I’m pretty devastated because I just wrote a detailed post on what I do for work that took me a long time, and somehow only the heading saved. Argh! But here I go again…
A few readers asked me a while ago to post some details of what I do for work. I am a full-time academic health researcher at a regional university. My background is as a psychologist and I’ve worked full-time in research at universities or research institutes for a decade. I’ve been in my current role for 2.5 years.
E’s doll came for a visit to my office.
I am a Senior Research Fellow which is equivalent to a more junior Associate Professor in the North American systems I believe. I lead a team of about 10 (staff, PhD students, Masters/Honours students). Our research is all directly with participants (not lab-based basic science), so there are no white lab coats (but we do work with colleagues who wear them!). I don’t directly recruit or assess the participants, or run the day to day of the projects, my team members do.
So what do I do?
Supervise and mentor my staff and students
Write journal articles reporting our results or new scientific ideas for publication
Write grant applications for new funding for our research
Analyse our research results (using statistical analysis techniques/software)
Present our findings at scientific conferences (often interstate/overseas)
Communicate our findings to the community and occasionally via media
Attend and contribute to leadership meetings, committees etc
Higher level admin, finance tasks
Provide reviews of grants and papers for grant agencies and journals
I don’t do a lot of teaching because my role is supported by my own grants at the moment, although this might change next year.
We have kangaroos on my university campus, which is fun
Even though I work full-time, and some times of the year even more than standard FT hours, my job is very flexible which I love. I usually work 2-3 days in at my office, and 2-3 days at home. I try to keep most mornings free of meetings for deep work, and most afternoons are a mix of meetings and admin or lighter tasks.
Overall, I love my job. My boss, colleagues and team are all great, I feel very valued, and I enjoy most of my work, and love that it feels like I’m contributing positively to our participants and the broader world. Of course, there are always the usual stressors and frustrations with any workplace, but these are far outweighed by the positives, and I don’t take that for granted!
Happy to answer any other questions you might have! Have a great Monday all!
I love hearing the details about what others do for work. I knew you worked at university but didn’t know anything beyond that. I’d love to know what research projects your team has worked on or which projects have been of most interest to you? If you have to teach at some point, do you know what courses you would teach? It’s great that you have so much flexibility. That really helps, especially in the young kid years!
Okay, first of all, that doll looking at the screen is hilarious! That's for the laughs <3
I have a question, since your role is supported by your own grants, so you ever get nervous that you may not receive a grant? It's a negative question, I'm sorry, but I am in the similar boat- except we have contracts until you have tenure, and then you are pretty much golden for the rest of your life. It's my tenure year, so I have to "bring it." I have written grants fr funding for my classroom but never for my job. What are your feelings about this ambiguity? Or, do grants roll over year after year?
This is too funny because I posted a picture of one of your kangaroo sightings on my blog today! Ha.
I'm so sorry you lost your original post (SO FRUSTRATING), but loved this behind-the-scenes look at what you do.
Your job sounds amazing! I love this post, because so many times when people tell me what their job is, I still really have no idea what they DO. I'm always interested in these things! I think I want your job, especially if it means I get to see kangaroos when I go to work.