The personnel categories listed on parts A and B of the Proposal Budget are defined as follows:
Senior/Key Personnel
Senior/key personnel include the individuals designated by the proposer/recipient organization and approved by NSF[52], who contribute in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research and development award.[53]
There are two categories of senior/key personnel as follows:
- (co) Principal Investigator (PI) - NSF does not infer any distinction in scientific stature among multiple PIs, whether referred to as PI or co-PI. If more than one, the first one listed will serve as the contact PI, with whom all communications between NSF program officials and the project relating to the scientific, technical, and budgetary aspects of the project should take place. There is a limit of one PI and up to four co-PIs on a proposal. Both the PI and any co-PIs, however, will be jointly responsible for submission of the requisite project reports. For purposes of this document, when used throughout, the term Principal Investigator also includes Project Director (PD), and the term co-PI also includes co-PD.
- Faculty Associate (faculty member) (or equivalent) -- an individual other than the Principal Investigator(s) considered by the performing institution to be a member of its faculty (or equivalent) or who holds an appointment as a faculty member at another institution, and who will participate in the project being supported.
Other Personnel
1.Postdoctoral (Scholar, Fellow, or Other Postdoctoral Position) - 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. Postdoctoral scholars not identified as a senior/key person above should be listed as Other Personnel.
2. Other Professional - a person who may or may not hold a doctoral degree or its equivalent, who is considered a professional and is not reported as a Principal Investigator, faculty associate, postdoctoral scholar, or student. Examples of persons included in this category are doctoral associates not reported under B1, professional technicians, physicians, veterinarians, system experts, computer programmers, and design engineers.
3. Graduate Student (research assistant) - a part-time or full-time student working on the project in a research capacity who holds at least a bachelor's degree and is enrolled in a degree program leading to an advanced degree.
4. Undergraduate Student - a student who is enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a bachelor's or associate's degree.
5. & 6. These categories include persons working on the project in a non-research capacity, such as secretaries, clerk-typists, draftsmen, animal caretakers, electricians, and custodial personnel regardless of whether they hold a degree or are involved in degree work.
Any personnel category for which NSF funds are requested must indicate, in the parentheses provided on the Proposal Budget, the number of persons expected to receive some support from those funds.
Footnote to Exhibit II-3
[52] NSF will approve the PI and any co-PIs in any resulting award notice.
[53] In accordance with the NSPM-33 Implementation Guidance, Senior/key personnel typically do not include graduate students.