UHN has established new minimum salary ranges for postdoctoral researchers. The change will take effect on April 3, 2023—making the hospital a leader among Canadian institutions with one of the highest total compensations for this position.
Postdoctoral researchers play critical roles in discoveries and in the training and mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students. The term ‘postdoctoral fellow’ has been used to refer to these individuals; however, going forward, UHN has committed to using the term ‘postdoctoral researcher’. Adopting this change will enable us to move away from gendered terminology and ensure that our actions align with our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
The minimum salary change was motivated, in part, by an internal survey conducted by UHN’s Office of Research Trainees, which revealed that finances are one of the biggest concerns for postdoctoral researchers at UHN.
Three salary ranges will be implemented for postdoctoral researchers, and individuals will be assigned to these levels based on their experience. These salary ranges will be $50,000–$65,000 for Level I, $60,000–$75,000 for Level II, and $70,000 and above for Level III.
These salary ranges were informed by an environmental scan of postdoctoral researcher salaries across North America.
This adjustment will enable UHN to continue to attract and retain the finest talent to conduct world-class research. The change will also provide principal investigators with greater flexibility to hire and promote their team members, ensuring fair minimum compensation and recognition.