Career options

fits

I am an experienced researcher with a modest but not amazing publication record across a couple of disciplines. I have been working abroad the last couple of years but now would like to move back to Ireland even if it means a slight change in direction or doing another course. Would have a bit of project management, research admin and communications experience now as well as research itself. Any ideas of potential directions? I really want to see an end in sight to the contract work also.

Black Swan

Network, network, network! Attend academic and professional association meetings and conventions in your respective discipline(s). Go by academic and research labs in your field(s) and talk with faculty, PIs, and lab directors. Contact former classmates and alumni associations for job leads.

fits

Cheers, but I am looking outside academia also. Really not interested in another two year post-doc I am afraid. And there is precious little going for people a bit more advanced in their careers in academia.

Sciscitatio

fits wrote: »

Cheers, but I am looking outside academia also. Really not interested in another two year post-doc I am afraid. And there is precious little going for people a bit more advanced in their careers in academia.

What area have you published in?

fits

Hesitant to say due to revealing my identity. Natural resources would be broad description. Have an engineering degree.

Sciscitatio

fits wrote: »

Hesitant to say due to revealing my identity. Natural resources would be broad description. Have an engineering degree.

That's cool, engineering is all I needed

Well options could include, part time work along with working on a PhD or Masters!
Going for a research assistant job and doing a masters for example, is a good option.

Engineering background gives you some options though, ive seen alot of people with this background start into economics/finance masters in the last few years, as they had the capability re maths. Then from this its enter industry etc.

Getting any sort of long term research in Ireland right now is very unlikely, so id consider the education (part time along with work if needed). If you have any questions, and wish to PM me, please feel free to. I too had to face similar decisions a while back but in a slightly different field.

fits

Have the phd already! Not so keen on doing another

Sciscitatio

fits wrote: »

Have the phd already! Not so keen on doing another

O you do! Well, that changes a few things.

I personally would think your best bet, if you are interested in academia, is to look at the IT colleges around Ireland that deliver courses in your background, a lot of these don't have many PhD lectures and its a good place to start to get some lecturing hours. You would have done your research in your own time, as ITs are not as focused on this (so I have been told, though maybe someone will disagree) but for the most part it's a solid place to start off in.

Re options outside of academia, I will have to leave this up to someone else.

Best of luck in your job search.

EarnestH

Sciscitatio wrote: »

O you do! Well, that changes a few things.

I personally would think your best bet, if you are interested in academia, is to look at the IT colleges around Ireland that deliver courses in your background, a lot of these don't have many PhD lectures and its a good place to start to get some lecturing hours. You would have done your research in your own time, as ITs are not as focused on this (so I have been told, though maybe someone will disagree) but for the most part it's a solid place to start off in.

Re options outside of academia, I will have to leave this up to someone else.

Best of luck in your job search.

This may well be a good option, but bear in mind that in the ITs all you will do is teach. You will have little time for research - and there isn't likely much support for research. My suggestion would be to try the universities outside Dublin. Some of them are qyite good - but in my estimation, I would imagine they don't have the same talent pool.

boege

fits wrote: »

I am an experienced researcher with a modest but not amazing publication record across a couple of disciplines. I have been working abroad the last couple of years but now would like to move back to Ireland even if it means a slight change in direction or doing another course. Would have a bit of project management, research admin and communications experience now as well as research itself. Any ideas of potential directions? I really want to see an end in sight to the contract work also.

Opprotunites exist for people with your experience in research management, either acting as project manager for Univerisities leading Horizon2020 or SFI funded research projects, or directly in research support services helping researchers win research grants. Salaries are reasonably good and interenational experience is valued. A PhD is a must have as you need to be able to write/review research grant applications.

Watch the university recruitment pages, especially the more research intensive.

fits

Cheers. I am actually involved in writing a horizon 2020 proposal we are coordinating at the moment. Hope it will stand to me.