Academic Hiring Manual University Approved Academic Positions/Ranks

Academic Hiring Manual

Academic Hiring Manual University Approved Academic Positions/Ranks

Last updated: 10/7/2026

Also see University Approved Academic Titles.
"Emeritum" is added to the position/rank only for those granted this designation from MSU. Once emeritum status has been granted, any reappointments should show the position/rank emeritum as primary position/rank.
"Visiting" may be applied to any position/rank, when appropriate. The visiting designation is only to be used for faculty and academic staff who are visiting on a short-term basis (i.e., a year or less) and who intend to return to their home institution or agency from which they are visiting.
"Clinical" is added in front of the position/rank of Faculty/Academic Staff appointed at no pay, whose duties involve patient care, or whose duties require a professional degree in a health or social services field. For example, Clinical Associate Professor.
"Adjunct" is added in front of the position/rank of Faculty/Academic Staff appointed on a no pay basis (except when "clinical" is appropriate). For example, Adjunct Assistant Professor.
Endowed and honorific faculty designations may be conferred upon faculty members holding the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor. These designations recognize distinction, achievement, or other criteria associated with the particular appointment or honor. Examples include but are not limited to, endowed chairs and professorships such as Ernst & Young Professor, or other honorary titles such as University Distinguished Professors, and John A. Hannah Distinguished Professors.

