Pathway 2 - Role Profile Level c

Research Fellow (Grade K)

This profile assumes that all the qualifications, skills and experiences required of a Level B researcher have been acquired.  It also assumes that the responsibilities of a Level B researcher will have been fulfilled satisfactorily.  Only the additional requirements are spelled out below

Role Summary

  1. Role holders at this level will have substantial experience of research.
  2. They will initiate and take responsibility for some research projects and may be Principal Investigators.
  3. They will be involved in administration relevant to their projects (e.g. helping to prepare bids for research funding), managing other researchers and monitoring research budgets.
  4. They will be expected to undertake research individually and/or collectively and to advance the state of knowledge and understanding within their particular area of expertise.
  5. They will be publishing regularly in high quality outlets.
  6. They are likely to provide some teaching support for the School (consonant with the terms of their funding).
  7. They will be expected to be establishing a growing reputation within their particular research field and academic discipline and to be developing and demonstrating intellectual independence.

(Back to top)

Qualifications, skills and experience needed for appointment to Level C

  1. A relevant postgraduate research degree and in-depth subject knowledge in their areas of scholarship with well-developed technical and methodological skills, and some experience in designing and delivering research projects.
  2. Ability to assess and evaluate concepts/theories in order to develop original solutions and particular knowledge of, and expertise in, research methodologies appropriate to their area of scholarship.
  3. Ability to provide effective leadership to small research teams.
  4. Strong publication record for the discipline, showing evidence of work of national quality.
  5. Ability to contribute to broader organisational and management processes and to provide leadership, co-ordinating the work of other staff, and supervising the work of research students and/or final year undergraduate projects.
  6. Potential to mentor less experienced research staff successfully.

(Back to top)

Responsibilities

  1. Independently identify research objectives and potential funding sources, and write bids for funding.
  2. Play a leading role in research teams to which they belong, including progressively larger and/or more complex projects, or as an individual researcher in their specific research area.
  3. Play a major part in the successful dissemination of their (or the team’s) research findings, presenting at conferences and contributing substantially to publications.
  4. Produce publications of at least, national quality and with some evidence of potential international quality, in the quantity appropriate to the discipline.
  5. Ensure intellectual rigour and adherence to ethical standards in the projects for which they are responsible.
  6. Help colleagues to interpret data, to manage competing priorities, and to develop their research skills.
  7. Ensure that knowledge and methodological/technical skills in their own, and related, areas of scholarship is extended and informs research activities.
  8. Monitor and, where appropriate, manage research resources (e.g. time, materials, finance, laboratory space, equipment) effectively.
  9. Play an effective leadership role in mentoring early career colleagues and co-ordinating the work of research and other staff.
  10. Effectively supervise research students to graduation, and take responsibility for their training.
  11. Participate in the selection of staff working on their own projects, take on some specific responsibilities within the School and become involved in University governance (e.g. hearing complaints from research students, representing the School on faculty committees).
  12. Consistently act as a good citizen, actively taking on administrative duties and participating fully in the daily working life of the School, behaving as a role model for others.
  13. Contribute (consonant with the terms of their funding) to the teaching of the School (e.g. giving lectures in their specialty, supervising final year undergraduate projects and doctoral students, taking small group classes, participating in short course teaching or workshops to update professionals).
  14. Play an active part in research networks, develop contacts with external bodies including funding bodies, and actively seek out and develop opportunities for interdisciplinary research.
  15. Referee grant proposals for external bodies.
  16. Begin to chair sessions at conferences.
  17. Contribute effectively to School meetings.
  18. Contribute effectively to the development of activities to achieve engagement with research, and/or impact beyond academia.
  19. Engage effectively in the University’s Staff Review and Development process and develop, with advice, an awareness of their own professional development needs and a personal development strategy, engaging with continuing professional development appropriate to the role. This may include engagement with the University’s CREATE scheme or Health Professions Education programme. 
  20. Successfully take, where appropriate, a leading role in developing entrepreneurial or collaborative links either with external organisations or with in-house companies.

(Back to top)

Relationships and Contacts

  1. Will have an identified line manager within the School.
  2. May line manage research associates and/or senior research associates and will help to co-ordinate the research projects within the School.
  3. May liaise with teaching staff and be responsible for other staff.
  4. May be an external examiner for research students and are likely to interact with external examiners of their own students.
  5. Likely to operate across the Faculty (or cognate faculties) to help build strong interdisciplinary research alongside other academic staff.

(Back to top)