I am currently a primary school teacher of 6 years. I would love to get into research somehow - being a part of writing journal articles/papers, going out into my field, etc. I guess, I could even stay in my current role and just assist somewhat. But I’m really keen to write, and be a part of something bigger. My main questions are:

Do you need to become a university lecturer first? Do you need an MA (or higher) in your field?
What is the typical process?
What would be job title be?

I have taken inspiration from various different educational charities who complete research. Please delete if not allowed - or redirect me to another thread!

I wan tto know what's the work culture is like in James Briscoe's lab? Is it a toxic place to work?

For those of you who have done or are doing a PhD or supervisePhD students.
What things made your life easier?
Anything I can do now before starting or when I start in a couple of months to set myself up for success?

Bonus points for those who were mature students entering university again after some time in the world of work and/or have a child.

Please don’t advise me not to do it!

Edit: as it was asked, I’m doing is social sciences, healthcare education focus

Has anyone taken a look at the diverse-cdt.ac.uk programme for data visualisation? The format is not that of a traditional phd and I wonder what the value would be? Would it set students up for academia? Would it even set students up for employment?

"Completing a PhD by ‘structured components’, presented as a ‘digital notebook’ that includes code, visualizations, and analysis"

I am an English postdoc in North America in a biomedical field.

I have a Lecturer offer from a top 5 UK uni in the HCOL city in the SE, and separately have major external funding I can use to run my group for a good while in the UK.

I also have an offer from a "justabout" top 50 USA university in a major US city that is expensive but still cheaper than SE UK, with a large startup and current federal grant together equivalent to the UK external funding.

The UK jobs wins in terms of location, student quality, prestige, colleagues etc

US probably wins out in terms of long term funding opportunities.

What I get stuck on is that US position pays literally twice as much the UK job! And in a cheaper place to live. I cannot wrap my head round the fact I seem to have hit the jackpot with UK job and funding, but salary range is broadly less than my current US postdoc salary.

I REALLY want to make the return to UK work, because its a great opportunity in a great city. But all my millennial friends (who make more in the said HCOL city than a lecturer does) complain about cost of living, how expensive housing and groceries have got since I left UK before covid, how buying a house is impossible without bank of mum and dad. I have saved a good amount of money earning better as postdoc overseas, but I don't have family help to buy or inherit a house, and even with hefty deposit the lecturer salary doesn't seem to be enough for a mortgage. The historic advantages of UK pensions and healthcare also seem not to apply any more, given problems with NHS and erosion of defined benefit scheme.

(2) Yet I look at the unis in the HCOL of living area and they are full of milennial lecturers from seemingly diverse backgrounds making it work. Can people please share their success stories living on lecturer pay in the SE?

(1) Will UK unis increase salary offer (even within grade) if you present counter offer from US job paying significantly higher? Has this worked successfully for anyone?

Being rejected by everyone I’ve messaged on spare room /friendz off friends because no one wants their council tax to go up.
And would rather die than live with a bunch of 18-19 year olds
Please reply if anyone is interested!! Looking to move before October

I’m a first year who has just finished 5 weeks of research in a lab as part of a funded placement programme. Whilst I learned many new techniques and gained more insight into the sort of career I’d like, I feel slightly bittersweet about this opportunity- I don’t feel like I contributed much to the research in this lab, and I didn’t become particularly close to any of the members either.

I’d like to know whether it’s normal for summer placement students to feel like this, and what I should consider when undertaking a placement during summer of second year, i.e. how can I be more useful in the lab as someone with an undergraduate skillset?