Careers Support

Career development support available to research staff at the University of Edinburgh

Career management

The Researcher Development team provides workshops, events and 1:1 career development consultations, and develops online resources to support you in thinking about your options and taking the next steps in developing your career.

Careers Support

1:1 support for personal development

The University of Edinburgh offers staff members different opportunities for personal development and access to 1:1 support. 

A research staff career development consultation is a one-to-one appointment with the Researcher Development Research Staff Careers Consultants.  

You can discuss career options, pathways and planning strategies, receive practical advice on preparing a targeted CV or application form, practice a mock interview for a job you have coming up, or receive general advice on any career issue. 

For research staff on fixed-term contracts and academic staff on open ended contracts with review dates (OERD).

Career development consultation 

How to prepare for a career development consultation


Coaching for research and academic staff at the University of Edinburgh is designed to provide targeted, short-term development opportunities at no cost. Our coaching offer caters to varied needs, ensuring personalised growth paths for every stage of an academic or research career. There are two coaching offers:

Coaching for professional development: This format consists of three sessions spread over several months, aimed at fostering sustained personal and professional growth. Participants can deeply engage with their development process, observing tangible progress over time.

Coaching for leadership: Specifically for research leaders, this offering is a single, flexible session designed to address particular leadership challenges or topics succinctly. It provides targeted support tailored to the unique needs of those in or aspiring to leadership roles.

Both coaching tracks are structured to support the diverse development needs of the University of Edinburgh's staff, from those just starting their careers to seasoned leaders in research.

Coaching for researchers


The leadership development consultations are 30-minute online conversations with a Researcher Developer to create a unique training and development plan for research leadership to suit your needs. 

You can access these consultations to identify your key training and development needs for research leadership, receive information on support, guidance or training that might be relevant, or support to create your unique development plan. 

The consultation will not cover specific funding, funding applications or promotions advice.

For research leaders and Principal Investigators,research and academic staff stepping into research leadership roles. 

Leadership development consultations 


You can book a 45-minute consultation with a Research Developer to explore strategies to build your research profile including how to develop compelling narratives around your research activities that enable you to move towards your career, research, and funding ambitions. These consultations do not offer: guidance on specific calls / schemes; feedback on Narrative CVs, draft applications, or mock interview preparation. 

For internal research staff pursuing research funding with UoE as host institution.

1:1 Research Profile Consultations


Find out what other one-to-one support opportunities are available both in the University of Edinburgh and external to the University.

1:1 support opportunities


Supervising PhD Students

Research staff can be officially recognised as supervisors of Post-Graduate Research students at University of Edinburgh. Research staff can be recognised as either a co-supervisor or an assistant supervisor once they have completed the PGR supervisor training and depending on their agreed role in supervising the student. Speak to your line manager or PGR Director/Lead in your School or Institute to discuss if this role would be suitable for you. Links to the training and the Code of Practice for Supervisors and Research Students is linked below.

Support for PGR Supervision

Code of Practice for Supervisors and Research Students

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