RANKED FACULTY	COMMENTS
Professor	Must have terminal degree. Must be appointed in academic unit. Endowed chair and other special designations apply to the rank of professor. (For example, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor, or University Distinguished Professor.)
Associate professor	Must have terminal degree. Must be appointed in academic unit.
Assistant professor	Must have terminal degree. Must be appointed in academic unit.
	Health Programs, (HP), faculty must have terminal medical degree. Must be clinician faculty member appointed in the College of Human Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or Nursing. Must have a valid license to practice medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing or other clinical credential accepted by the State of Michigan appropriate for the professional role and function.
Professor HP	Professor (Health Programs)
Asc Professor HP	Associate Professor (Health Programs)
Ast Professor HP	Assistant Professor (Health Programs)
	FRIB positions must be appointed in the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.
Professor FRIB	Professor (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)
Asc Professor FRIB	Associate Professor (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)
Ast Professor FRIB	Assistant Professor (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)
	Research faculty are supported by sponsored projects or other non-appropriated University funds.
Research Professor	Must have terminal degree. Must be appointed in academic unit.
Research Asc Professor	Must have terminal degree. Must be appointed in academic unit.
Research Ast Professor	Must have terminal degree. Must be appointed in academic unit.
	* More information related to research faculty positions can be found on the Research Faculty Appointment Category page.
Senior Instructor	Must have master's degree or have been employed as an instructor or equivalent elsewhere. Must be appointed in academic unit. Only available as a promotional title; not available as a title for initial hire.
Instructor	Must have master's degree or have been employed as an instructor or equivalent elsewhere. Teaching experience as a graduate assistant is not included. Must be appointed in academic unit.
Instructor/Fellow	Must have master's degree. Typically used in medical colleges.
Instructor/Intern	Must have master's degree.
Instructor/Resident	Must have master's degree. Used in medical colleges.
ACADEMIC STAFF	COMMENTS
Archivist IV
Archivist III
Archivist II
Archivist I
Librarian III	For Academic Governance purposes, Librarians are included in the term "faculty". Must have master's degree in library or information science.
Librarian II	For Academic Governance purposes, Librarians are included in the term "faculty". Must have master's degree in library or information science.
Librarian I	For Academic Governance purposes, Librarians are included in the term "faculty". Must have master's degree in library or information science.
	MSU Extension positions.
District Director Extension
Associate Program Leader
Senior Extension Educator
Extension Educator
Senior Extension Specialist
Extension specialist
Senior Program Leader
Program leader
Sr conservation sci	Senior Conservation Scientist (MSUE Natural Features Inventory)
Conservation sci	Conservation Scientist (MSUE Natural Features Inventory)
Conservation assoc	Conservation Associate (MSUE Natural Features Inventory)
	FRIB positions must be appointed in the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams.
Senior engineer FRIB	Senior Engineer (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)
Staff engineer FRIB	Staff Engineer (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)
Engineer FRIB	Engineer (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)
Senior physicist FRIB	Senior Physicist (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)
Staff physicist FRIB	Staff Physicist (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)
Physicist FRIB	Physicist (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)
Instructor FRIB	Instructor (Facility for Rare Isotope Beams)
	Academic specialists must be appointed in academic units or unit reporting to the Provost or the Vice President for Research and Innovation. Duties must be consistent with a functional category described on the Specialist Position Description form. (e.g., * More information related to Academic Specialist Classificaitons can be found in the Classifying Positions as Academic Specialists tip sheet.)
Sr Spec - Advisor	Senior Specialist - Advisor. Advising should be 50% of position. Advise students on student’s academic progress, retention, and educational planning including: course curriculum selection, degree planning and requirements, majors, monitor programs, graduation requirements and policies, and/or other instructional activities, e.g., tutoring; interpreting for students with disabilities or bilingual students, advising on academic developmental needs, and developing instructional strategies to assist academic progress; provide information on relationship between course selection and career options; participate in activities devoted to retention of students; pre-admission advising.
Sr Spec - Curr Dev	Senior Specialist - Curriculum Development. Curriculum development should be at least 30% of position. Provide content-related support to course, curriculum and/or instructional development activities.
Sr Spec - Outreach	Senior Specialist - Outreach (Public Service). Outreach should be at least 30% of position. Responsible for disseminating the knowledge resources of the University, to meet the knowledge needs of people outside the University. (e.g., state, regional, national stature). Connects the university with community partners, stakeholders, or students to promote programs, research, and services. Focuses on content of outreach, not process. Roles require deep subject knowledge and usually include strategy development. Often seeks to engage the public with resources, information, etc.
Sr Spec- Research	Senior Specialist- Research. Terminal Degree/Ph.D. (or PI on Research Project) In order to hold the Specialist-Research title, one must either: 1) be designated as the PI on a research project, or alternatively, 2) take a lead role on research projects (not as PI, but performing duties which require a doctorate degree). Duties include developing grant proposals, and directing the research project with designation as principal investigator or performing position responsibiliites that require a doctorate.
Sr Spec - Teacher	Senior Specialist - Teacher. Teaching should be at least 30% of position. Provide instruction for credit courses. Teaching and related class preparation, grading, student evaluation, etc. These specialists are the instructors of record or teach portions of courses on a regular basis.
Specialist - Advisor	Advising should be 50% of position. Advise students on student’s academic progress, retention, and educational planning including: course curriculum selection, degree planning and requirements, majors, monitor programs, graduation requirements and policies, and/or other instructional activities, e.g., tutoring; interpreting for students with disabilities or bilingual students, advising on academic developmental needs, and developing instructional strategies to assist academic progress; provide information on relationship between course selection and career options; participate in activities devoted to retention of students; pre-admission advising.
