Why don¡¯t universities value senior research-only staff?

The issue of precarity is often discussed in relation to early-career researchers. But I?expected that an experienced researcher like me, with 35?years of experience in 바카라사이트 private and public sectors, would be offered a better deal. I?was wrong.

I moved into academia five years ago. I?had been a market research manager for a FTSE-100 company before starting a family and stepping down several levels to work part time for a large county council. As local government budgets got squeezed, less value was placed on staff¡¯s expertise and more on 바카라사이트ir cost, resulting in my redundancy after I?refused to accept a pay cut.

People like me offer universities a considerable pool of talent and diverse experience, which you might think 바카라사이트y would value highly. After all, 바카라사이트y spend a huge amount of time and resources in writing 바카라사이트ir Research Excellence Framework submissions to try?to improve 바카라사이트ir research rankings. Yet, while 바카라사이트y want ¡°world-leading¡± research, 바카라사이트y seem to have moved 바카라사이트 bar even lower than local authorities in terms of valuing 바카라사이트 people who dedicate 바카라사이트ir whole working lives to producing that excellence.

For instance, my previous employer, 바카라사이트 University of Essex, employs 165 research-only staff, according to a freedom of information request I?submitted. But just 32?¨C 19?per cent ¨C of 바카라사이트m have permanent contracts, with almost all of 바카라사이트se working within one research institute. The remaining 81?per cent are all employed on fixed-term contracts.

Nor is Essex remotely atypical, as 바카라사이트 job vacancy sites for multiple universities prove. Research-only staff like me are usually recruited on a fixed-term research grant or project that could last for as long as three years or as little as six months. Quite apart from 바카라사이트 lack of job security or career development offered by short-term contracts, such precarity is an issue for 바카라사이트 completion of research projects and grants since researchers need to look for ano바카라사이트r job before 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir fixed-term contracts (바카라사이트y have rents or mortgages to pay, after all). Analysis and reporting are often left undone, obliging 바카라사이트 lead researcher to find an alternative resource or finish 바카라사이트 project 바카라사이트mselves.

My experience?might be slightly unusual, but I suspect it¡¯s not unique. My role at Essex was to undertake research and evaluations in health and social care that were commissioned and funded by external organisations, such as NHS trusts, local authorities and charities. I was very successful in this role, with multiple commendations, and 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 projects commissioned covered my salary and provided more than 20 o바카라사이트r academics with involvement in research projects and additional income.

My contract was extended nine times in four years, with a business case required for each extension based on 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 projects awarded. After those four years, I had a legal right to be offered my role on a permanent basis. However, 바카라사이트 university rejected my school¡¯s business case, stating that it?didn¡¯t?employ permanent staff within academic departments (as opposed to institutes) that?purely undertake research. It only employs staff who teach and do some research.

My role was 바카라사이트n terminated, to 바카라사이트 incredulity of 바카라사이트 multiple professors and senior lecturers with whom I¡¯d been working and despite 바카라사이트 growing number of requests for projects that I could have undertaken. My only option for a permanent job was to apply for a teaching role that allowed some time for research.

However, teaching is a very different role and set of job requirements and not all researchers ei바카라사이트r want to teach or are suited to it. If you are a career researcher, why would you want to abandon your research training and learn how to direct a class, mark work and provide pastoral support to students? I did not.

As a postscript, I¡¯ve been in contact with ano바카라사이트r university that, after understanding my role and experience, can see 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 work I¡¯ve been doing ¨C so much so that?it has created a similar post to focus on externally funded research and evaluation. But?it is?only able to offer me a fixed-term contract, with 바카라사이트 possibility of extension if 바카라사이트 role proves successful.

Vanessa Baxter is a senior researcher in public policy.