Nature of Appointment

An ORISE Research Participant at NASA is not an employee of ORISE, ORAU, NASA, the host facility, or any other office or agency. Instead, the participant has a guest appointment at NASA-designated facility and is affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment.

When accepting the Terms of Appointment, a participant agrees that the receipt of stipend payments from ORAU shall not be construed as an employment relationship and acknowledges there are no employment-related benefits (such as paid vacation, sick pay, maternity leave, unemployment compensation, worker's compensation, etc.) associated with this appointment.

As a guest at a NASA facility, a participant is expected to devote full time and effort in pursuing the activities of the research program, publishing research results, participating and presenting at appropriate scientific conferences and meetings, and participating in technical activities at NASA facility.

Participants should:

• Recognize that this program is an educational experience, not a contract of employment.
• Recognize that they are guests at NASA.
• Be at the host facility during its normal operating hours.
• Observe and conform to all applicable rules, regulations, and requirements of the NASA facility including, but not limited to, those respecting environment, safety, security, operating and health physics procedures, drug-free workplace notification requirements and conduct.
• Participate in the ongoing research activities of NASA.
• Recognize that they do not earn medical leave or personal leave, although the NASA facility may permit occasional absences from the facility without halting the stipend payment or terminating of the appointment.  All absences must be approved in advance by the mentor.
• Undertake activities that are reserved for federal employees.
• Supervise, appoint, mentor, evaluate, or engage in any other activity that implies supervision of other participants or employees.
• Accept budget or program management authority, signature authority, official job titles, or function in any way as a representative of the federal government, even if directed to by a responsible federal official.
  

Participants should NOT:

• Undertake activities that are reserved for federal employees.
• Supervise, appoint, mentor, evaluate, or engage in any other activity that implies supervision of other participants or employees.
• Accept budget or program management authority, signature authority, official job titles, or function in any way as a representative of the federal government, even if directed to by a responsible federal official.