Senior researchers and the Researchers' Survival Guide.

05 January 2010

By Mashhuda Glencross

While the Researchers' survival guide represents a positive step towards helping researchers develop their careers it seems predominantly aimed at early stage research staff on fixed-term contracts. The prevailing view of the role of research staff as contractors working for an academic PI is largely maintained throughout. In reality there are many UK researchers that develop and manage their own projects, and quite independently of an academic PI. In particular, Industrially funded and European Commission funded projects can be directly held by research staff.

I, amongst many, had high hopes that the UCU campaign to stamp out fixed-term contracts would create career development opportunites for senior research staff that were previously impossible due to the fixed-term nature of our contracts. The much publicised landmark tribunal -- Ball Vs Aberdeen University -- found in favour of Dr. Ball and won him a permanent contract in 2008. This has led to career researchers being given open-ended contracts thus alleviating the threat of job loss at the end of a project. The tribunal report also makes interesting reading for senior research staff, and refers to the detrimental effects to Dr. Ball's career from (I) never been allowed to be PI on his own grants (II) never being given formal recognition for his teaching and PhD supervision efforts. Sound familiar?

So this brings me to an interesting question -- how has an open ended contract really changed career development prospects for senior research staff?

I don't know what the answer to this question might be more generally, so can only speak from personal experience. Thanks to the campaigning efforts of many, I now have an open ended contract. However, funding on the grant I was employed on came to an end and my PI is retiring leaving no obvious/credible alternative PI in my research area. Despite having a good International standing, track record for high quality research, and potential for significant impact from my work, I now find myself on redeployment. The recession and consequently a tight squeeze on limited research funds, will mean that more and more senior research staff will find themselves in this position. My employer does not class me as academic, so according to EPSRC and BBSRC rules, I cannot apply for grants in my own right. This means that I cannot line up the funds to support myself. I am not allowed to officially supervise or co-supervise PhD students because my head of department says that my management structure under redeployment is unclear and that future managers may not allow me the time to supervise students. Other than trying to get one of a small number of available academic posts, what can I realistically do to advance my career?

I'd ideally like to see a section in the Researchers' Survival Guide that gives advice to career researchers on how they might win formal recognition for their independent research efforts. Advice on how to get national support for the plight of staff on redeployment, and how to ensure our research careers are not damaged by being re-deployed into unsuitable jobs. How to argue for equivalent treatment to similarly qualified academic staff. How to engage management and human resources and convince them to consider our career aspirations and track record in redeployment decisions. How to manage the ongoing threat of being made redundant.

Personally, I have nine years of postdoc experience and have worked highly independently on projects, taken initiative, managed the day-to-day running of projects, developed new indepenedent research ideas and proposals. Surely preventing people like me from being PI on our own grants and not allowing us formal recognition for our involvement with PhD and MSc supervision comes under "less favourable treatment"?