Planning your next steps can be quite daunting, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. Here, you’ll find guidance, tools and inspiration to help you explore your options and shape a career path that feels right for you.
Understand your career landscape
Understanding the broader research ecosystem can help you identify potential career opportunities that might fall within the following areas:
- Academic pathways: Postdoctoral research, lectureships, or permanent research roles.
- Industry: R&D roles in biotech, pharma, engineering, or data science.
- Policy and public sector: Research roles in government, NGOs, or think tanks.
- Research support and management: Roles in grant writing, project management, or research development.
Supporting resources:
- Planning your career and development
- Careers information on the Prospects website Job Profiles and Sector Guides
- Career Pathways in Research
- 10 Career Paths for PhDs
- University of Edinburgh Research Careers Tool
Reflect on your strengths and interests
Take time to assess your skills, values, and career aspirations. Ask yourself:
- What aspects of your current role energise you?
- What transferable skills have you developed (e.g., data analysis, writing, collaboration)?
- What kind of work environment suits you best?
Undertake a skills gap analysis to identify where you need to develop skills or experience - use Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework to support you in this process or Prospects Career Planner.
Other useful information:
- Article on the Targetjob website contains useful information about essential employability skills
- Key Attributes for Research Careers
Build a career development plan
A career development plan helps you set goals and track progress. Include:
- Short-term goals: e.g., publishing a paper, attending a conference, learning a new skill.
- Medium-term goals: e.g., applying for fellowships, expanding your network.
- Long-term goals: e.g., transitioning to a permanent role, moving into industry.
Use SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to stay focused.
Again this guidance can support you, along with using Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework.
Explore training and development opportunities
Use your career plan and skills gap analysis to identify priorities for upskilling. This may include:
- Research skills: Grant writing, publishing, ethics.
- Professional skills: Leadership, communication, project management.
- Career-focused workshops: CV writing, interview preparation, career transitions.
Check Docebo (we are in the process of starting to add sessions here but this will increase over the coming months) and the DRI Training calendar for upcoming sessions.
Also - The Doctoral College training and development programme has a wealth of useful sessions - Researchers can join these events and can book by emailing ddp@port.ac.uk.
Prepare for the next step
If your contract is ending or you're considering a change:
- Update your CV and LinkedIn profile.
- Start job searching early—ideally 3–6 months before your contract ends - Jobs.ac.uk
- Consider bridging roles like research support or consultancy.
- Explore funding options for independent research (e.g., fellowships, grants).
Additional Supporting Information:
- Access comprehensive information about CVs on the Careers and Employability Service website.
- Information about CVs and cover letters designed specifically for researchers can be found on the Vitae website
- All staff including Contract Researchers can access mycareer.port.ac.uk