Employee & Contractor Onboarding Process#
about
This page provides an overview of how we hire and engage with core staff, project-based staff, and contractors who we work with to further the pyOpenSci mission.
This page supplements, but does not replace, the Community Initiatives Employee Handbook. It outlines pyOpenSci-specific onboarding steps and internal team practices to help new team members integrate into our project and community.
For onboarding purposes, pyOpenSci staff positions fall into two categories:
Core staff positions: Salaried positions that are eligible for benefits based on Community Initiatives policies.
Project-based positions: Flexible, project-based positions offer part-time hours, which are determined during the hiring process. These positions are not eligible for benefits based on Community Initiatives policies.
Onboarding for core staff#
Before pyOpenSci onboarding begins, the new hire is guided through the onboarding process with Community Initiatives, which includes completing required paperwork and attending Human Resources training.
Once Community Initiatives onboarding is complete, all core pyOpenSci staff receive the following:
Google Workspace account
A pyOpenSci email (
name@pyopensci.org) will be created.
Google Drive access
Added to
pyos-sharedand other relevant shared drives.
pyOpenSci GitHub organization access
Added to the pyOpenSci GitHub organization. As part of the onboarding process, New staff are given the freedom to choose their preferred GitHub account. Depending on their role and personal preference, they may opt to use their existing personal account or create a new one specifically for their work with pyOpenSci.
Learn more about how we use GitHub.
Access to Asana
We use Asana to track and manage tasks.. All pyOpenSci employees will be added to the pyOpenSci Operations Asana team.
Slack
Invited to Slack workspace for day-to-day communication.
Discord
Invited to our Discord workspace, which we use for events.
Access to social media and content platforms (as needed)
Access to LinkedIn, Mastodon, BlueSky, YouTube, Buffer as needed, depending on the position.
Onboarding for flexible project-based positions#
Our flexible roles are project-based and are typically compensated on an hourly basis.
Typically, project-based roles involve a weekly time commitment of 5-20 hours, with hours fluctuating based on the available work.
Unless they are hired as an outside contractor, project-based employees complete onboarding with Community Initiatives and report time using Community Initiatives’ Paylocity platform.
Google Workspace account
We will create a Google Workspace account if there is a clear business need for the role (for example, external communications or another specific role).
Google Drive access
Granted access to relevant shared folders as needed.
GitHub
Added to the pyOpenSci organization or granted repo-specific access based on project needs.
Slack
All pyOpenSci contributors and staff are invited to join the Slack community.
Discord
Invited to our Discord workspace, which we use for events.
Access to social media and content platforms (as needed)
Access to LinkedIn, Mastodon, BlueSky, YouTube, Buffer as needed, depending on the position.
Email groups#
pyOpenSci staff may be added to one or more email groups to support their role as needed:
admin@pyopensci.org: used for administration tasks such as hiring calls.
media@pyopensci.org: used for general social media work.
Engaging with the community#
Once a new staff member is onboarded, they are introduced to the pyOpenSci community as follows:
Announce in Slack: New staff will be introduced in the
#pyos-updatesSlack channel and invited to share a bit about themselves.Add to website: Update the contributors.yml file in our pyopensci.github.io, which will add them to the “Our pyOpenSci” community page.
Introductory blog post: New hires write a brief blog post introducing themselves to the community. Topics may include work background, hobbies, why they joined pyOpenSci, and their role.
Social media: Post the hire announcement on pyOpenSci social channels.
New Hire evaluation and support#
At pyOpenSci, we aim to ensure a supportive transition for new team members. To foster this, we conduct formal evaluations at both three and six months during the initial employment period. These check-ins provide an opportunity to discuss progress, address challenges, and identify any additional support that may be needed. They also serve as a chance to assess whether the role and expectations remain a good fit for both the team member and pyOpenSci.
These evaluations are an internal process to support alignment and communication within the pyOpenSci team. They do not replace or override the employment policies of our fiscal sponsor, Community Initiatives. All employment decisions are made in alignment with Community Initiatives policies.
We strive to foster an environment where all team members feel supported and encouraged to thrive, while maintaining the cohesion and effectiveness of our small team.
Staff check-ins#
When new members join the pyOpenSci team, a standard weekly check-in meeting is scheduled with their manager.
These meetings provide an opportunity to:
Discuss current tasks and progress.
Ask questions or request guidance.
Address challenges or propose workflow improvements.
For project-based or contractor roles, meeting cadence and format may vary depending on the scope of work. The meeting cadence may also be adjusted over time based on the team’s needs.