Academic pathways
There are three pathways for your academic career, each with a different balance of research, teaching, and administration duties.
The role of 'Professor' is the most senior across these pathways and is awarded to those with significant scholarly achievements and an (inter)national reputation in their field. Professors are also expected to engage in departmental planning and decision-making.
To advance in an academic career, you should strive to produce recognised research, publish in reputable journals and books, attend conferences, innovate in your teaching practices, and actively participate in department and faculty management.
Salaries for postdoctoral researchers range from £27,000 to £44,000, while senior roles can earn between £32,000 and £50,000, with potential for significant increases in higher-level positions.
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Academic career pathways
Professor Richard Graham from the School of Mathematics talks about:
- the pathway to an academic career
- how to build your skills and experiences
- land that first academic job
He covers the role of a:
- postgraduate researcher
- post-doctoral researcher
- fellowship holder
- assistant professor
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- Alumni: Email us to gain access to the video
The titles used in the profiles below reflect those used by the University of Nottingham. Other institutions may use different terminology.
You may have to do all or some of the following areas in research roles.
Researcher
Research Associate > Research Fellow > Senior/Principal Fellow > Professor
Other than supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students, this is a research-only role.
- Research Associate’ is often used if a PhD is in progress, whereas Research Fellow is a postdoctoral position.
- A Research Associate/Fellow will usually be recruited to join an existing project, created by a Senior/Principal Fellow or Professor.
Research and Teaching
Assistant Professor > Associate Professor > Professor
This is a career path in research and teaching with approximately 40% of your time spent on research and 40% on teaching, with the remaining time spent on student support and administration.
Teaching Associate > Teaching Fellow > Senior/Principal Fellow > Professor
This is a teaching-focused route; teaching and learning comprises approximately 70% of the role and research 10%, with the remaining 20% in student support and administration. The responsibility of creating, convening and marking modules and assessments varies with the seniority of your position.
Duties and skills
Broadly, these are the duties associated with each aspect of these roles; remember, depending on the pathway you are on, the combination of these will vary, and some are reserved for more senior positions.
Teaching responsibilities include delivering large group lectures to typically 20 to 200 students, small group sessions for approximately one to 20 students, and providing one-on-one guidance on specific assignments.
You will design and deliver modules, lectures, seminars, and workshops, prepare teaching materials and assessments, and grade assignments (depending on your seniority).
You are also expected to review and enhance these resources in accordance with Quality Assurance standards and, depending on your role, contribute to curriculum development.
You may be a personal tutor for undergraduate students, providing pastoral support and offering academic advice and study guidance.
You would also be expected to supervise students at all levels, including undergraduate and master's dissertations and projects and, at higher levels, supervising and examining postgraduate research theses.
Research roles involve conducting original, innovative research both independently and collaboratively, with higher-level positions leading such efforts. This includes disseminating findings through peer-reviewed publications, conferences, workshops, and other academic platforms.
The role also requires developing research proposals and securing funding through competitive bids to support ongoing and new projects.
Additionally, you may be expected to engage in consultancy and knowledge exchange projects that align with the interests of the school and university while fostering national and international research collaborations.
Skills and qualifications
In addition to a PhD in a relevant field, a higher education teaching qualification may be required.
You should have a publication record suitable for your career stage and the ability to attract research funding, fostering internal and external collaborations.
Experience supervising and mentoring undergraduate and postgraduate students is essential for more senior positions.
If teaching, you should demonstrate a proven ability to develop high-quality teaching materials and possess a strong understanding of effective teaching methodologies.
3. Administration and management
Administrative responsibilities include maintaining student records of achievement, attending departmental meetings, representing the school on relevant committees, and addressing queries from students and staff. Researchers and teachers are expected to manage resources and budgets related to their roles.
You will also be responsible for your ongoing professional development.
Additionally, you will have the opportunity to take on administrative roles, such as admissions or wellbeing tutor, within the department.
All pathways require essential soft skills, including critical thinking and the capacity to learn new technologies.
Strong organisational skills are crucial for managing workloads and data, while interpersonal skills aid in building relationships and supporting teamwork.
Clear written communication is vital for publishing and creating funding bids and conference papers, along with effective verbal communication for presenting ideas.
IT and budgeting skills are also important for managing data and resources.
Flexibility and resilience are necessary to balance research with other responsibilities.
Hear from University of Nottingham alumni talk about their academic careers
Find out about their:
- current role and what it involves
- how they secured the role
- advice to you about entering academia