Careers Support for Research Staff
The dedicated careers support available to research staff at the University of Oxford
The Oxford University Careers Service offers tailored support to University research staff at all stages of their career, whether they are exploring their options, looking to boost their employability, or polishing an application.
Whom we support
Our support extends to all research staff on a grade 6-8 fixed-term contract, including Junior Research Fellows or Teaching Fellows. Oxford staff members with a role or grade outside this bracket should refer to the People and Organisational Development webpages for access to appropriate training and support.
Access CareerConnect Newsletter Advice appointments Events Careers guidance webpages
How to access CareerConnect
To access everything on offer, please register for a CareerConnect account for research staff.
The CareerConnect platform is exclusive to Oxford University students, alumni and current research staff, and it allows you to search upcoming career events, book advice appointments, and find opportunities.
Registration only takes a few minutes. We recommend that you use your University email address (@ox.ac.uk) to ensure we can register you for online events easily, and you can access our tools such as CareerWeaver, and opt in to receive targeted information from the Careers Service in order to get our regular newsletters.
- Research staff on a grade 6-8 fixed-term research contract: If you are a member of Oxford’s Research Staff, you can sign up by completing the New User Registration form - Research Staff. Once the account is confirmed, you can simply Login to CareerConnect.
- Other research staff: We have very limited capacity to offer careers support to University staff and associates beyond our official remit. However, we may be able to grant you access to the platform. Find out more about CareerConnect access for other research staff.
Read more about how to make the most of CareerConnect.
Newsletter for researchers
If you haven't already opted in at registration, sign up to receive the researcher newsletter in CareerConnect. The newsletter includes a weekly summary of news and events relevant to researchers, as well as skills development programmes and other opportunities for researchers.
Advice appointments
Oxford University research staff have access to confidential advice appointments where you can discuss your current career plans, some alternative options and how to explore viable routes or transitions most effectively. We can also support with guidance on networking, CV-writing, applications or interview preparation.
Research staff on a grade 6-8 fixed-term research contract at Oxford University may book a 30 minute appointment with Chris Jeffs, careers adviser for research staff. The appointments can be booked in CareerConnect as 'Appointments for Research Staff' and are made available to book up to four weeks in advance.
Events
The Careers Service runs a wide range of online and in person bespoke events and programmes for research staff. Researchers also have access to sessions from our wider programme, and a host of employer-run sessions available to browse in the Events section of CareerConnect.
The sessions and workshops we offer include:
- Insight into academia: lunchtime sessions exploring the evolving realities of academic progression.
- Strategy and skills workshops
- We run practical workshops each term on subjects such as:
- Career management
- Academic progression
- Transitioning beyond academia
- Cringe-free networking
- LinkedIn strategy
- CVs/cover letters
- Fellowship applications
- Interview technique
- Tips on engaging with employers at pre-fair ‘Researchers @’ sessions.
Careers Beyond Academia: Options and Pathways for Researchers
Careers Conference for Researchers from 20-23 March 2023, online and in Oxford
Whether you are curious about or actively pursuing a career beyond academia, you will benefit from our range of online and in-person events. Careers Beyond Academia: Options and Pathways for Researchers is a FREE conference that offers Oxford University researchers the chance to join online panel talks with PhD holders and former academic researchers speaking frankly about their daily working lives in a variety of sectors, attend an in-person networking event, and take part in interactive workshops to help you identify skills and strategies for optimising your career preparedness.
Career guidance webpages
If you are not sure where to start with your career planning, our bespoke guidance pages for researchers tackle typical questions and concerns raised by postdocs and other early career researchers, plus those who have been in post for longer.
