VMRF Principal investigators must hold an active academic appointment at a Board approved institution (i.e., UCSD, Scripps Research Institute, the Salk Institute, San Diego State University, RAND, etc.), that qualifies them as principal investigators at the approved institution.

If an academic appointment for a qualified individual is required, the requestor must use the Board approved institution's policies and procedures for salaried or non-salaried titles.

VMRF appoints academic personnel in the title of "Research Scientist". This appointment is an administrative appointment only and renews every five years. It does not carry tenure or security of employment. This appointment is concurrent with an active academic appointment at the respective Board approved institution.

If an academic appointee's funding is at VMRF, the appointee may be hired as a VMRF employee at the salary set by the approved institution. At UCSD, the salary is generally established by the Academic Personnel Office in the School of Medicine. Effort at VMRF will be determined by a Memorandum of Understanding between institutions.

VMRF cannot and will not set professional salaries. VMRF has no review process on which to base salary. VA NonProfit Corporations remain qualified grantee institutions provided they rely on Board approved institutions to set professional salaries of academic appointees and have appropriate policy and review procedures in place to comply with federal work place rules for non professional employees (whether or not the Board approved institution contributes to the salary).