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• Principal Investigators: Supporting ECRs
• • Managing Researchers
  • Developing Yourself as a PI

Managing Researchers

The Principal Investigator (PI)/research staff manager plays a key role in supporting the career development of their early career researchers (ECRs) throughout the research contract(s).

The welcoming and managing researchers leaflet outlines key information and resources available to support PIs in effectively welcoming and managing researchers.

Supporting ECRs new to Sussex

Researcher Induction

PIs play a key role in the induction process which helps new ECRs to establish themselves quickly in their new role and to identify any training/development requirements to support them in their current role and future career aspirations. 

Before your meeting with the new member of research faculty ensure that you are familiar with the University’s policies, support and resources for research staff which are available via links lower down on this page.

Checklist for PIs when appointing new ECRs:

Before new member of staff arrives

• Once appointment has been agreed ensure the School Admin Office are aware of the new starter and start date.
• Arrange space and appropriate resources/infrastructure for the new staff member.
• Refer the new member of staff to the New Research Staff web page and Welcome Guide* .
• If coming from overseas, refer staff to the International ECRs web page.

*Please note the Welcome Guide is not fully up to date. It still holds useful information for new staff but please direct staff to the webpages for links to HR etc. We appriciate your patience as we transfer the guide information into an accessible format.   

Upon arrival/first day

• Be there to meet your new member of staff on their first day.
• Ensure the new member of staff visits HR with all relevant documents.
• Introduce them to group members and other key members of the department.
• Arrange a health and safety and IT induction.

Within first month of appointment

• It is a University expectation that new members of research faculty should meet with their principal investigator/supervisor within the first month of the research contract as part of their induction process to discuss and agree some initial research and career development objectives
• You should refer to the Guidance and templates to support your start of contract objective setting and career development discussion document. 
• To support discussions relating to professional development activity, please refer to the Research Staff Professional Development Guidance

  
  Other things to include in discussions:

  • Provide an indication of your expectations of them e.g. research outputs, performance, progress reporting, progression etc.
  • Inform them of the time you will be able to give to them/their project and the nature and extent of the supervision you will provide.
  • Explain their entitlement to appraisal, training and development, regular career development discussions etc. Include information about the promotion process.
  • Provide information about any entitlement to funds to attend conferences/travel to meetings/undertake training etc.
  • Encourage them to attend the "Researcher Induction and Welcome Lunch" hosted by the Research Staff Office.

Key resources for new ECRs

You may wish to familiarise yourself and direct new staff members to the pages below.     

Supporting International Researchers

New research staff coming to Sussex from overseas need support before they arrive. Please see our International Researchers page for practical information.  Researchers may wish to contact the school's HR advisor for assistance regarding visas.

Researcher Development manages the University’s partnership with the European Commission’s  initiative, which provides support and assistance to researchers living and working in the EU.  

EURAXESS have produced a comprehensive guide for international researchers moving to the UK that contains all of the general information you need to know about living and working in the UK. See the for the latest information.

You can send any queries for EURAXESS via the local contact address Euraxess@sussex.ac.uk.

Supporting Researcher Career Development

The University has an agreement to support the career development of researchers, which is laid out in the . Under this agreement researchers have a minimum of 10 working days (pro rata) for professional development activities per annum.

Whilst Researcher Development provide training and development workshops, Organisational Development have a suite of development activities and resources available for all members of staff, it should be noted that not all development activities necesssitate attending courses. Examples of professional development activites can be found in Part 2 of the Research Staff Professional Development Guidance [PDF 1.65MB] 

 

Supporting Researcher Appraisals and Progression

The University runs an annual appraisal process for Sussex researchers.  Appraisers should meet with research staff appraisees to discuss progress against their research objectives as well as their career development aspirations and goals.

Appraisal meetings provide an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and identify areas where your staff hope to develop new skills or take on new opportunities and responsibilities.

Quick Links: Essential Resources, Policies and Processes

It is important for PIs to be aware of University policies and the legislation in regards to staff employed by the University.

Please find links below to important policies, guidance and support relating to your researchers:

Employment

Induction and Development

 The wider context of the University

 

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