The benefits a postdoc receives are dependent on the job code under which he or she is employed:
- Postdoctoral Associate (1312): A postdoctoral scholar that is paid through departmental funds or a mentor’s grant is considered an employee of CU Boulder.
- Postdoctoral Fellow (1438): The Postdoctoral Fellow appointment is restricted to postdoctoral scholars who receive fellowship awards directly from a funding agency and have a direct reporting relationship to the funding agency – that is, postdocs who have applied for and been granted their own fellowship funding.
- Postdoctoral Fellow Stipend (3201): This title would pertain to an individual possessing relevant training and demonstrated competence in a particular discipline to carry out a semi-independent research under the direction of a principal investigator with whom they are training for a defined period of time. This type of Postdoctoral Fellow is ineligible for vacation leave and benefits.
The Benefits Eligibility Matrix shows benefit eligibility for Postdoctoral Associates, Postdoctoral Fellows and Postdoctoral Fellow Stipend.
A Postdoctoral Fellow is eligible for many benefits – including both individual and family health, vision and dental insurance – but is not eligible for CU ORP 401(a) retirement plans or employee leave plans, the latter of which are often designated by the granting agency. Please contact your granting agency for more information on your leave policy.
All CU Boulder employees are eligible for discounts through Benefit Hub and through their Eco Pass Extra.