Getting an academic job

What jobs are available in academia?

The latest Graduate Outcomes data (2023/24) from HESA shows that most graduates (87%) are in work or further study 15 months after finishing their course. The previous data suggests that around a fifth (21.3%) of PhD graduates go into teaching roles in higher or secondary education.

While the majority pursue careers outside academia, a range of roles can be found in universities.

Academic researcher

May also be referred to as a:

• research associate
• research fellow
• postdoc
• postdoctoral researcher.

This fixed-term research position often serves as a bridge from PhD studies into a research career.

While you may just be able to continue your research, more experienced academic researchers may split their time between research activities and teaching at the university.

You'll need to be adept at:

• analysing data
• critical thinking
• research methodology.

A PhD in a relevant area is usually an essential requirement for this post.

Explore the role of an academic researcher.

Teaching associate

To kick-start your academic career, you could take up a position leading lectures and seminars for undergraduate or postgraduate programmes.

You'd be supporting module leaders in preparing teaching and assessment materials and may be asked to mark assignments.

Some teaching associates work on a freelance basis before landing a full-time position.

Higher education lecturer/Senior lecturer

Your main responsibility is supporting students throughout their academic journeys.

Your duties will focus on:

• acting as a mentor
• assessing the academic work of students
• delivering lectures.

Depending on the department, you may also be involved with creating courses and carrying out research.

As you progress to a senior role, you may get involved in the strategic decision-making of the department, while using your extensive research and teaching experience to publish high-level academic papers and journals.

Discover more about what a higher education lecturer does.

Professor

At the senior management level, you'll lead on innovation and change in teaching practices for the department and the university, primarily focused on strategic development and enhancing the student experience.

You'll require a Doctoral degree in a relevant area and a strong background in research, as well as previous experience in academic leadership.

Head of department

This senior leadership role involves managing teams within the department and developing relationships with external stakeholders.

At this level, you'll have a say on the university's overall strategy and its reputation, but you'll still oversee the department's day-to-day research and teaching operations.

Dean

This high-ranking academic leadership position involves serving as head of all other university departments and is responsible for recruiting key staff members.

As the dean is expected to maintain and improve the quality of academic teaching at the institution, this role requires a unique set of skills and experience.

With a strong track record for teaching and innovation, you'll give the go-ahead to complex projects and lead on the future direction of the university.

What does an academic job involve?

Tasks vary according to job title, but may include:

• administrative work
• analysing data and preparing reports
• applying for Research Council funding
• marking and assessing work
• presenting work at conferences and seminars
• teaching in lectures and seminars
• writing up research and publishing the findings.

As detailed in our guide to comparing UK universities, the Research Excellence Framework (REF) assesses the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

Universities, therefore, operate in a competitive environment and are under pressure to recruit the best possible staff. In turn, this increases the burden on academic staff, as many are expected to meet performance targets.

How do I get an academic job in the UK?

Securing a permanent academic job takes time and planning. Most PhD graduates begin with short-term research or teaching positions before progressing to longer-term roles.

Start with entry-level roles

The traditional entry point for PhD graduates is as a research assistant or research fellow.

These roles are typically fixed-term contracts, lasting from a few months to several years. It's quite common to work on a temporary basis before securing a permanent job.

Search for academic vacancies

Universities usually advertise roles on their own websites and specialist job boards such as Jobs.ac.uk.

For example, The University of Manchester and University College London (UCL) regularly advertise postdoctoral and teaching roles through their careers portals.

If you have a specific institution in mind, consider contacting the department directly.

Build teaching experience

Having some form of teaching experience can strengthen your application. You can get this by:

• leading seminars or tutorials during your PhD
• supporting lecturers with marking or course delivery.

Explore routes into teaching.

Develop your academic profile

At this stage, you could start building a profile in their field by:

• collaborating with other researchers, including your PhD supervisor
• presenting at conferences
• publishing research in respected journals.

This is often how early-career researchers begin to establish a reputation in their field.

Gain key professional skills

To succeed in academia, you'll need experience beyond your core research. This often includes:

• Funding and project management - contributing to grant applications and managing research over time.
• Networking and collaboration - building relationships through conferences, events and joint projects.
• Public engagement - communicating research beyond academic audiences and having an impact within the wider research community.
• Research and publishing - producing original work, publishing papers and presenting at conferences.
• Teaching and supervision - leading sessions, supporting assessment and working with students.

Soft skills are also important, as successful academics should demonstrate strengths in:

• leadership
• management
• networking
• presentation
• resilience
• time management.

Read more about the skills employers want.

Seek opportunities further afield

As you gain experience in your specialist subject, you may wish to consider moving to prestigious universities overseas.

When you're ready to search for academic jobs abroad, explore our work abroad and study abroad pages. From there, you'll discover what it's like to get a job in a specific country and its higher education provision.

How much do academics earn?

HESA data shows that academic salaries vary widely by role and seniority, with a significant proportion of staff earning higher salaries at the senior lecturer and professor levels.

Here is a general overview:

Read more about salary expectations for all information, research and analysis job profiles.

How do I apply for an academic job?

Applying for academic roles requires a more detailed, evidence-based application than for most graduate jobs.

Academic CV

An academic CV is essential when applying for any research-based position. You must provide clear evidence of your research and a plan for how you wish to develop this in future.

Your academic CV should include information about:

• funding, awards, and professional memberships
• future research plans
• research experience
• publications and conference attendance.

Be sure to:

• include any specialist skills
• keep it concise but comprehensive
• put your academic achievements on the first page
• use reverse chronological order
• write it in a scholarly but easily comprehensible style.

As with most jobs, it's important to get your application in as early as possible.

Please note, if you're a postgraduate but not looking for an academic career, your CV should follow an alternative layout - see our CVs and cover letters section.

Research proposal (where required)

Some academic roles require a research proposal, also called a research statement.

Unlike a PhD research proposal, which centres on a single project, a research statement highlights your broader research ambitions and how they complement the department's work. It should outline:

• your research aim
• how it builds on your previous work
• its potential impact
• how it fits with the university's priorities.

Get advice on writing a PhD research proposal.

Cover letter

Your cover letter needs to:

• apply your work experience to the role and institution
• demonstrate knowledge of the department you're applying to
• highlight your teaching and research strengths.

Focus on showing both what you've achieved so far and what you plan to contribute if you get the role.

Get further tips on how to write a cover letter.

Find out more

• Discover what other Doctorate graduates do.
• Consider a career in teaching and education.
• Read our general advice on getting a job.