• See how long hiring takes.

  • Initiate the hiring process. 

  • Work with INSTAAR Pay on all hiring steps.

Your helper

Email instaarpay@colorado.edu for questions. In hiring, earlier is always better. So please contact instaarpay@colorado.edu as soon as you know you can make a hire.

Looking to hire?

Please see specific steps outlines below by job type. A few notes for all hires:

  • Determine an accurate start date for the new position.
  • Initiate the hiring process by completing the Job Posting Template (email Becky for template if you cannot find it).
  • Communicate closely with instaarpay@colorado.edu throughout the hiring process.
  • Disposition other candidates once a candidate has been selected and the background check has been approved.

Hiring Research Faculty

Total timeline ~4 weeks request to start date.
Who? PRAs, Postdocs, Research Associates, Temporary Researchers

  1. Contact your finance contact and INSTAAR Pay to check on funding.
  2. Provide following information:
    1. Percentage of time
    2. Speedtype(s) & percentage(s)
    3. Supervisor
    4. Salary/range or hourly rate for temp
    5. Position duties
    6. Job summary
    7. Minimum requirements
    8. Application attachments (other than CV, cover letter, and 1 letter of reference)
    9. Intended start date
    10. Name of intended hire if known
  3. {{Research Faculty Checklist}} will be routed.
  4. Posting will be added to CU Boulder job board.
  5. Can post for three day minimum if you have known candidate.
  6. Intended candidate (if known) will have to apply within that window. A Talent Acquisition Recruiter will notify supervisor & INSTAAR Pay that posting has gone live.
  7. Search committee reviews candidates and provides reasons to not select candidate each to instaarpay@colorado.edu.
  8. “Not selected” emails will be sent.
  9. Background checks are renewed every 3 years if person has been terminated in the past.
    1. Allow 3 weeks to complete.
  10. Offer letter sent & Research Faculty HR (ResFacHR) will complete hire.
  11. INSTAAR Pay will onboard employee.
    1. Supervisor informs employee of first day expectations (location, hours, duties, lunch, etc).

  • Temp Researchers will ALWAYS be overtime eligible per FSLA.
  • Temps will be paid time and a half if they work over 40 hours per week. Please be sure your funding allows for this legal requirement.
  • Temp employees are not eligible for benefits.
  • After 12 months of work there must be a six month break before being eligible to work again in another temporary appointment at CU.
  • Employee and supervisor will need to have internet access to approve biweekly timesheets.

Hiring Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs)

Hiring information due ~2 months prior to start date.

  1. Contact your accounting tech & INSTAAR Pay to check on funding.
  2. Provide following information:
    1. Percentage of time
    2. Speedtype(s) & percentage(s)
    3. Supervisor
    4. Pre-comp or Post-comp?
    5. Academic department
    6. Academic term or start/end dates
  3. INSTAAR Pay will send hire to HR Service Center (HRSC) for processing.
  4. INSTAAR Pay routes offer letter & onboards student.
    1. Supervisor informs student of first day expectations (location, hours, duties, lunch, etc.).

Hiring Student hourly assistants

Total timeline ~1 week.
Start date must be at the beginning of a biweekly pay period.

  1. Contact your accounting tech & INSTAAR Pay to check on funding.
  2. Provide following information:
    1. Start date (this may be adjusted due to pay period dates)
    2. Percentage of time
    3. Speedtype(s) & percentage(s)
    4. Funding end date
    5. Supervisor
    6. Hourly rate
  3. INSTAAR Pay will send hire to HR Service Center (HRSC) for processing.
  4. INSTAAR Pay routes offer letter & onboards student.
    1. Supervisor informs student of first day expectations (location, hours, duties, lunch, etc.).
    2. Employee & supervisor will need to have internet access to approve biweekly timesheets.

Hiring Persons of Interest (POIs)

Total timeline ~3 days
Who? Volunteers, Unpaid Visiting Scholars, Affiliates, Pre-employment access

  1. Contact INSTAAR Pay to initiate POI Docusign & volunteer waiver:
    1. Please include name and email address of POI.
    2. Can assign Visitor Buff OneCard for a $5 charge - supply speedtype if dept is paying. Valid for one year.
    3. Fill out access forms as needed - contact instaaradmin@colorado.edu