representative
The composition of the proposed board will be approved by DCU People in line with the Recruitment & Selection Policy
Interview
Prior to the interview, the DCU People department prepares an interview book for each member of the Selection Board, which includes the following:
- A copy of the advertisement for the post
- The post description and the selection criteria
- A schedule of all candidates called for interview
- A copy of the application material submitted by the candidates
- Referees' reports if appropriate
- An Interview Assessment Form for appointable candidates
- Selection Recommendation Form in the copy of the chairperson's interview book for signature by the Selection Board members
References provide useful additional information concerning candidates, and can significantly aid recruitment recommendations and decisions. Referees, who should always be persons with current knowledge of the candidate, are provided with copies of the advertisement and the job description and are asked to provide their opinion of the candidate's suitability for the post. DCU People requests references in advance of the interview and circulates the received references to all members of the Selection Board on the day of the interview. In the event of a reference not being received by HR prior to the interview, the interview process continues as planned.
Questions must be in keeping with the provisions of Equal Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination legislation. When seeking information from candidate, questions must be directly related to the selection criteria and the post to be filled.
The role of the Chairperson of the Selection Board is crucial as it is his/her responsibility to co-ordinate the interview and to ensure that it is conducted fairly and without discrimination or bias. He/she will be required to:
- In conjunction with the Human Resources Officer, make the necessary introductions of the Selection Board members to the candidates and explain the format of the interview process
- Ensure that each candidate feels sufficiently at ease to be able to communicate effectively during the course of the interview
- Ensure that the Selection Board has gathered sufficient information on each candidate to enable a valid assessment to be made regarding the candidate's suitability for the post
- Conclude the interview and inform each candidate of the next stage of the process
- Coordinate the Selection Board in the assessment of the interviewed candidates and seek agreement from the Board on the rank order of the candidates who are deemed suitable for appointment to the position
The ranking and selection of the candidates must be based on all aspects of the role criteria, the RCF competencies and any other part of the selection process. This includes written application, interview, presentation (if appropriate), research publication record, referees' reports, and any other aspect of the selection criteria.
The Chairperson’s interview book for each candidate needs to be completed by the Chair of the board. The Interview Assessment Form is one of the two forms which need to be completed as a recording of the interview. The form captures the board’s assessment of each candidate against the role criteria and the Framework competencies.
The information contained under these headings should summarise the entire board’s assessment and should also clearly outline why a candidate is deemed appointable or unappointable. There will be a five point rating system for the competencies and all details regarding same will be contained in the interview book.
The Staff Selection Report Form which is included in the Chairperson's interview book also needs to be completed .The completed form should list the names, in rank order, of those candidates deemed suitable for appointment to the post and the appropriate level of the Framework on which they are to placed. All members of the Selection Board should sign the Staff Selection Form.
Usually the candidate is expected to attend in person. However, in certain circumstances, a Zoom interview can be used as an alternative.
Appointment
All appointments to the University via the recruitment process must be approved by the President. Following the interview, the President will consider the Selection Board recommendation and will decide whether to approve the appointment.
A candidate will only be formally offered a position by the University on receipt by the DCU People Department of three written references (including that from the current employer), which are deemed satisfactory to the University.
Further Information is available at Employment Permit and Guidelines
Positions where the selected candidate will have unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults will be required to undergo garda vetting in advance of the appointment. For further details please refer to Garda Vetting Staff.
In all instances the relevant DCU People Representative upon consultation with the PI will make the appropriate offer of employment. The DCU People Representative will liaise directly with the candidate and will regularly update the PI. The offer will be in line with the terms and conditions outlined in the advert. The appropriate salary will be determined by the level of skills and experience of the individual and will adhere to the IUA salary guidelines
When candidates are formally informed of the success of their application, they will be advised that the job offer is subject to the receipt by the University of satisfactory References, satisfactory medical report, Verification of Qualifications, completion of Garda Vetting (if applicable), and obtaining an Employment Permit (if applicable) have been fully adhered to.
Once the offer has been accepted the PI must then complete and submit a Staff Request in order to facilitate the issue of the contract of employment. The Staff Request must have the necessary approvals.
Once the staff request has been received the contract of employment will be issued to the successful candidate and will be accompanied by a Letter of Offer. The letter will provide details on the offer of employment and also information in relation to the DCU Research Career Framework. It will also specify the Framework level that the candidate will be placed on.
Feedback
All internal candidates are provided with Feedback following the selection process. Feedback is available to all candidates upon request in line with the following policies
Notification Outcome Candidates Policy and the Recruitment & Selection Policy
For further information on any other aspect of recruitment and selection not covered in this document please refer to the DCU Recruitment & Selection Policy;The Code of Practice for the Employment of People with Disabilities and The Equality & Access Policy