A: Apply anyway but be sure to state in your cover letter the time commitment you are willing to make. Staffing for these positions is an urgent need for Duke and someone interested in only one year of work may well be selected anyway. Don't exclude yourself from the candidate pool, let yourself be excluded instead. This will enable you to entertain as many options as possible.

A: Because these positions must be filled immediately, viable candidates will be those who are ready to work. For international students, this means they must have their work authorization by the time they are required to start (some as early as May 1 and no later than August 1). Since international students are eligible for OPT, they are essentially ready to work immediately because OPT does not take long to process.

TIP: As an international student with an F-1 visa, as soon as you are called for an interview, you are advised to call the Visa Services office to discuss your OPT. See http://www.internationaloffice.duke.edu/VisaAppEntryUS.html for more information on the Visa Services office. (Note: This information does not apply to US citizens and permanent residents who are automatically eligible to work in the United States).

A: No. Duke University, as an institution, has not agreed to participate in the Department of Homeland Security's eVerify system. Therefore, Duke positions do not qualify for the STEM program.

A: Duke HR will be matching candidate skill sets with the needs of each PI. They will not be looking to directly match applicant interests with the available opportunities but applicants can increase the likelihood of being considered for positions that align with their interests by clearly including key words (e.g., computational modeling) in their cover letter and resume that relate to their particular interests. Duke HR will be scanning applications for key words as part of the initial screening process to identify the appropriate candidates for each PI's needs.

A: Consider applying for both positions. This will increase the odds of your being selected.

A: If the classes were in the evenings or on weekends, you would be able to do so. However, you would be expected to work full days in these positions.

A: No. If offered a position, you would need to decide relatively quickly whether or not you would be accepting the offer. These are urgent staffing needs and Duke cannot offer deferrals.

A: With the exception of some postdoctoral positions, we do not yet know which of several hundred grant proposals will ultimately receive funding and therefore do not know which projects will need to be staffed. If you are seeking a postdoc position, you should check the Postdoctoral Services website (http://www.postdoc.duke.edu/) for a listing of positions and job descriptions.

A: Anytime. This is a fast-track process and anyone who is interested should apply now to be in the queue. Duke has received (as of April 10) intent to fund over $20M in research projects. The earliest start date is May 1 but money will continue to come in through the summer. Many grants have June 1 and July 1 start dates. We estimate that all money will be in play by August 1.

A: Most likely, no. We define 2 years of experience as 2 years at full-time status. This would be a good position for some Masters degree students who have prior full-time research experience.