A position description is required for all positions. The position description serves several important purposes:

• It provides the hiring department an opportunity to consider the programmatic goals of the unit and how those support the unit's and university's missions, and to ensure that each position is best utilized in support of the unit's goals and mission.
• It provides the basis for determining the appropriate employment type, rank and/or classification of a position.
• It provides a clear statement of duties and responsibilities that allow supervisor and employee to have a common understanding of the needs and expectations of the position.
• It articulates the minimum and preferred skill, knowledge and ability qualifications that are required or desired to contribute to effective performance of job duties. Together, the statement of duties and responsibilities and minimum and preferred qualifications guide the selection process when filling the position.
• With its articulation of duties, responsibilities and management expectations, it serves as a guide in connection with assessment of employee performance and can be referenced in the event of any future disciplinary action(s) or grievance(s).
• In providing guidance as to essential functions, it helps the university make important decisions concerning reasonable accommodation for an employee who may be an individual with a disability.

The position description should reflect all "essential functions" of the position. "Essential functions" is a term used in the Americans with Disabilities Act to describe those job duties that are fundamental, as opposed to marginal, to a position. Position duties and responsibilities should be clearly and fully described. For officers of instruction, those should include course load, research expectations, student advising, committee and other service assignments, special projects, administrative duties, etc. The position description must be reviewed for anything that might have the unintentional effect of unnecessarily eliminating women, minorities, or persons with disabilities from consideration for the position.

The Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity will forward all new position descriptions for non-teaching or research positions to the Office of Human Resources to determine whether the position is administrative or classified, subject to vice presidential review. Positions designated as unclassified are specified in OAR 580-020-0006. Positions with the unclassified service designation are professional in nature and most employees are compensated on a salaried basis as provided for in the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

A template for OA position descriptions is available on the HR website.

Position description for instructional/research employees (Microsoft Word)