📊 For hiring/tenure committees

Committee workflow

Set up RESQUE for your hiring committee in six steps

With a few steps, committees can set up a customized version of the RESQUE tool that fits their needs. To facilitate and improve decision-making, committees receive (a) individual profiles for each applicant and (b) a comparative overview sheet of all candidates.

Profile of a single person (demo) Overview of multiple anonymous candidates (demo)

Note

The RESQUE Framework is evolving. If you plan to use RESQUE in a hiring process, please contact us first.

Quick start

If you want to use RESQUE in your hiring committee, go through these steps:

Step 1

🧩 Choose indicators

Select indicators and decide whether to keep default scoring weights.

Step 2

🛠️ Customize app

Create a committee-specific Collector App copy.

Step 3

📣 Create instructions

Give applicants clear submission rules.

Step 4

📤 Integrate into your hiring portal

Ensure your hiring portal accepts the required files.

Step 5

🧪 Test the application

Run a full test submission before opening the call.

Step 6

👥 Use RESQUE profiles

Use RESQUE profiles in structured committee discussions.

Step-by-step setup

Step 1: Choose your indicators and weights

Why this matters: Indicators define what counts as research quality for this position.

What to decide:

Use only the core set, or add expansion packs.
Keep or deselect indicators that do not match the position profile.
Keep default indicator weights, or decide where weighting adjustments are needed.

Default recommendation

Start with the core set, then add only those expansion indicators that fit the research culture of the field.

You can inspect both the core packs and the expansion packs in the Technical documentation. In most cases, committees start with the core set for publications and deselect some of the indicators. Go through the complete indicator list and record all indicator labels that you want to exclude. The labels are at the start of each line in grey and brackets, such as: [P_Sample_Location]

Some indicators have scores attached, which then are aggregated into category scores across all entered publications. The standard categories displayed in the RESQUE profile are: “Open Data”, “Open Materials”, “Preregistration”, “Reproducible Code & Verification”, and “Methodological Rigor”. RESQUE gives you the opportunity to change the weight of each single indicator, but committees typically stick to the default values.

Default recommendation

Changing the individual scores requires a bit more technical expertise and in-depth discussions in the committee. Unless there are good reasons to change a score, we recommend to stay with the default values, which are the result of quite extensive discussions in a large community. The easier way is to fully remove an indicator if it is not relevant for a certain position.

Step 2: Create your custom Collector App copy

Why this matters: A custom app version lets you align instructions and chosen indicators with your specific call, and you get a unique link that can be announced in the call.

What to configure:

Welcome text and institution-specific wording
Min/max number of requested publications
Branding (logo/colors) if desired

Primary guide: How to fork and customize the Collector App

Warning

As long as RESQUE is still under development, we offer individual help for setting up the custom app. If you plan to use RESQUE in a hiring process, please contact us first.

Step 3: Create applicant instructions

Why this matters: Clear instructions reduce submission errors and follow-up communication.

Das Institut legt Wert auf transparente, belastbare und replizierbare Forschung. Bitte reichen Sie zusätzlich zu den übrigen Unterlagen ein ausgefülltes RESQUE-Profil ein, das in der RESQUE Collector App erstellt werden kann: [CUSTOM LINK]. Die genauen Instruktionen finden sich unter dem angegebenen Link.

Das Department Psychologie legt Wert auf transparente, belastbare und replizierbare Forschung. Bitte legen Sie in einem separaten Dokument dar, auf welche Art und Weise Sie diese Ziele bisher verfolgt haben und weiterhin tun werden (Open Science Statement). Darüber hinaus bitten wir Sie, Ihr ausgefülltes RESQUE-Profil, das Sie in der RESQUE Collector App erstellen können ([CUSTOM LINK]), mit den anderen Bewerbungsunterlagen einzureichen. Tragen Sie bitte 10 Publikationen ein und markieren Sie Ihre 3 besten Publikationen. Exportieren Sie Ihre Daten als json-Datei (“Save to file …”) und reichen Sie diese mit den anderen Unterlagen ein. Die genauen Instruktionen finden sich unter dem angegebenen Link.

Dem Department ist es wichtig, wissenschaftliche Leistungen in ihrer gesamten Breite zu verstehen, was neben Publikationen zum Beispiel auch veröffentlichte Datensätze und Forschungssoftware beinhaltet. Bewerberinnen und Bewerber werden daher gebeten, statt einer vollständigen Publikationsliste 12 wichtige oder repräsentative wissenschaftliche Arbeiten in der RESQUE Collector App ([CUSTOM LINK]) einzutragen und daraus die 3 besten Arbeiten zu nominieren. Die genauen Instruktionen finden sich unter dem angegebenen Link.

Step 4: Integrate into your hiring portal

Why this matters: The committees collects the json data files from all applicants. These are used to create individual profiles and an overview sheet. Make the submission process as frictionless as possible for the applicants.

Common portal issue

Some hiring portals do not allow .json uploads, but only PDF files. If this happens, define a fallback route (e.g., dedicated committee email address) and communicate it clearly.

Checklist:

Portal accepts .json
Backup route is defined if .json is blocked
Instructions explicitly request the original json file (not the html file from the RESQUE Profile Builder, and also not a json file converted into a PDF)

Step 5: Test the application

Why this matters: A trial run helps you catch technical or wording issues before applicants start submitting files.

Checklist:

Complete at least one end-to-end dummy submission
Verify that the custom app link works from the job ad
Confirm that the exported json can be uploaded through the portal (or fallback route)
Confirm that the committee can generate the profile from the submitted json, either locally with the RESQUER package, or with the Profile Builder App

Step 6 (after the applications are submitted): Create profiles and use them in the committee meeting

Why this matters: RESQUE profiles add structured and relevant information about the applicants and support more evidence-based and transparent discussion.

We currently provide two profiles:

Individual profiles for each applicant (View demo profile)
Overview sheet across applicants (demo)

Committee recommendation:

Fix weighting and key evaluative dimensions in writing during the first committee session, before you see the applications.

Checklist

Before opening the call

✅ Custom Collector App created with chosen sets of indicators
✅ File formats and upload route tested (i.e., `json` files can be uploaded in the hiring portal, or alternatively via email)
✅ Applicant instructions include custom Collector App link
✅ Committee contact for technical issues defined
✅ Trial run completed with at least one dummy submission

Examples and templates

Example job ad: Eichstätt (W3)

Professur für Entwicklungs- und Pädagogische Psychologie.

Example job ad: Mainz (W1)

Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie des Kindes- und Jugendalters.

Demo applicant profile

Preview the profile format used in committee review.

Collector App customization guide

Step-by-step setup for a committee-specific app copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can RESQUE be gamed?

Yes. Any evaluation system can be gamed (Goodhart’s law). The practical mitigation strategy is to combine indicator-based structure with a qualitative discussion and human judgement.

How many publications should we request?

Use a number that is realistic for applicants and feasible for committee review, and specify how many “best papers” should be nominated. Typically, the 10 best publications are requested for a full professorship position; but this number might be lower for, e.g., junior professorship positions.

What if our portal blocks json uploads?

Define an explicit fallback submission route (e.g., dedicated committee email) and communicate that only the original json file is needed by the committee (not the html report).

Planning to use RESQUE in your call?

We can help with setup, wording, and process design for your committee.

Contact the RESQUE team