Supporting career development in RDM: reflections from the Career Development Committee

A broad and representative committee

The Career Development Committee (SSO required) brings together colleagues from across RDM, including Principal Investigators, postdoctoral researchers, clinicians, technicians, and professional services staff. This breadth of representation has been central to our approach, ensuring that discussions reflect a wide range of experiences, career paths and perspectives across the department.

Learning from across the University

In the first half of 2025, the committee focused on listening and learning. We invited colleagues from across the University to share insights into key initiatives designed to support researchers and research culture which include:

• The Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, which sets out the University's commitment to supporting researchers' career development.
• The Research Culture Toolkit, which aims to promote good practice, inclusive environments, and fair career progression across departments.
• Support for fixed-term researchers through the Researcher Hub, which provides guidance, career development resources, and opportunities for connection and progression across the University.
• The Technician Commitment and wider technician development programmes, which focus on improving visibility, recognition, and career development opportunities for technical staff.

These sessions helped shape our understanding of what good practice looks like, and where there were opportunities to strengthen provision within RDM.

Turning ideas into action

Since the second half of 2025, the committee has focused on implementing a series of practical initiatives within RDM. These actions aim to embed career development more consistently into existing processes, while also creating new opportunities for learning and support.

Enhancing PDR/CDR processes

In 2025, links to the Technician Commitment were incorporated into both employee and manager Professional Development Reviews (PDRs) dashboards within People XD, helping to ensure that development conversations are better informed and more inclusive of different career pathways.

In 2026, the committee is piloting the use of the DIRECT framework within PDRs for digital researchers (SSO required) with the aim of supporting more structured conversations about relevant skills and career progression.

Targeted support for career transitions

Recognising the challenges associated with key career transitions, the Career Development Committee has supported:

• Careers coaching for new Principal Investigators, piloted in 2025 and running again in summer 2026, offering structured support at a critical stage of career progression.
• An upcoming peer support group (launching summer 2026) for new PIs, Fellows, and postdoctoral researchers preparing for intermediate fellowship applications. This aims to provide a supportive space for sharing experiences, advice and practical guidance.

Building a culture of ongoing development

A new termly Lunch & Learn series launched in April 2026, with the first session involving senior researchers discussing the role of mentoring, coaching and leadership courses in their career journeys. Planned topics for the 2026–27 academic year include consulting, grant applications, and managing your career.

Looking ahead

As we move forward, we will continue to build on this work testing new ideas, strengthening existing provision, and ensuring that career development support evolves alongside the needs of our colleagues.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for the Career Development Committee, please do get in touch at cdc@rdm.ox.ac.uk.

With thanks to Jess Bassett for her help in putting this blog post together.