Your Resources
For Researchers
- The Researcher's Trailmap
- Your Representative
- The Oxford Research Staff Society (OxRSS)
- Finding Funding
- Your Professional Development
- The Career Development Review (CDR)
- Ongoing Career Support
- Making an Impact
- Oxford Policy Engagement Network (OPEN)
- EnSpire
- Oxford University Innovation
For Research Support Colleagues
For Researchers
The Researcher’s Trailmap
Finding what you need when you need it.
Oxford is rich in opportunities for researchers, once you know how to find them.
The Researcher Hub developed this Trailmap in consultation withresearchers and professional support colleagues from across the University to help you access key resources and opportunities at the right time, thereby supporting your wellbeing, research and career development. .
The Trailmap also helps academic managers and principal investigators have more structured conversations with their fixed-term colleagues about how to balance personal wellbeing, rigour, impact and career development in a research role at Oxford.
Click to download the Trailmap
Your Representative
Making your voice heard.
Every department and faculty has at least one research staff representative.
These colleagues ensure two-way communication between researchers in local settings and with those in support roles, helping to foster a supportive research environment within teams, lab groups and buildings.
As importantly, they bring the interests and needs of research staff into university decision-making, including in the most senior committees such as Council, Research and Innovation Committee, and People Committee, thereby helping to shape policy development and improve service provision.
To find your local representative or view vacancies on university-level committees, you can visit the Research Staff Representatives page (login required).
The Oxford Research Staff Society (OxRSS)
Meeting others and enjoying Oxford.
The Oxford Research Staff Society (OxRSS) is all about bringing researchers from across the University together. This friendly community offers a wide range of meet-ups and activities where you can find friendship, tips for making the most of Oxford, and opportunities to grow your network of potential research collaborators
For more details, check out the OxRSS page.
Finding Funding
Research Services
The University’s Research Services provide comprehensive support to help you find suitable funding opportunities, submit a strong application and manage awarded funds.
Their expertise ensures that researchers can focus on their work while complying with funding requirements, university policies and sector standards.
For more details, visit the Research Services pages.
Your Professional Development
Investing in yourself as well as your research
The University of Oxford offers a range of professional development opportunities for researchers to enhance their skills and advance their careers. These include workshops, training programs, and one-on-one coaching.
Researchers are responsible for identifying forms of professional development that would benefit them most, then agreeing and planning time for these in conversation with their academic manager/PI.
The university provides guidance on planning professional and career development activities and a system for logging professional development time for each academic year. For more details, visit the Professional Development for Researchers page (login required).
The Career Development Review (CDR)
Regular reflection on what you want to do next and how you will get there
An annual Career Development Review (CDR) enables you to take stock of your career goals and plan your next steps, with guidance from an experienced colleague.
Resources and support are available to help both researchers and reviewers prepare well to ensure these conversations have practical outcomes.
For more details, visit the Career Development Reviews for Fixed-Term Researchers page (login required).
Ongoing Career Support
Specialist confidential and impartial guidance for researchers
The Oxford University Careers Service offers tailored support, helping you navigate career decisions, explore options and make strong applications . Experienced Careers Advisers provide one-on-one appointments, workshops, opportunities to meet employers and regular updates for researchers.
This team is informed, caring and committed to helping you advance your career while working at Oxford.
For more details, visit the Oxford University Careers Service website.
Making an Impact
Avenues for your research beyond academia
Oxford Policy Engagement Network (OPEN)
The Oxford Policy Engagement Network (OPEN) enables research and policy professionals to join forces in shaping public policy that protects what is valuable and changes the world for the better.
Since its launch in 2020, the network has grown to include research professionals and students in more than 50 departments and faculties, as well as policy professionals in Oxford, across Whitehall and the UK, and around the world.
Find out more about policy engagement at Oxford on the University's policy engagement page. You can also follow OPEN on LinkedIn and Bluesky.
EnSpire
Oxford has a very vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem and EnSpire Oxford helps researchers alongside all University staff, students, alumni and the local community, to navigate this ecosystem with ease. Via EnSpire you can explore the wealth of entrepreneurship information, training and support available , including experiential learning and networking opportunities. Research is an inherently creative and innovative process, meaning there is something for everyone. Find out more by visiting the EnSpire website.
Oxford University Innovation (OUI)
Oxford University Innovation (OUI) is a subsidiary of the University of Oxford, dedicated to managing the university's technology transfer and consulting activities, in order to maximize the impact of Oxford's research on society and the economy.
This team can help you transform your innovative ideas into commercial ventures or social enterprises, providing support for patenting, licensing, creating spin-outs or building partnerships.
OUI also offers consulting services, connecting researchers with specific expertise with industry and policy needs.
For more details, visit the Oxford University Innovation website.
For Research Support Colleagues
Research Culture Toolkit
Recognising good practice and supporting continuous improvement
This collaborative University-wide project aims to surface practice and initiatives that underpin supportive, inclusive and equitable research culture in departments and other local settings. The Toolkit also helps identify any gaps and offers relevant information or support, thereby advancing Oxford’s commitments to researcher career development specified in our related Concordat Action Plan, and the University’s preparations for REF 2029 (login required).
Research Staff Committees
Consultation, decision-making and coordination
Three formal groups feed into University governance decisions; the Research Staff Consultation Group, Steering Committee, , and Working Group. Researcher representatives are members of each, helping to ensure relevant policy, services and support are developed and made accessible across the University. For more details, visit the Research Staff Committees page (login required).