University Human Resources

Determining Pay and Evaluating Jobs

Job Families

A job family is a group of jobs involving similar types of work and requiring similar training, skills, knowledge, and expertise. Positions in a job family can range from entry level to senior and require different levels of skill and responsibility.

Most non-union staff positions are assigned a job grade from 1-15; these job grades cover approximately 3,200 positions across 19 job families. As positions in multiple job families may be evaluated at the same grade, the salary ranges for each job grade are broad to accommodate the differences in pay. Pay within each job grade may vary based on several factors:

  • External market for each job family
  • Internal equity
  • Individual performance differences

Three Important Characteristics

  1. Some job families have more jobs in them than others, and those with many jobs may have specialty areas within them. 
  2. In all cases, a job can only reside in one job family. However, jobs in a job family can reside in many different departments. For example, positions in the Research job family are found in various departments, including BioMed, School of Public Health, School of Engineering, etc.
  3. The job family should most closely align to the primary role of the position and the experience/qualifications required.   

How Job Families Are Used

Knowledge of job families may be used by managers, staff, and University Human Resources to:

  • Define career development opportunities for staff with a current or another job family 
  • Facilitate career planning discussions, clarify the need for specific training, and assist staff members considering course enrollment 
  • Comply with mandated affirmative action reporting and data analysis 
  • Ensure consistency in job evaluations by comparing similar jobs within the same job family 
  • Assist in ensuring internal equity and external competitiveness

Brown University Job Families

The Academic Affairs job family contains jobs that direct or develop academic programs, oversee academic program evaluation and curriculum-based activities, leadership roles in academic affairs, instruction and teaching, and pedagogical training and development instruction.

  • Academic Administration
  • Academic Program Development
  • Instruction/Teaching

The Administrative Management job family contains jobs responsible for a broad cross-section of administrative roles across the university that lead, plan, direct, implement, and support business, operational, and educational functions.

  • Academic Department Leadership
  • Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
  • Faculty Affairs
  • Government and Community Engagement
  • Program/Project Management
  • Operations Management

The Administrative Support job family contains jobs responsible for providing a broad complement of administrative support critical to the operations of a department or unit.

  • Administrative Support
  • Bookstore and Inventory operations
  • Classroom Support

The Arts and Culture job family contains jobs responsible for supporting cultural and performing arts and student productions of artistic events.

  • Arts
  • Production Management

The Athletics job family contains jobs involved in activities related to operations of athletic programs and facilities.

  • Athletics Events and Operations
  • Athletics Wellness and Performance
  • Coaching
  • Fitness Instructors
  • Sports Operations

The Audit, Compliance, and Legal job family contains jobs responsible for evaluating and assessing regulatory compliance, internal controls, and ensuring the University is operating within the law at all time, being aware of all transactions the University is engaged in.

  • Audit
  • Compliance & Risk
  • Legal

The Communications/Marketing job family contains jobs that provide information dissemination to internal and external audiences. Roles in this family are responsible for creative processes, marketing, public relations, branding, media releases, communications and media production, printed and electronic publications, website content design/management, and social media. The Communications and Marketing functions include the support, coordination, production, and management of written, visual, and digital marketing and communications.

  • Media Relations
  • Writers and Editors
  • Event Management
  • Communications
  • Digital Communications 
  • Marketing
  • Web Communications

The Development and Alumni Relations job family contains jobs that engage alumni, foundations, corporations, and the community with the university by cultivating the support of donors both directly through solicitations and fundraising campaigns, and indirectly through alumni engagement, alumni and professional societies, and targeted campaigns that maintain long-term relationships.

  • Alumni Relations
  • Fundraising
  • Corporate and Foundation Relations
  • Development Research and Prospect Management
  • Donor Relations and Stewardship

The Dining and Hospitality job family contains jobs responsible for overseeing all dining hall and other food services operations,  planning and executing special events, or ensuring that meals meet appropriate nutritional standards in student dining halls.

  • Dining and Hospitality

The Facilities Management job family contains jobs responsible for ensuring that the university’s physical assets are functional, safe, and efficient. This includes jobs responsible for maintaining the building's structure and systems, managing property and grounds and construction and renovation of new and existing buildings.

