Guide to Writing Position Descriptions at Purdue University
Written position descriptions provide legal protection for employers and supervisors by documenting the work
responsibilities for specific positions.
These descriptions allow positions to be grouped based on federal requirements so that:
 accurate and legally defensible classifications can be determined,
 similar pay can be provided for similar work,
 candidates can be recruited who will be successful on the job, and
 relevant performance reviews can be administered
This article is designed to assist you in conceptualizing and developing both new and revised position descriptions in
today’s environment at Purdue University. By following a step-by-step method, you can develop appropriate position
descriptions that accurately document the work responsibilities of your position(s).
USING THE POSITION DESCRIPTION FORM
Minimum requirements and the legal framework
Purdue is required to comply with regulations from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), along with many other federal regulations. These regulations
require Purdue to post positions with minimum requirements.
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The descriptions need to reflect minimally acceptable qualifications and should not be written based on the
qualifications that would be possessed by an “ideal” candidate.
As a hiring supervisor, you should certainly select the best qualified candidate, but the description must be
written based on the minimum requirements for successful performance.
Filling out the form
To develop a well-integrated position description, it is helpful to fill out the form in a different order than it is
presented. The rest of this document follows a suggested order designed to facilitate the process.
TOP OF PAGE 2
Complete the requested information about the org unit, position, and supervisor. There are sections for you to enter a
suggested title, the employee group, the employee subgroup, information about whether the position is full-time or
part-time, and what shift will be worked. Please note that final determination on the position title and employee group
rests with HR-Compensation.
MIDDLE OF PAGE 3
Responsibilities
Determine the major responsibilities of the position and their relationship to the organization’s needs. Use action verbs
in the present tense. For a good listing of action verbs related to specific types of work, check out a helpful resource
from UCLA.
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Do not use vague verbs like manage, produce, or assist unless you explain specifically what steps are involved in
managing, producing, or assisting who, to/for whom, what, when, how often, who else is involved, etc.
Make certain to include explanatory phrases that add meaning and clarify the why, how, where, or how often.
Eliminate bias terminology by structuring sentences in such a way that gender pronouns are not required.
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Spell out acronyms.
Avoid subjective modifiers or words that might allow for misinterpretations; words such as sometimes, several,
high level, occasionally, etc.
As you think about the position’s responsibilities, please indicate percentage of effort spent in each major responsibility.
Each major responsibility listed must be at least 5% of the total responsibilities.
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Consider that too much detail on too many responsibilities is confusing: stick to the major responsibilities, and
explain them clearly and succinctly.
If your area has identified job-related competencies necessary for optimal performance, be sure to relate each
responsibility to the relevant competency. If you need assistance with this, please contact your compensation
specialist.
TOP OF PAGE 3
Position Summary
Briefly describe the primary purpose of the position. When summarizing the primary purpose, think about why the
position exists. What is the main function? What key work would not get done if the position did not exist? This
statement is used by Human Resources in posting the position and in conjunction with other recruiting techniques.
Supervision
If supervision is part of the responsibilities, please be sure to include information in the responsibilities section that
supports the level of supervision indicated. Indicate the number of staff supervised under each category (monthly
regular staff, hourly regular staff, monthly temporary staff, and hourly temporary staff). Indicate the type of supervision
exercised (functional or administrative).
MIDDLE OF PAGE 2
In compliance with regulations and Purdue policy, it is necessary to determine the minimum education and experience
required to successfully perform the major position responsibilities. Please keep in mind the description should not be
written based on the qualifications that would be possessed by an “ideal” candidate.
Education
Education refers to the length of time spent in an academic or vocational environment, or coursework required by a
typical worker to learn the techniques, acquire the information, and develop the facility necessary to perform in a
specific position. There should be a direct correlation between the responsibilities and the level of education you select.
Review each of the major responsibilities you have delineated, and determine the minimum education level required to
successfully perform the position.
Experience
Experience refers to the type of training typically acquired through work experiences. Review each of the responsibilities
you have delineated, the education level you have specified, and determine both the type and length of experience
required to perform the position. Some examples of work experiences might be as follows: SAP experience, supervisor
experience, web development experience, customer relations experience, general office experience, payroll/purchasing
experience, facilities management experience, etc.
If you need help identifying the types of education and/or experience that would be appropriate for your position,
please contact your compensation specialist.
