Facilitating a smooth transition from candidate to productive researcher.

Successful onboarding is a partnership. While our office manages the community and "life logistics" for the hire, the PI’s role is to ensure the postdoc is professionally integrated and operationally ready.

 

 

Ensuring Day One Readiness

 

1. Social & Team Integration

Professional isolation is the #1 driver of postdoc dissatisfaction. A successful first week is built on hospitality:

  • Be Present: Ensure someone is there to greet them. Avoid start dates when you are off-campus.
     
  • Tour: Walk them through the department to meet staff and neighboring PIs.
     
  • Lab Lunch: A team meal within the first 48 hours establishes culture immediately.

 

2. System & Workspace Access

Research cannot begin without the proper infrastructure. Please coordinate these items as soon as hiring is confirmed:

  • Computer Availability: Ensure a dedicated Lehigh-managed computer is ready on Day 1. While a new purchase is not always required, the PI is responsible for ensuring the postdoc has a workstation available immediately.
     
  • Data Security & Compliance: Postdocs should NOT use personal computers for research. To protect research data integrity and meet grant security requirements, all data must be stored and processed on Lehigh-managed hardware,
     
  • Physical Access: Confirm IDEAL office, OneCard permissions and physical keys are active for lab entry.

 

Onboarding Toolkit

 

For the Postdoc

Delegate the life logistics (housing, parking, payroll) to our office.

 

For the Faculty

Access the "Official" Lehigh manuals and HR policy guides.