Staying in academia
If you decide that you enjoy working in academic research, you may decide to stay in academia, carrying out further research positions and eventually becoming a lecturer. There are a few alternatives to the lectureship route.
In an academic career, you will have to compete hard for a lectureship position so it is really important that you do everything that you can to improve your chances of success. For example, the research positions you choose can be very important to your future success so it is vital that you plan ahead and make sure you know what you want.
The best thing you can do to gather useful hints and tips is to talk to successful academics in your department. Most people will be happy to be approached and to give you some advice.
Listed below are details and links for other resources which you may find useful.
- Navigating your academic career at Bristol. At the University of Bristol, we have academic pathways and academic role profiles. It is useful to have a look at these to see what skills and experience you need to acquire in order to progress. These will be similar to those that you will need whichever university you move to next. We are working on a tool to help you navigate these profiles and access more easily associated training and development.
- Time management can be difficult as a researcher – have a look at Vitae’s “Balanced Researcher” booklet.
- Our Research team leader pages contain information on management training and other useful resources
- Teaching is something that you will need to do as a lecturer but you may not do as part of your research role. It may be useful for you to look at getting some teaching experience.
- You may be interested in Research Staff Mentoring.
- Vitae, the national organisation championing the personal, professional and career development of researchers, has pages on working in higher education, a list of useful resources aimed at helping you to secure an academic career and pages on managing your career.
- Jobs.ac.uk has several articles on career development as well as academic job advertisements.
- If you are a woman working in a science or engineering discipline, you may find the UK resource centre for women in SET website useful
- You may also be interested in joining one of the University of Bristol Women in SET Mentoring Circles
- If you do not yet have a PhD, you may want to consider your options in this area, including a PhD by publication. Current advice is also available from Graduate Deans.
- Creativity is an important skill as a researcher – see Vitae’s “The creative researcher” leaflet.
Case studies:
- From lab rat to rookie lecturer is Richard Trask’s (new lecturer in Aerospace Engineering) blog detailing his first year as a lecturer.
- Vitae career stories portal
- What do researchers do? is a Vitae publication of case studies.
- The UK resource centre for women in SET case studies
- Just-higher-ed is a blog written by Dr Catherine Armstrong, a humanities academic in her first lectureship job.
- The GetSETWomen blog contains several case studies from women academics.
- The Higher Education Academy provides individual academics with access to professional recognition, advice and support as well as networking and develoment opportunities. This includes special pages for those relatively new to teaching.
Relevant training
- You can browse relevant UoB courses either through the lists here or on the Navigating your academic career at Bristol page
- If you are looking for another job within the university, the university's own jobs website should be your first port of call.
- The jobs.ac.uk website allows you to search for academic jobs in the UK and also contains useful articles and other information.
Books
- Blaxter, Lorraine: The academic career handbook
- Graham, Barbara; Ali, Lynda: Moving on in your career: a guide for academic researchers and postgraduates
- Dee, Phil: Building a successful career in scientific research - a guide for PhDs and postdocs
- Pritchard, Peggy: Success strategies for women in science
- Delamont, Sara et al: Successful research careers - a practical guide