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Academic Career Paths and Job Hunting

This is an overview of the typical career paths within an academic career.

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Progression routes and job title vary by institution and discipline.
Treat this as a general guide.

There are two main paths after your PhD: Teaching and Research.

Teaching

This is a career combining teaching, research and administration.

The progression usually works like this:

Lecturer (now sometimes called Assistant Professor)
↓
Senior Lecturer (now sometimes called Associate Professor)
↓
Reader
↓
Professor/Chair

There are additional roles that you can take on to progress your career, for example Chair of Learning and Teaching, Admissions Tutor, Director of Taught Programmes, Head of Department. These are usually carried out alongside the roles above.

Some institutions employ junior academics as Teaching Fellows on a teaching only contract.

Tip: First jobs may be fractional (part-time) and on a fixed term contract (not permanent). Treat this as a first step. Don’t overlook the importance of continuing to research and publish during this time.

Research

The progression usually works like this:

Research Assistant
↓
Post Doctoral Researcher/Research Fellow
↓
Researcher
↓
Senior Research Fellow

It is uncommon to find a permanent research-only contract as this kind of work is usually attached to grants. If you want to do this work long-term you will have to be skilled at bringing in funding to cover your role.

Fixed-term research contracts are less common in arts and humanities.

Key advice: If you are on a teaching fellowship or a research contract make sure you build in time for your own professional development. For most academic jobs a sound publishing record is essential. Make sure you have a plan and stick to it.

Tip: When looking at job listings focus on the salary as well as the job title. This will indicate whether it is an entry-level academic position. You can search online for HE salary scales.

Where and how to look for jobs

Your academic networks can be an important element of your first job post PhD.  Ask your supervisor or other academic contacts if they are aware of any opportunities in the pipeline and join relevant JISC mailing lists. Manchester’s guide to finding your ideal academic job has some good advice.

Job listings

When looking at job listings focus on the salary as well as the job title. This will indicate whether it is an entry-level academic position. You can search online for HE salary scales.

When to look for jobs

Academic opportunities can be advertised at any time. Peak time for permanent positions likely to be January to May. For shorter term posts April to August, often with an additional flurry just before the start of the first term.