What is a career in research?
Research roles are found in academia, advocacy and policy development, in international or environmental organisations, as well as financial services, market and social research. The list goes on. Underpinning the work is a desire to use research methods, to design research activities, conduct investigations, analyse findings, write up and present reports.
In social research your outputs might shape policy decisions or evaluate existing policy; in commercial settings your work might shape corporate decisions or contribute to product development; in agencies you might provide clients with insights and recommendations; in academia you will create new knowledge and disseminate it through publications and teaching.
Many will have done a master’s qualification; nearly all researchers in academia will have done (or be doing) a PhD. As you progress in your career it’s common either to develop expertise in a type of research method or to become a specialist in a particular field. Research managers have been promoted because of their competence, and they progress to managing other people, overseeing projects and allocating budgets.