The Research Degree Programmes Officer will be based in the Doctoral School and will work closely with the Head of Doctoral Services, other members of the Doctoral School Team and Doctoral Programme Leaders to facilitate and coordinate the Master of Research (MRes), Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes at the University. Working closely with the Doctoral Programme Leaders and potential supervisors. The post holder will oversee the admission of research degree students onto a programme of research and monitor student progression throughout the programme, including the Annual Progress Review for all our MPhil and Doctoral students. They will also maintain the Register of Approved Supervisors and work closely with supervisors to support their research students and oversee, for example, changes to supervisory teams. The postholder will also be an important point of contact throughout the student journey and vital in creating a positive research student experience. This involves, for example, acting as a point of advice and guidance to students throughout their programme, administering studentship expenses budgets and other support schemes and arranging celebration events, for example during Graduation.
Background
Research is central to the University's mission to make a difference in everything that we do. We are committed to delivering excellent research which extends the boundaries of human knowledge but which also improves people's lives by enabling better health outcomes, improving food security, developing environmentally sustainable solutions for crop production and socially sustainable solutions to our ageing population, enhancing public knowledge and understanding of the past and present.
The success of our research is reflected in our continuous improvement in external research assessment processes. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, REF 2021, the University saw a near 50% increase in the scale of its research and 12% increase in quality, building on its performance in REF 2014 when it was the UK's most improved university in terms of Research Power, a combination of scale and quality.
The University provides a robust infrastructure for research. It has a well-established Doctoral School which houses its growing research student body and which provides a comprehensive programme of researcher development for staff and students. It established a Research Office in 2013, responsible for research funding, governance and strategy. The University is committed to further developing its research profile, through a strategic approach to its support for and investment in research
Our research students are central to our overall mission for research. They are working at the cutting edge of their disciplines and driving forward the quality of our research whilst enriching our research culture. We are looking to increase our research student numbers as a strategic imperative. Our commitment to our students is reflected in the results of the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey 2023 in which we ranked 3rd for overall research student satisfaction nationally.
What's in it for you?
* Usual starting salary of £26,338 with annual incremental increase up to £29,959, with the opportunity to progress to £31,637 subject to performance and the university reward scheme
* Up to 34 days of leave per year (inclusive of bank holidays and University closure days) rising to 39 total days after 5 years' continuous service
* Attractive Company Pension Scheme
* Access to a range of benefits including our Staff Retail Benefits Scheme
* Wellbeing advice and support through our Employee Assistance Programme
* In-house training and development support
* A friendly, inclusive and supportive culture and work environment
Informal queries related to this role are welcomed and should be directed to Helen Tabinor, Head of Doctoral Services, via email
Please note that this post does not meet the minimum salary requirements for visa sponsorship under the Skilled Worker Route. We are therefore unable to consider applicants for this post who will require sponsorship to work in the UK.