Frequently Asked Questions by Staff Scientists

A Staff Scientist may apply for external grants as a co-PI with his/her group leader or head of department (in the case of a Staff Scientist in a services unit). A list of grants that permit staff scientists to be included as a co-PI is available here (correct as of 23/12/2021, will be updated as needed).

A Staff Scientist may exceptionally apply for a grant by himself or with other Staff Scientists or with a faculty member from another institution. In this case, written approval must be given ahead of time by his/her group leader or head of department and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Permission in such a case will be given only in the most exceptional circumstances; see letter from Vice President for Academic Affairs (login required).

There is an internal grant available for Staff Scientists in service units; for details see the grant page on the Research Grants and Projects Office site.

See also:

• FAQ on Tosefet Mechkar Bet
• FAQ on the Internal Grants

Staff scientists on their own are not allowed to supervise masters (M.Sc.) or doctoral (Ph.D.) graduate students. However, Senior Staff Scientists and Senior Research Fellows are allowed to co-supervise students, together with a professor. Each case must be approved by the Dean of the Feinberg Graduate School. In any case, staff scientists are encouraged to include in their C.V. a section listing all students whom they have "unofficially supervised," as well as in their work plan when applying for a promotion and tenure.

There are two prizes for outstanding Staff Scientists

• Maxine Singer Prize for Outstanding Staff Scientists (two recipients each year)
• Scientific Council Prize for Outstanding Staff Scientists (two recipients each year)

Any professor or senior scientist may nominate a Staff Scientist for a prize. A list of recipients is available on the Academic Affairs site.

Your department secretary can order them for you from the Publishing Department.

Currently, Staff Scientists sit on the following committees:

• the Executive Committee of the Staff Scientists Council sit as observers on the Scientific Council of Professors
• we have two representatives on the Va'ad Mad'anim
• one representative on the Services Committee
• one representative on the Food and Restaurant Services Committee

Staff Scientists twice a year must declare that they in the previous 5-7 months whether they were enganged in any external professional manner (such as research, planning, consulting, etc.) for financial renumeration (excluding author fees for scientific books or patents within the Staff Scientist's field of expertese) exceeding a prescribed amount. Staff Scientists who meet these criteria are elligible, upon declaration, of receiving a Full-Time Employment supplement, paid once every three months.

It should be noted that payment in the following cases is exempt:

1. Teaching in pre-academic preparatory programs, courses for foreign students, courses for youth science students and academic programs intended for the defense forces.

2. Being employed by one of the universities in Israel as an external teacher with a special permit given by the rectors of two institutions, excluding teaching in regional colleges.

3. Teaching at the Feinberg Graduate School.

For more details, including the current exempted sums, see the Academic Affairs Office site (login required).

• The annual allowances of the Kakam (termed in the Institute official letters as “International Scientific Ties Fund”) as of 10/2016 are as follows:
  1. Assistant Staff Scientist - $4,428
  2. Associate Staff Scientist - $5,626
  3. Senior Staff Scientist - $7,328
  4. Senior Research Fellow - $10,979
• The annual allowance is updated and becomes available at the start of the academic year.
• The Kakam can be used for the purpose of attending conferences or for work related visits to Institutions abroad, and can be used with the approval of the direct PI, the head of Department, and Dean of the faculty. Also included are professional courses, books, journal subscriptions, and membership in professional organizations. 
  • See Keren Kishrey Mada for regulations (Hebrew).
• The Kakam funds can be also used to buy a computer (once every four years) for the work related use of the Staff Scientist. (After four years the computer can be purchased for 10% of its original cost.) See Section 6.5 of the regulations.
• Mobile phones and their monthly charges can also be paid from Kakam.
  • Pay for a phone with Kakam.

The Anixter Family Foundation Early Childhood Village is available for children of Weizmann employees. For more details, see the Gan site.