Focus on staff working with research infrastructures
Guidelines have been introduced to highlight staff who work with research infrastructures and facilitate their recruitment. In this article, Anna Borlund, Human Resources Strategist in the Human Resources Division, tells us more. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt.
Research infrastructures are becoming an increasingly important part of doing research. A vital piece of the puzzle in building and developing these infrastructures is, of course, the staff who work with them. Uppsala University has therefore introduced guidelines for employment as a ‘staff scientist’.
Uppsala University has highly qualified staff whose jobs involve supporting and developing the technical and methodological foundations for other researchers to utilise research infrastructures. The expertise of these employees is hugely important for being able to conduct research and pursue third-cycle studies of the highest quality.
Both within and outside Uppsala University, greater clarity will help to highlight the skills that these employees have, and to facilitate talent attraction when employing staff for these positions.
“There have been calls for a clearer career path for these employees, who don’t work primarily as teaching staff. For example, these needs were highlighted in connection with earlier revisions of the University’s Appointment Regulations, and in connection with a project on career paths within academia. We’ve also seen some ambiguity in these employees’ job titles which we hope can be improved through this work,” says Anna Bolund, Human Resources Strategist in the Human Resources Division.
A working group of representatives from the different disciplinary domains has been occupied with these questions, and have gained support for their work in the Research Infrastructure Board, and in various meetings of heads of department and management.
New titles introduced
In short, the guidelines introduce three new titles for use when recruiting for these positions:
- Junior staff scientist
- Staff scientist
- Senior staff scientist.
For each title/level, the guidelines set out the main tasks and qualifications requirements for the position.
“This is a first step in being clearer about describing the roles and skills required within research infrastructures. Today, staff working in research infrastructures have several different titles even if they have the same or similar work tasks. Clear descriptions of work tasks and skills requirements for the different levels in this career path help to make these key positions at the University more attractive, facilitating recruitment and talent attraction for these positions.
Also for current staff
Staff who are already employed with work tasks that fit the descriptions of the work tasks/qualifications requirements in the guidelines can have their titles changed within the scope of their employment obligations (arbetsskyldigheten). However, it is the head of department/equivalent who assesses whether a title change is relevant. A change of title does not entail any changes in the employee’s terms and conditions of employment or work tasks.
“It’s very important that there’s good dialogue between manager and employee so that it’s clear how this might be relevant for different employees.”
Anders Berndt