Specialist - Curr Dev	Curriculum development should be at least 30% of position. Provide content-related support to course, curriculum and/or instructional development activities.
Specialist - Outreach	Outreach should be at least 30% of position. Responsible for disseminating the knowledge resources of the University, to meet the knowledge needs of people outside the University. (e.g., state, regional, national stature). Connects the university with community partners, stakeholders, or students to promote programs, research, and services. Focuses on content of outreach, not process. Roles require deep subject knowledge and usually include strategy development. Often seeks to engage the public with resources, information, etc.
Specialist - Research	Terminal Degree/Ph.D. (or PI on Research Project) In order to hold the Specialist-Research title, one must either: 1) be designated as the PI on a research project, or alternatively, 2) take a lead role on research projects (not as PI, but performing duties which require a doctorate degree). Duties include developing grant proposals, and directing the research project with designation as principal investigator or performing position responsibiliites that require a doctorate.
Specialist - Teacher	Teaching should be at least 30% of position. Provide instruction for credit courses. Teaching and related class preparation, grading, student evaluation, etc. These specialists are the instructors of record or teach portions of courses on a regular basis.
Artist in residence	Individuals with extensive demonstrated professional expertise and teaching experience in one or more areas related to the specific subject or field.
Assistant instructor	Must have a bachelor's degree.
Consultant	If position/rank is only Consultant, job duties must be reviewed by Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs and Human Resources prior to offer.
Coordinator	If position/rank is only Coordinator, job duties must be reviewed by Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs and Human Resources prior to offer.
Curator
Editor	Prior approval from FASA is required. Cannot have teaching duties as part of normal duties, would need to be paid overload for teaching.
Assistant Editor	Prior approval from FASA due to there being an SS title as well. Cannot have teaching duties as part of normal duties, would need to be paid overload for teaching.
Fellow	The Fellow designation is appropriate for short-term, paid appointments that provide recent graduates or other early-career professionals with structured professional development and applied experience in their field as an extension of their academic preparation. Fellow appointments may include research, training, guest lectures, outreach, mentoring, reflection, and support of teaching activities. Fellows may not serve as the instructor of record. When teaching constitutes the primary responsibility of the position, a Lecturer classification should be used, or any other appropriate classification commensurate with education and experience. Fellow appointments are temporary, typically lasting six months to one year and not exceeding two years. Fellows receive benefits in accordance with University policy based on appointment percentage and duration. Units may use a descriptive working title that reflects the area of the fellowship (e.g., Animal Law Fellow). Never use if position is Instructor/Fellow. Role is different than a Postdoctoral Fellow.
Head coach	Intercollegiate Athletics position
Associate head coach	Intercollegiate Athletics position
Assistant head coach	Intercollegiate Athletics position
Coach	Intercollegiate Athletics position
Associate coach	Intercollegiate Athletics position
Assistant coach	Intercollegiate Athletics position
Head trainer	Intercollegiate Athletics position
Trainer	Intercollegiate Athletics position
Intern	Never use if position is Instructor/Intern.
Interpreter IV	Usually On-Call but can be paid
Interpreter III	Usually On-Call but can be paid
Interpreter II	Usually On-Call but can be paid
Interpreter I	Usually On-Call but can be paid
Lecturer	Lecturers are appointed on a fixed-term basis for teaching duties. They can be appoitned as part-time or full-time. They generally have professional experience or expertise in the area of instruction and are not required to have an academic degree. Typically, these are academics at an early stage of their careers. Paid position.
Postdoctoral fellow	Recipient of postdoctoral fellowship. Appointment does not confer MSU employee status. Role is different than Fellow.
Program presenter	Must be On-Call.
Ast program presenter	Assistant Program Presenter. Must be On-Call.
Postdoctoral Scholar	A postdoctoral scholar is an individual who has received a doctoral degree (or equivalent) and is engaged in a temporary and defined period of mentored advanced training to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue their chosen career path. Mentored space to help launch career. They are appointed on a fixed-term basis to work on research projects with MSU faculty and might also have other duties, based on their individual development plan. They are members of the academic staff of MSU. This position cannot be on-call. The initial appointment for a postdoctoral scholar may be up to 3 years, with the possibility of extension/renewal, provided the total cumulative appointment period (as a postdoctoral scholar and/or a postdoctoral fellow combined) cannot exceed 60 full-time equivalent months. Postdoctoral scholars must have a doctoral degree. (Ph.D., Ed.D., M.D., D.O., D.V.M.) or its equivalent. Exceptions will be considered for the following: 1. Individuals without a doctoral degree may be appointed with the rank of postdoctoral scholar for nine months, provided the following condition is satisfied: Satisfactory completion of the Ph.D. dissertation defense/orals with minimal revisions needed that are expected to be completed within three to six months. A letter from the chairperson of the department/school in which the Ph.D. work is being taken must be submitted with the appointment form, indicating the nature of the work to be completed and an estimated time frame for completion. Any reappointment beyond nine months requires proof of degree or a statement from the Dean of the Graduate School, or other appropriate University official, that the requirements have been completed. 2. Individuals who have completed all requirements for the doctoral degree, but the degree has not been formally awarded, may be appointed for up to twelve months. A letter from the Dean of the Graduate School, University Registrar's Office, or other appropriate University official must be submitted with the appointment form.
Sr research assoc	(Position is being phased out; no new appointments as of 12/11/2025.) Senior research associates are appointed on a fixed-term basis to work on research projects with MSU faculty; they are members of the academic staff of MSU. The senior research associate is distinguished from the postdoctoral scholar (formerly research associate) by a substantial research publication record and scholarly recognition in the field and is expected to participate intellectually with faculty and graduate students. A Ph.D. or its equivalent is required with experience to develop a substantial research and publication record. Reappointments at this job title require review and approval by Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs.
Resident	Never use if position is Instructor/Resident.
Scholar	Must be a no pay.
Visiting scholar	Must be a foreign national. Can be paid or no pay.
Teacher
Tutor

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