NSD S&E Promotions Procedures

POLICY

A. Purpose

Berkeley Lab promotion policy is captured in the Requirements and Policies Manual (RPM). The Laboratory has standardized processes for these promotions. This document describes the procedures and practices in the Nuclear Science Division (NSD) for promotions of staff that are part of the Laboratory’s Scientific Career Path defined in section 2.07 of the RPM. These are the positions of Research Scientist/Engineer (Career-Track and Career), Staff Scientist/Engineer (Career-Track and Career), Divisional Fellow, Senior Scientist/Engineer, Distinguished Scientist/Engineer, Faculty Scientist/Engineer, and Faculty Senior Scientist/Engineer. The positions of Postdoctoral Fellow, Visiting Researcher, Visiting Faculty, and Project Scientist are not part of the Scientific Career Path.

A relevant visual, the Berkeley Lab Scientific Career Path chart from the RPM can be found here.

B. Exceptions

Any exceptions to any parts of this process need to be approved by the Division Director.

C. Policy Statement

Promotion to Senior Scientist

In the Berkeley Lab standardized process of promotion to Senior Scientist, the Division Director identifies qualified colleagues on a yearly schedule and appoints an Ad-Hoc Committee to prepare each case. The NSD staff committee’s formal role is that of approver or disapprover in an approval chain up to and including the Laboratory Director.

1. The Nuclear Science Division Staff Committee (NS-DSC) will annually screen the staff roster for staff members who may be eligible for promotion to Senior Scientist. It will seek input from the Program Heads and will relay its advice to the Nuclear Science Division Director (NS-DD).
2. The NS-DD identifies qualified colleagues for promotion to Senior Scientist on a yearly schedule following the standardized Laboratory process for promotion to Senior Staff.
3. The NS-DD or NS-DSC chair will call a meeting of the entire Senior Staff to seek its advice on promotion before starting a formal promotion process.
4. The NS-DD appoints an Ad-Hoc Committee to prepare the promotion case and relays the composition of this committee to the NS-DSC chair. It has been customary that one member of the Ad-Hoc Committee is also a member of the NS-DSC.
5. The Ad-Hoc Committee prepares the promotion case in accordance with the Laboratory process. Letters are solicited as part of this process. The solicitation of these letters must be discussed with the NS-DD and the NS-DSC prior to their solicitation. All solicited letters have to be accounted for as part of the case-file.
6. The NS-DD or NS-DSC chair will call a meeting of the entire Senior Staff to seek its advice on the promotion case. The complete case-file will be made available to the Senior Staff at least 5 days prior to this meeting. The NS-DSC and NS-DD will consider a case for approval or disapproval only after a vote among the Senior Staff.
7. The case-file will then be submitted by the Division's HR Partner to the chain of approval.

Promotions to Staff Scientist (Career) and Research Scientist (Career)

1. The NS-DSC will periodically screen the staff roster for staff members who may be eligible for promotion to Staff Scientist (Career) and will relay its advice to the Nuclear Science Division Director (NS-DD). This screening will include Career-Track Staff Scientists and Research Scientists (Career).
2. The promotion from Career-Track Staff Scientist to Staff Scientist (Career) requires a prior mid-term review unless promotion is initiated within three years from the initial appointment to Career-Track Staff Scientist.
3. The NS-DD identifies qualified colleagues for promotion and appoints the supervisor, the NS-DSC, or a combination to prepare the promotion case in accordance with the Laboratory process for promotion to Staff Scientist (Career).
4. The promotion process requires a supervisor evaluation and the solicitation of letters. The solicitation of letters should be discussed with the NS-DD and the NS-DSC prior to their solicitation. All solicited letters have to be accounted for as part of the case-file.
5. The NS-DD or NS-DSC chair will call a meeting of the entire Senior Staff to seek its advice on the promotion The complete case-file will be made available to the Senior Staff at least 5 days prior to this meeting. The NS-DSC and NS-DD will consider a case for formal approval or disapproval only after a vote among the Senior Staff.
6. The case-file will then be submitted by the Division's HR Partner to the chain of approval.

Promotions to Research Scientist (Career)

1. The NS-DSC will periodically screen the roster of Career-Track Research Scientists to identify staff members who may be eligible for promotion to Research Scientist (Career) and will relay its advice to the NS-DD.
2. The promotion from Career-Track Research Scientist to Research Scientist (Career) requires a prior mid-term review unless promotion is initiated within three years from the initial appointment to Career-Track Research Scientist.
3. The NS-DD identifies qualified colleagues for promotion and appoints the supervisor, the NS-DSC, or a combination to prepare the promotion case in accordance with the Laboratory process for promotion to Research Scientist (Career).
4. The promotion process requires a supervisor evaluation and the solicitation of letters. The solicitation of letters should be discussed with the NS-DD and the NS-DSC prior to their solicitation. All solicited letters have to be accounted for as part of the case-file.
5. The NS-DD or NS-DSC chair will call a meeting of the entire Senior Staff to seek its advice on the promotion The complete case-file will be made available to the Senior Staff at least 5 days prior to this meeting. The NS-DSC and NS-DD will consider a case for formal approval or disapproval only after a vote among the Senior Staff.
6. The case-file will then be submitted by the Division's HR Partner to the chain of approval.

Promotions of Divisional Fellows

Divisional Fellows are normally considered for promotion to Senior Scientist. This promotion follows the regular process for promotion to Senior Staff. Divisional Fellows can be considered for promotion to Staff Scientist (Career) upon recommendation against promotion to Senior Scientist (RPM section 2.07 D.5.e).

Mid-term Review

1. RPM section 07 requires the completion of a mid-term review for the positions of Divisional Fellows and Career-Track Staff Scientists, and Career-Track Research Scientists within three years of their start. If promotion is initiated sooner, the mid-term review may be foregone.
2. The mid-term review is in addition to annual performance reviews.
3. The mid-term review can be conducted by the supervisor, the NS-DSC, or a combination of the supervisor and NS-DSC.
4. The NS-DSC and NS-DD will review the case-file and will make the reviewed case-file available to the entire Senior Staff for advice before the NS-DD summarizes the outcome to the Employee.

Postdoctoral Fellows and Project Scientists

The Berkeley Lab Scientific Career Path does not contain a promotion process for the positions of Postdoctoral Fellow and Project Scientists. Postdoctoral Fellows and Project Scientists can apply for positions that are part of the Berkeley Lab Scientific Career Path. NSD hiring procedures apply in these cases.

The Laboratory does not consider a Postdoctoral Fellow search a “suitable search” for the purpose of promotion from a career-track to a career position.

D. Roles and Responsibilities

See above.

E. Definitions/Acronyms

F. Implementing/Supporting Documents

None.

G. Contact Information

NSD Policy Administrators

H. Revision History