You must list the minimum education and experience you will accept, but you may also wish to list preferred types and
levels of education and experience. This will allow you to differentiate among qualified applicants.
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BOTTOM OF PAGE 2
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSAs)
The definitions below will help you fill out the KSA section of the position description. Be sure to list required KSAs first,
and then you may also include preferred KSAs. Please note which are required and which are preferred. Preferred KSAs
can improve your ability to differentiate among qualified applicants.
KNOWLEDGE: Information or procedures a person needs to know to adequately perform the job (i.e. knowledge of basic
math, knowledge of accounting, knowledge of office routines, knowledge equipment operation, knowledge of
supervisory principles, knowledge of policies/procedures, knowledge of foreign language, etc.).
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General Knowledge: knowledge that is typically acquired through school, related coursework, or previous
experience. General knowledge enables one to use a source to find specific information when it is needed.
Working Knowledge: knowledge that is acquired through training or previous work experience. Working
knowledge requires specialized skills and thorough understanding of policies and procedures. This also includes
general knowledge plus knowledge of and ability to recall important and commonly used information from a
source.
Detailed Knowledge: knowledge that requires a thorough understanding of policies and procedures typically
acquired through extensive training or work experience. Detailed knowledge implies a thorough and complete
knowledge of all of the relevant information.
SKILL: Technique, art, or trade requiring specialized training (i.e. typing, data entry, word processing, organization, time
management, proofreading/editing, verbal/written communication, presentation, phone etiquette, interviewing, etc.).
ABILITY: Quality or trait one should be able to demonstrate while performing a mental or physical activity (i.e. analytical
ability, interpretation of policies/procedures, ability to work under pressure, confidence, perceptiveness, credibility,
etc.).
If your area has identified specific job-related competencies, you may wish to integrate them within the knowledge,
skills, and abilities you include on your position description. If you need assistance with this, please contact your
compensation specialist.
CDL / Driver’s License Requirement
Check the box if the position requires the individual to hold a CDL or driver’s license to conduct university business.
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Physical, Environmental, and Hazardous Specifications
This section of the position description is designed to help Human Resources assess both the physical demands of the
position, as well as the environmental conditions under which the position is performed.
This section also provides information pertinent to the Americans with Disabilities Act, specifying equipment usage,
working conditions, etc.
Follow the instructions to list all equipment used, physical requirements, environmental and hazardous conditions.
PAGES 5-6
Position Description Questionnaire (clerical, service, and operations/technical positions ONLY)
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This section is designed to assist Human Resources in completing an evaluation of the position in order to establish the
position’s classification and level. The university uses a Nine Factor Evaluation System (NIFES) that is a weighted pointcount evaluation system based upon the degrees assigned, typically, to each of the following factors:
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Education
Learning Period
Responsibility for Work Performed
Supervision
Contacts
Confidential Information
Initiative and Ingenuity
Mental Demands
Working Conditions
As you work through each question, decide which phrase best describes your position’s responsibility for each factor.
Each option reflects a differing degree of difficulty or responsibility related to a specific factor (i.e. Learning Period).
Please check one box next to the statement that best fits overall.
It’s important to write narrative examples that accurately substantiate your decision for assigning a specific degree level
to the respective factor.
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Posting Form
If you need to post your position, please complete the posting form. Your compensation specialist will forward this form
to Talent Acquisition upon finalizing the position classification. Please provide the requested identifying information and
contact information on the form. Please note, where indicated, whether Human Resources may share the salary with
applicants and whether or not you need additional recruitment/advertising assistance.
Remember to review security roles currently assigned to the position to determine whether they need to be changed or
updated prior to filling the position.
Your business office can assist with salary information and obtaining necessary signatures before the forms are sent to
HR-Compensation.
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Recruitment Plan
If you have goal-related vacancies, or if your position may be difficult to fill, please review the recruitment plan page and
provide any information that may help identify additional recruiting opportunities.
CONCLUSION
If you find yourself stalled at any point in developing your position description, please call your compensation specialist
for assistance. Your specialist can help locate sample position descriptions and other information.
In addition, there are helpful sample descriptions and occupational information at the following web sites:
 O*NET: https://www.onetonline.org/
 Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_stru.htm
* This article was excerpted and modified from The Guide to Writing Job Descriptions, a manual prepared by Tom Haworth, Libraries, Purdue University.
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