  • Custodial Services
  • Facilities Engineering
  • Facilities Services
  • Planning, Design, Construction
  • Real Estate

The Finance, Budget, and Planning job family contains jobs that provide services related to the collection and disbursement of funds, procurement, budget planning, accounting, financial analysis, and related aspects of financial functions.

  • Accounting
  • Contracts
  • Financial Management and Analysis
  • Financial Support
  • Payroll and Tax
  • Procurement
  • Receivables and E-Commerce

The Health and Medical Services job family contains jobs responsible for providing healthcare services, healthcare outreach, and health and wellness education to students.

  • Counseling/Psychology
  • Health Promotion
  • Medical Providers
  • Medical Support
  • Medical Technicians
  • Pharmacy

The Human Resources job family contains jobs responsible for fostering a healthy, productive, and inclusive workforce through the development and implementation of integrated and effective related programs, services, and policies.  The Human Resources function advises and administers programs in the following areas: benefits, compensation, employee and labor relations, employment, HRIS, records, payroll, organizational development and training, and other related human resources services.

  • Benefits
  • Compensation
  • Employee and Labor Relations
  • Human Resources Business Partner
  • Talent Acquisition
  • Talent Development

The Information Technology job family contains jobs responsible for all aspects of Information technology activities and for providing user-friendly technology services to the campus community and visitors. Information technology roles provide direction and support for information and communication technologies. The information technology job family performs and participates in the functions and activities related to infrastructure, systems, applications, support, security, and business intelligence.

  • Application Development and Support
  • Business Intelligence & Analytics
  • Data Science and Engineering
  • Data Management 
  • Instructional Design & Technology
  • IT Infrastructure
  • IT Media Services
  • IT Security
  • IT Support
  • Programming
  • Systems and Network Administration
  • Web Development

The Libraries and Museums job family contains jobs that develop and implement library/museum services and programs that best serve the university community, collaborate with academic colleagues, students, and outside scholars to ensure that library/museum collections are easily accessible and support academic research and instruction, monitor library/museum policies to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws as well as university policy, and utilizes expertise in library/museum related issues as well as knowledge of current issues and trends within the library/museum community to support and contribute to the library/museum’s short- and long-range strategic plans.

  • Archival/Special Collections
  • Acquisitions
  • Cataloging
  • Curatorial
  • Digital Library Services
  • Librarian
  • Library Services
  • Museum Operations

The Research job family contains jobs responsible for all aspects of research related activities by facilitating the dissemination of information through the discovery of new knowledge, techniques, and concepts using theoretical, applied, clinical and translational methods. This family is involved in conducting, supporting, and managing research related to engineering; and physical, life, and social sciences; and clinical and community-based studies.

  • Academic/Scientific Research 
  • Animal Care
  • Research Data Analysis
  • Research Facilities/Lab Management
  • Research Program/Project Management 
  • Research Support

The Research Administration job family contains jobs responsible for oversight in the administration and compliance of research activities that range from identifying funding sources, proposal submissions, grant management, and ensuring compliance with the use of human subjects and lab animals.

  • Business Development/Technology Transfer
  • Grant Accounting / Post-Award
  • Research Compliance
  • Grant and Contract Administration / Pre-Award
  • Grant and Financial Management
  • Research Contracting
  • Research Development
  • Research Training

The Safety job family contains jobs that provide protective, safety, and environmental and occupational health services, programs, and policies to promote a safe campus community.

  • Environmental Health 
  • Public Safety

The Student Services job family contains jobs responsible for performing or managing a range of student service activities which may include programs, events, advising and services for students while encouraging student engagement.

  • Academic Advising and Support
  • Admissions
  • Career Development
  • Registrar
  • Residential Life
  • Student Engagement
  • Student Affairs
  • Student Financial Services
Job Profile
A broad category corresponding to the primary purpose of a job and its relationship to other jobs. All jobs in a given job profile require similar educational background, experience, competences, and market value
Business Title
A customized, descriptive title that provides greater understanding of the individual employee’s responsibilities and scope within the Job Profile