Parties
Identify employer legal name and the fellow by their full legal name, including any required entity or departmental identifiers to avoid ambiguity.
A well-drafted offer reduces misunderstandings, supports legal compliance, and creates a clear record for payroll and benefits administration. It protects both parties by stating compensation, obligations, termination terms, and applicable policies in writing.
Employers, HR teams, and program directors use this document to formalize fellowship appointments and start the onboarding process.
Recipients include selected candidates, HR representatives, and authorized signatories who confirm terms and complete onboarding steps.
Identify employer legal name and the fellow by their full legal name, including any required entity or departmental identifiers to avoid ambiguity.
Specify an exact start date and whether the position is fixed-term, renewable, or at-will; include anticipated end date and renewal conditions if applicable.
State stipend or salary amounts, payment frequency, withholding expectations, and eligibility for benefits or reimbursements, including grant-funding contingencies.
Describe primary responsibilities, reporting relationships, expected work location, full-time equivalency, and deliverables or performance milestones.
Define grounds for termination, notice requirements, and renewal or extension procedures; clarify severance, if any.
Reference required pre-employment checks, confidentiality, intellectual property clauses, and applicable institutional policies or handbooks.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Signing Order | Sequential |
| Authentication | Email plus SMS OTP |
| Reminders | Every 3 days, up to three notices |
| Storage Location | Secure cloud archive (PDF) |
Choose a platform that supports required integrations and authentication levels to meet institutional compliance demands.
Specify an expiration date to avoid open-ended offers
Confirm start date to trigger payroll setup
Require signed acceptance by a stated date
Complete I-9 by first day of employment (8 CFR §274a.2)
Retain payroll and tax records per IRS timelines
Hiring manager or HR prepares offer draft for review.
Legal and HR approvals completed before sending to candidate.
Candidate returns a signed acceptance via secure method.
I-9, background checks, and payroll setup finalized.
A mid-sized university issues a one-year funded fellowship to a postdoctoral researcher
A hospital research institute offers a two-year clinical research fellowship funded by a grant
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | 7-day trial | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Envelope Cap | No cap | 100 envelopes/user/year | Varies | Varies | Varies |