PostDoc Discussion Forum

Here's a lengthy, complex, but at least experienced, response.

It's based on the UK situation. From my experience on EU projects, it's not limited to the UK, but my own experience is reflective of the UK.

A lectureship is stable employment. Unless your course collapses (which does happen, but is unlikely if it's not a niche subject); you have a job for life barring exceptional incompetence. This is often equated to tenure in the US, except...

...You should not expect to have research time on a UK lecturing post. The University will likely be using you to max the TEF statistics for 'teaching staff with a PhD', whilst actively trying to exclude you from research as 'non-research active' for REF purposes (fewer returns = better quality per return). Unless you're bringing in substantive grants, or producing REF-able articles without any funding support. If you ask at interview, they will probably 'blah' about the research opportunities, but unless that's a clear commitment from them in time - and resources - it's basically saying you're teaching unless you want to do extra work and get a grant, in which case we'll take the money, thanks, and you can do the work.

A postdoc, on the other hand, is absolutely not stable employment. It's probably a job on a funded project for ~3 years, and that's it. Less experienced professors or academics at a similar level employing postdocs often make mistaken promises that they will extend the post if funding permits. Always hear this as that the post will not be extended. It's not that it won't be, but that the person making the promise is basing that on future grants, which they have no guarantee of getting, no matter how talented they are. The benefit of a postdoc is you will have little or no teaching workload, and can focus on knocking out the REF-able publications. This may well involve herding cats on an 'interdisciplinary, intersectoral' consortium of people who, quite rightly, have much less interest in skiing through the slalom of UK REF criteria flags than you do.

In general, I would say if you have a genuine, work till 2am ~5 nights a week, passion in your area and what you do - do a postdoc. It is the route to traditional academic professorship based on field reputation. If you see an academic career as a fairly relaxed job for life, with long summer holidays, have a vague interest in furthering the field, and can value future promotion to an academic middle-management, rather than professorial role, accept a lectureship. Because of how the REF, league tables, and process shape academia, the logical middle-ground career - where you do a healthy balance of teaching and research - is incredibly elusive.

Thanks for all the replies. And yeh I think you see where I am coming from pm133. Thanks for the encouragement and ideas. Yes, I think I will stick with my original goal and strategy for now. I'll only go for teaching roles that are temporary/short term. For now. The great thing about a plan is you can always change it if it isn't working. Have a great day everyone :)

Hi TQ. I think taking a teaching role is not a bad option if there are no research roles available. If the next potential employer thinks it is a bit weird to seek a Postdoc role, it is not the end of the world. They usually ask questions regarding career shift and this sort of stuff. They must have seen weirder so do not worry.
If I have stayed in academia, my dream job would have been 80% research and 20% teaching. Is there any information about research in these teaching jobs? or are they purely lecturing?
By the way, in my circle of academia there are several Postdocs who managed to secure a permanent research role after a few temporary Postdocs. It is not rare.

TQ, I think you need to pursue the path which feels more meaningful to you.
I don't think it is obvious at all that you would take a permanent teaching role over a postdoc.
I personally don't believe in getting all this way and then taking the safe option for fear of not getting another opportunity.
What would be the point?
You want to do pure research? Postdoc or fellowship are your options right now. Anything else will leave you with almost no time for research.

It's clear this is what you'd prefer to do.

What isn't clear is why you are even cobsidering a permanent lectureship when it isn't your plan A.

Are you struggling to find research posts or are you tempted by a bit more security?

Yes. Just because with a perm lectureship there are better options, such as your own fellowship, your own grant, even a sabbatical etc to develop your research profile.

Yes the obvious move having gained a permanent lectureship is to apply for an individual fellowship for new investigators rather than going backwards to being a junior researcher on a research project as pd1598 points out. Precarity in academia is such that everyone understands switching between temporary teaching and research jobs as you need to pay the bills, but giving up a permanent role without a very obvious reason (e.g. family caring responsibilities mean you need to move area or your department is being closed down) will raise eyebrows.

If you have the option of a 1 year lectureship or a 1 year post-doc, you'd need to think about it. If you get offered a permanent lectureship Vs a 1 year post-doc, you take the permanent, obviously. I'm a bit worried about your stated plan TQ. Deliberately signing up to casualisation or precarious temp jobs is not a great plan. Obviously if that's all you get, so be it, but don't plan to do that. Often the next job does not arise. Remember, the days of academics doing only research is over, you'll need to teach and research, you might develop a research profile but if you can't (prove) you can talk to a class of students you'll not get hired.

Edit: and obviously don't resign from a permanent job to do a post-doc, if that's what you were suggesting? Something like an ECR fellowship would be your best bet.