You have most likely been in contact with your department chair regarding the details of your appointment and the logistics of getting you started. Your department chair will help if you are transferring students or grant funds from a previous institution to Penn Engineering.  Your department chair will also assist you if, prior to your first day, you would like to review PhD candidates and make offers or apply for grants.  The list of department chair contacts is below.

• Bioengineering (BE) Department Chair: Ravi Radhakrishnan
• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE) Department Chair: Chinedum Osuji
• Computer and Information Science (CIS) Department Chair: Zachary Ives
• Electrical and Systems Engineering (ESE) Department Chair: Mark Allen
• Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Department Chair: Shu Yang
• Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) Department Chair: Kevin Turner

PennKey

You will receive an email with instructions for setting up your PennKey and password.  Your PennKey and password are required to access many of Penn’s systems, including Workday.

Workday

Before your first day of work at Penn, you will need to complete the onboarding process in Workday.  You will receive a welcome email from Workday with instructions on how to log into Workday and view your Onboarding tasks once you have set up your PennKey and password.  It may take up to 24 hours to be able to log into Workday after setting up your PennKey.

Health Insurance

Penn Health Insurance usually starts the first day of the month following the date of hire on payroll so be aware of any potential insurance gap.   Review your Health Insurance options here Benefits Enrollment Guide.  Selection of benefits will be part of your onboarding process after you complete Form I-9 Section 2.  Questions about benefits should be directed to Penn Employee Solution Center.

International Faculty

Please work with your department chair and Kathryn Fogle, Immigration and Employment Compliance Manager, to discuss permanent residency sponsorship and to make sure all of your immigration documentation has been properly submitted. Additional information can be found here.

Parking/Other Transportation Options

You may choose to apply for an on-campus parking permit or take advantage of Philadelphia’s many public transportation options.  Please note that there is usually very high demand for parking on campus.  Review the  Campus Map to find buildings and roads.

On-Campus Parking useful links:

Penn Transportation and Parking

Penn Parking Locations Map

Commuter Information useful links:

Penn Commuter Services Information

SEPTA – Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority

PATCO – Port Authority Transit Corporation

Penn Transit Services Information

Resources for Cyclists

Onboard@Penn

You will need to schedule your in-person appointment with Onboard@Penn to complete Form I-9 Section 2. This appointment should be scheduled within three (3) business days from your first day of work.  Schedule your in-person appointment with Onboard@Penn.

W-4 and Additional Workday Tasks

Once your Form I-9 Section 2 is complete at Onboard@Penn, please log back into Workday to complete the additional Workday inbox onboarding tasks, e.g. your W-4.

PennCard

Once your Workday onboarding tasks are complete, you will be able to obtain your PennCard..  The PennCard is the official University of Pennsylvania identification card for students, faculty, staff, and other members of the Penn community. Your PennCard is also used for many activities including building access, recreation, and library services.

Building Access and Keys

Once you have your PennCard, provide your department administrative contact with your PennCard number.  This will allow your department administrative contact to coordinate building access with Engineering Operational Services.

Your department administrative contact will also be your contact for any necessary keys.

Two-Factor Authentication

Two-Step Verification is a service requiring the use of two forms of authentication with your PennKey to access Penn systems. The purpose is to increase the level of security when accessing University sensitive data and systems. Enroll in Two-Step Verification

UPennAlert Emergency Notification Systems

The UPennAlert Emergency Notification System enables the University to quickly notify the Penn and surrounding Philadelphia community of critical information during significant emergencies or dangerous situations involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on campus.  We urge you to register with UPennAlert  so that University officials can communicate with you wherever you happen to be.

Faculty Directory Profile

To be featured in Penn Engineering Faculty Directory, please work directly with your department administrative contact.  If you do not have a headshot at the time of submission, Penn Engineering hosts a professional headshot session at some point during your first year.  This photo can then be used in your faculty directory listing.  You will be notified in advance of the professional headshot session dates once they are scheduled.

New Faculty Orientation

Penn Engineering hosts a Welcome/Orientation session for new faculty prior to the start of the Fall and Spring Terms.  You will be notified in advance of the Welcome/Orientation dates once they are scheduled.

Center for Teaching and Learning

Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Innovation (CETLI) offers numerous programs, services, resources, and strategies to help instructors at Penn excel in their teaching. Visit the CETLI New Faculty Resources page on their website to help you get started on your teaching journey at Penn.

If you are new to Philadelphia, welcome!  Below are some links to help you explore your new home.

Philly Magazine

Center City District

Philadelphia Visitor’s Guide

Philly Fun Guide

University City District