Adjunct Investigator

An Adjunct Investigator is a scientist who works full- or part-time in an intramural setting, but whose primary career appointment is elsewhere (e.g., medical school, university faculty, or at NIH outside of an Institute and Center’s (IC) intramural program). They typically have more than eight years of post-doctoral experience, and may be hired into a Full-Time Equivalent Employment (FTE) position or alternatively as a Special Volunteer, Guest Researcher, or Research Collaborator, provided they fulfill all of the requirements for such appointment mechanism.

An Adjunct Investigator may either be a Full-Time Equivalent Employment (FTE) or non-FTE position.

Please be aware that the following information pertains to the Adjunct Investigator designation (IPD) as defined above, and does not relate to the formal agreement between two IC Intramural Research Programs (IRPs) that are of mutual benefit to the Principal Investigator (PI) and the second IC. For additional information regarding this second use of the term Adjunct Investigator, including resource allocation, Memorandums of Understanding (MOU), etc., please consult with your IC’s Administrative Officer (AO).

Approvals (Process)

All proposed Adjunct Investigator appointments and designations require the approval of the IC’s Scientific Director (SD). The Deputy Director of Intramural Research’s (DDIR’s) approval is not required. Depending on the appointment mechanism used to appoint an Adjunct Investigator, additional approvals may be required.

For information regarding the appropriate appointment mechanisms, please review the following:

• Intramural Professional Designations and Appointment Mechanisms Matrix

Check Sheets / Checklists

Please refer to the specific appointment mechanism for the appropriate check sheets and checklists.

Ethics

Intramural scientists at the NIH, as is true for all scientists, should be committed to the responsible use of scientific tools and methods to seek new knowledge. While the general principles of scientific methodologies are universal, their detailed application may differ in various scientific disciplines and circumstances. All research staff in the Intramural Research Program should maintain exemplary standards of intellectual honesty in formulating, conducting, presenting, and reviewing research, as befits the leadership role of the NIH.

Within the NIH IRP, the ethical conduct of researchers is governed by the following three disciplines:

• Research Ethics
• Government Ethics
• Bioethics

Ethics information may also be available through your specific IC. Please contact your Ethics Counselor for additional guidance.

Pay / Compensation

Pay and compensation for an Adjunct Investigator varies depending on the appointment mechanism. Please refer to the specific appointment mechanism for additional information.

Recruitment Process / Appointment Mechanisms

Please refer to the specific appointment mechanism for the appropriate recruitment process. For information regarding appointment mechanisms, please visit:

• Intramural Professional Designations and Appointment Mechanisms Matrix

Renewals

Renewals are based on the specific appointment mechanism.

Resources

Only Full-Time Equivalent Employment (FTE) Adjunct Investigator appointments may be assigned independent research resources, which are subject to review by the BSC. Please consult your AO for additional resource-related information for your IC.

Termination

Termination of an Adjunct Investigator is based on the specific appointment mechanism.