NEXT GENERATION RESEARCHER PROGRAMME - RESEARCHER PIPELINE: EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES AT EACH STAGE
Career Stage 
Postgraduate Researcher\
(PGRS/R Officer Grade 6)
Key Role 
Complete training as a researcher
(e.g. achieve PhD)
b. Research
funding
c. Internationalisation and
collaboration
d. Outputs and
publications
e. Impact and
dissemination
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Mid Career Researcher
(Lecturer 8/Senior Lecturer 9)
Build a research group
Participation in activities such as
Café Scientifique, sandpits,
University & external
conferences
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Applying for a fellowship or PGR
award
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Participation in activities such as
Café Scientifique, sandpits,
NESTA Crucible-type events,
national & international
conferences
Grant-writing; first grants
schemes; peer review
Applying for a fellowship
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Speaker at WUN events and
international conferences
Organiser of collaborative
national and international
development opportunities
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Publications arising from
research project & thesis
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Co-authorship in high impact
publications
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Authorship in high impact
publications
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Outreach (e.g. to schools)
Internship
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Writing impact statements for
grant applications
Outreach (e.g. to schools)
Young Enterprise competitions
Placement
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Impact plans
Supply of trained people through
employment of postdocs
Involvement in collaborations to
generate impact (productive
economy / healthy society /
sustainable world)
Media appearances - local 
national/public engagement
Developing IP awareness in
others
Demonstrating ethical
awareness to others
Ensuring good data
management by others
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Ethics statement in transfer
report and statement in thesis
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Engagement in ethical review
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Applying for an advanced
fellowship &/or larger grant
International visiting positions
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Strategic research vision and
leadership
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Research Leader
(Professor Grade 10)
Participation in research council
events, international
conferences
Attending WUN events and
international conferences
Participation in collaborative
national and international
development opportunities
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f. Good research
conduct
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EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES AT EACH CAREER STAGE
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Gain research funding/develop
career
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Area of Activity 
a. Idea creation
Early Career Researcher
(PDRA/Lecturer Grade 7)
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Membership of EU and WUN
networks
Giving papers at WUN events
and international conferences
International fellowships and
secondments
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Participation in activities such as
invited think tanks
Influencing external agendas
through external committee work
(see g below)
LoLAs and programme grants
Professorial fellowships
ERC Advanced Investigator
International visiting positions
Forming international groups/
networks
Leading Transformation/WUN/
international bids
Keynotes at WUN events/
international conferences
Chairing organising committee
Authorship with significant
number of papers/outputs in high
impact publications
Mentoring others to develop
impact statements and plans
Strategic partnership
development
Policy/industry/advisory boards
Commercialisation/spin-out/CIC
National/international media
appearances
IP portfolio
Impact and dissemination
strategy
Facilitation of a culture of ethical
awareness
Monitoring compliance re data
requirements
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Career Stage 
Postgraduate Researcher\
(PGRS/R Officer Grade 6)
Key Role 
Complete training as a researcher
(e.g. achieve PhD)
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h. Esteem and
recognition
i. Leadership and
management
j. Possible
development
needs
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Career development for roles
outside HE:
o CV prep, mock interviews,
assessment centres
o Internship/placement to
develop skills of business
awareness, teamworking,
leadership, communication,
personal development
Career development for roles
within HE
o Obtaining a fellowship
o Membership of subject
assoc/professional body
o Teaching
University PGR of the year
award
Faculty/subject awards
Conference awards –
presentations/posters
Supervision of final year UG
project
Becoming a mentor for a UG or
more junior PG researcher
Research skills
Research project management
Ethics & impact
Self-management
Interpersonal skills
Teaching skills
Career development
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Gain research funding/develop
career
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Area of Activity 
g. Career
development &
professional
standing
Early Career Researcher
(PDRA/Lecturer Grade 7)
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Mid Career Researcher
(Lecturer 8/Senior Lecturer 9)
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Build a research group
EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES AT EACH CAREER STAGE
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Career development for roles
outside HE:
o CV prep, mock interviews,
assessment centres
o Placement to develop skills
of business awareness,
teamworking, leadership,
communication, personal
development
Career development for roles
within HE
o Obtaining a fellowship
o Membership of subject
assoc/professional body
o Teaching
ECR and Young Enterprise
awards
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Research Leader
(Professor Grade 10)
Strategic research vision and
leadership
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Peer reviewer/referee
Research Council
committee/panel membership
Member/fellow of
professional/subject body
Module/programme leader/
Director of Learning & Teaching
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National prizes/ awards
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International prizes/ awards/
medals
Becoming a mentor for a UG or
PG researcher
Becoming an informal or cosupervisor for a PGR student
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Mentor for early career
researcher
PGR supervisor
PI/ leader of small research
group
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Develop research independence
Develop resilience
Career development
Grant-writing & impact
Research management
Ethics
Management skills
Having a University mentor
Teaching skills
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Mentoring and championing
others
Leading a research institute/
large group/ DTC
University theme leader
Leadership of research agenda
Develop the strategic leadership
skills to lead collaborative
funding bids and research
centre, and manage multiple
groups, collaborations and
partnerships
Having a University and external
mentor
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Develop international quality
research
Leadership skills: people,
finance, projects, teams
Research strategy development
Having a University and external
mentor
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Peer reviewer/referee
Editor/editorial board
Chairing external committees &
influencing agenda
Fellow of professional/subject
body
Masters programme
development based on research
area
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