Faculty Of
Medicine
Dentistry
And Health.
Research Associate Destination Questionnaire
The aim of this research is to establish why Research Staff leave the Faculty and to map their next
destinations. This also allows us to tailor the Think Ahead programme to be relevant to the
current needs of research staff. Reasons for leaving may be obvious – e.g. new position
elsewhere, end of contract, career change, or there may be other factors that have influenced
your choice.
These data are essential in the crafting of a tailored and relevant programme of professional
development. Your responses are confidential, and will be analysed by Dr Kay Guccione and Dr
Lucy Lee, training and development advisors for research staff. Any reporting will use
anonymised, aggregated data.
Please be aware that if you have any issues of concern about your employment, redundancy, or
leaving, you are advised to contact the appropriate Human Resources officer (Jennie Newton
jennifer.newton@sheffield.ac.uk) to discuss your concerns, as these cannot be addressed
through this study.
Your details
1.
Name: ____________________________________________________________________________
2.
Did you do your PhD at the University of Sheffield?
3.
Date of PhD award: ___________________________________________________________________
4.
How long (years) have you been employed by University of Sheffield?
Yes
No
1 2 3 4 5
6 7+
5.
How long have you worked in the Faculty of MDH?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7+
6.
How long have you worked with your current supervisor?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7+
7.
Did you receive an induction when you arrived?
a. Department
Don’t know
Yes
No
Faculty Of
Medicine
Dentistry
And Health.
b. Faculty/Think Ahead
Yes
No
Yes
No
Don’t know
c. University
Don’t know
8.
Was your induction adequate? Please share any views below
___________________________________________________________________________________
Reason for leaving
9.
Why are you leaving the Faculty?
End of contract
New research opportunity
New career direction
To retrain/return to study (please give details below)
___________________________________________________________________________________
Personal reasons/ change in circumstances
Other (please give details below)
___________________________________________________________________________________
10. Would you have stayed in the Faculty if there was appropriate funding in place?
Yes
No
Depends on project
Experience as a researcher in the Faculty
11. Did you have access to an annual ‘SRDS’ appraisal meeting?
Yes
No
Yes
No
12. Did you discuss your career plan in your SRDS?
Faculty Of
Medicine
Dentistry
And Health.
Please expand on your answer in the space below.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
13. Were you given opportunities to develop transferable skills beyond those acquired at the lab
bench? These may include grant or paper writing; teaching or tutoring; joining societies or
committees; outreach activities, etc.
a. By your PI
Yes
b. By the Think Ahead programme
c. Independently
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
Please expand on your answer in the space below.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
14. How was this experience beneficial to your own career development needs?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
15. Were your own personal career aspirations attained/enhanced through your association with
the Faculty?
Yes
No
Please expand on your answer in the space below.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
16. Were you encouraged to become an independent researcher? For example: applying for own
research funding, writing own papers etc.
Yes
No
Please expand on your answer in the space below.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
17. Did you feel part of a community or team?
Faculty Of
Medicine
Dentistry
And Health.
Yes
No
18. Did you feel that you had the support that you needed for your research?
Yes
No
19. Did you feel that you had the support that you needed for your training needs?
Yes
No
20. Did you feel that you had the support that you needed for your career development?
Yes
No
21. Did you have a mentor through the Think Ahead programme?
Yes
No
22. Skills analysis
23. This section is based on the Researcher Development Framework (http://www.vitae.ac.uk/rdf).
Please indicate (by ticking in the appropriate box) how competent you feel you are at each of
the following skills.
Descriptors of the Researcher Development
Poor
Framework.
has
Average
improved in
Excellent
1
my current
2
3
post
4
5
A.
Knowledge and intellectual abilities
A1 Knowledge base
Subject knowledge
Research methods - theoretical knowledge
m
Faculty Of
Medicine
Dentistry
And Health.
Research methods - practical application
Information seeking
Information literacy and management
Languages
Academic literacy and numeracy
A2 Cognitive abilities
Analysing
Synthesising
Critical thinking
Evaluating
Problem solving
A3 Creativity
Inquiring mind
Intellectual insight
Innovation
Argument construction
Intellectual risk
B.
Personal effectiveness
B1 Personal qualities
Enthusiasm
Perseverance
Integrity
Self-confidence
Self-reflection
B2 Self management
Preparation and prioritisation
Commitment to research
Time management
Responsiveness to change
Work-life balance
B3 Professional and career development
Faculty Of
Medicine
Dentistry
And Health.
Career management
Continuing professional development
Responsiveness to opportunities
Networking
Reputation and esteem
C.
Research governance & organisation
C1 Professional conduct
Health and safety
Ethics, principles and sustainability
Legal requirements
IPR and copyright
Respect and confidentiality
Attribution and co-authorship
Appropriate practice
C2 Research management
Research strategy
Project planning and delivery
Risk management
C3 Finance, funding & resources
Income and funding generation
Financial management
Infrastructure and resources
D.
Engagement, influence & impact
D1 Working with others
Collegiality
Team working
People management
Supervision
Mentoring
Influence and leadership
Faculty Of
Medicine
Dentistry
And Health.
Collaboration
Equality and diversity
D2 Communication & dissemination
Communication methods
Communication media
Publication
D3 Engagement & impact
Teaching
Public engagement
Enterprise
Policy
Society and culture
Global citizenship
Next destination
24. Do you have another post to move into?
In another department at the University of Sheffield
At another UK university
At another university internationally
In industrial research
In research for a charity
In a non-research role
Other - Please name below
Please expand on your answer in the space below.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
25. What is your career goal?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Faculty Of
Medicine
Dentistry
And Health.
26. Would you like to make use of the Non-Academic Career Network to consult someone in a no
–academic career that you are considering?
Yes
No
27. Which careers are you interested in?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
28. Would you like to make use of the Careers Service specialist researcher careers advisors?
Yes
No
29. Could the Think Ahead programme have provided more training to optimise your chances of
gaining employment elsewhere (in any sector of work)?
Yes
No
Don’t know
Please expand on your answer in the space below.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
30. What could the Faculty do to improve opportunities for Researchers?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
31. What could the Think Ahead programme do to improve opportunities for Researchers?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
32. Would you recommend working in the Faculty to someone else?
Yes
No
Please expand on your answer in the space below.
Faculty Of
Medicine
Dentistry
And Health.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________