Q: Can I schedule interviews for any position in my office?
Yes. You can schedule interviews for any open position in your office, but you will only be able to rank finalists if you created the position description.
Liaison Registration
Yes, in accordance with the permission set above. Your administrative staff or scheduler can create a separate registration in the Liaison Portal. Staff will review and process these requests within 1-2 business days. As an office liaison or mentor, if you have submitted a position description, your administrative staff does not need to resubmit a posting. Instead, they may simply manage the scheduling of applicants by registering under the same office as the position you have entered. Registrants that did not submit the position description will not be able to rank finalists for that position – this ability remains a feature only for those who entered the position description directly.
Position Descriptions
All positions must be submitted online via the Liaison Portal Positions page by March 15, 2023. We are no longer accepting emailed files. The Positions page and Position Description form provide additional information on the submission process.
Q: What information in the position description will be shared with Finalists?
Finalists will have access to the full position description for any position you submit. The only field the Finalists do not see is the optional “Additional Information for STPF Staff.” Finalists do not have access to any position that is in “Drafted” status.
Q: How do user permissions work in the Liaison Portal?
Most actions in the portal are tied directly to a specific Position Description (PD). The user permissions for site functions are dictated by whether or not you created the related PD. Below is a quick overview of major functionality on the site and what you can do based on whether or not you are the PD author. If there is a specific action you are prevented from doing, that you would like help with, please contact your STPF Program Manager or STPF support staff through the Message Center or [email protected].
Action |
If You Did Create the Related PD | If You Did Not Create the Related PD |
| Edit Drafted PD | YES | NO |
| Clone PD | YES | NO |
| View PD Details | YES | NO |
| Submit PD For STPF Review | YES | NO |
| Withdrawal PD | YES | NO |
| View Status Of PD | YES | NO |
| View Finalist Information | YES | YES |
| Schedule Interviews For PDs In Your Office | YES | YES |
| View Finalists Schedule | YES | YES |
| View Interview Schedule For Your Office | YES | YES |
| Rank Finalists For PD | YES | NO |
Q: How are fellows placed?
All offers of fellowship placements are made by AAAS on behalf of prospective host offices. Because there are multiple candidates and multiple offices/agencies, it is essential that AAAS serve as an intermediary, communicating in both directions the offers and acceptances. After Finalist Interview Week, finalists and host offices submit rankings through the online portal. AAAS manages the matching process and extends offers based on these rankings.
Q: When do you need a confirmation of host office funding?
Fellowships in the executive branch are funded by the host offices and agencies. Some offices may not know by March whether they have the funds to host a fellow. AAAS is not able to make a placement offer on behalf of a host office until the funding status has been resolved. If this is your circumstance, please contact your designated point of contact on the STPF staff for questions about the funding dimensions.