Principal Investigator Resources
A principal investigator is normally a member of the academic or research faculty who bears responsibility for the intellectual leadership of a project. The principal investigator accepts overall responsibility for directing the research, the financial oversight of the award’s funding, as well as compliance with relevant university policies and federal regulations as well as sponsor terms and conditions of an award. This page contains information regarding principal investigator eligibility status and helpful resources for new and current principal investigators.
Principal Investigator Eligibility Status
The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) Procedure 20003 Investigator Eligibility Requirements and Responsibilities Related to Sponsored Programs details principal investigator status procedures and responsibilities. The procedure provides information regarding principal investigator eligibility, as well as exceptions and criteria for principal investigator status.
If you need to request a non-paid affiliate status for an individual, please use the P-86 form on the Department of Human Resources website. This form does NOT have to be sent to OSP.
Principal Investigator (PI) Eligibility Chart
| Faculty Rank Type and/or HR Classification | Serve as PI | Serve as Co-PI |
|---|---|---|
Adjunct Faculty (all ranks) |
No** |
No |
Administrative/Professional faculty |
No** |
Yes |
Collegiate Faculty (all ranks) |
Yes |
Yes |
Graduate Student |
No^ |
No |
Instructor/Professor of Practice/Clinical Faculty/Lecturer (all ranks) |
No** |
Yes |
Postdoctoral Associate |
No** |
Yes |
Professor (all ranks) |
Yes |
Yes |
Research Associate |
No** |
Yes |
Research Professor (all ranks) |
Yes |
Yes |
Research Scientist |
Yes |
Yes |
Retired Faculty Member |
Yes* |
Yes |
Senior Research Associate |
Yes |
Yes |
Senior Research Scientist |
Yes |
Yes |
Visiting Professor (all ranks) |
No*** |
Yes |
* See exception request process for retired faculty eligibility requirements
** Exceptions require approval of department head, dean and the senior vice president for research and innovation
***Exceptions require approval of department head and dean; visiting professor required to be on Virginia Tech payroll while serving as principal investigator
^ Unless required by sponsor and approved by department head and dean
More Resources
- Principal Investigator Bootcamp – Through this self-paced, online program, participants learn about OSP teams, roles and responsibilities of a sponsored project, the life cycle of an award, policy navigation, compliance-driven practices, operational procedures, electronic research administration, and other foundational components of sponsored programs.
- OSP Training and Development Video Channel – The OSP’s channel features training and resources specific to Virginia Tech, as well as informative media from government agencies and professional organizations. Users must sign in with Virginia Tech credentials to view the material.
Proposal Resources
- OSP Procedure 20002 Proposal Submission
- Introduction to Proposal Submission Process website
- Introduction to the Proposal Submission Process video series – In this four-part series, members of the pre-award team detail important components of the proposal submission process, including proposal tips, budgeting, and Summit Proposals/Agreements.
- Budget Preparation website
- Proposal Submission website
Electronic Research Administration Tools
- Summit Proposal User Guide
- Summit Agreements User Guide
- Principal Investigator Verification Email in Summit Agreements tutorial
- Award Management System: PI View resources – The Award Management System (AMS) is tailored to one’s role in the research community, so individuals will always see the most relevant, current financial information for their awards.
Contact Information for Principal Investigator Eligibility Status Questions
Lauren Magruder
Director, Pre-Award
pistatusosp@vt.edu
540-231-5281