Grade F: Research Fellow
(This role profiles builds on the demands, level of competence and responsibility expected of staff in the same job family at Grade E level.)
The role profile indicates the expectations and responsibilities of staff at this level. This does not mean that they will be expected to do all of the listed activities all of the time, nor does it guarantee that they will be given the opportunity to do all of these activities, although it does mean that the University can expect/require a member of staff at that level to do any of these activities, with reasonable notification and support. Similarly, the role profile is not exhaustive, and a role holder may be required to undertake other duties of similar level and responsibility. In some roles and disciplines, some of the activities detailed below will be essential requirements of the role.
Teaching and Learning Support
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Contribute to teaching and learning programmes in the School.
- Supervise postgraduate research students.
Research and Scholarship
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Develop research objectives, projects and proposals.
- Conduct individual or collaborative research projects,
- Identify sources of funding and contribute to the process of securing funds.
- Extend, transform and apply knowledge acquired from scholarship to research and appropriate external activities.
- Write or contribute to publications or disseminate research findings using media appropriate to the discipline.
- Make presentations at conferences or exhibit work in other appropriate events.
- Act as principal investigator on research projects .
Communication
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Routinely communicate complex and conceptual ideas to those with limited knowledge as well as to peers using high level skills and a range of media.
Liaison and Networking
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Collaborate actively within the Institution and externally to complete research projects and advance thinking.
- Participate in and develop external networks, for example to identify sources of funding, generate income, obtain consultancy projects, or build relationships for future activities.
Managing people
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Mentor colleagues with less experience and advise on professional development.
- Coach and support colleagues in developing their research techniques.
- Supervise the work of others, for example in research teams or projects.
Teamwork
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Act as a team leader.
- Develop productive working relationships with other members of staff.
- Co-ordinate the work of colleagues to ensure equitable access to resources and facilities.
Pastoral care
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Deal with standard problems and help colleagues resolve their concerns about progress in research.
Initiative, problem solving and decision-making
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Assess, interpret and evaluate outcomes of research.
- Develop new concepts and ideas to extend intellectual understanding.
- Resolve problems of meeting research objectives and deadlines.
- Develop ideas for generating income and promoting research area.
- Develop ideas for application of research outcomes
- Decide on research programmes and methodologies, often in collaboration with colleagues and sometimes subject to the approval of the head of the research programme on fundamental issues.
Planning and managing resources
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Plan, co-ordinate and implement research programmes.
- Manage the use of research resources and ensure that effective use is made of them.
- Manage research budgets.
- Help to plan and implement commercial and consultancy activities.
- Plan and manage own consultancy assignments.
Sensory, physical and emotional demands
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Balance the pressures of research and administrative demands and competing deadlines.
Work environment
Appointments at this level may be required to:
(Like all the elements, this builds on the demands in the profiles at lower levels. In this case there is no additional demand from Grade E level.)
Expertise
Appointments at this level may be required to:
- Be a nationally recognised authority in the subject area .
- Possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies.
