Engineer Pathway Resources and FAQs

Current promotion processes don’t fully reflect the unique contribution of research-focused engineers. An equivalent pathway ensures fairness, consistency, and recognition for their critical role alongside academic peers.

Agreement to pursue a career pathway solution was reached at the 7th April 2025 ‘People Meeting’ and sign-off to implement given at the 6th October 2025 meeting.

The pathway has been modelled on existing pathways, and in particular with close alignment to the Technicians Promotion Pathway but with criteria tailored for engineering roles that focus on industrially driven research, development, and innovation (RD&I). It will recognise contributions such as securing and delivering CR&D/DCR projects, enabling technology transfer, and advising industry and government.

It is not intended that people automatically get promoted by time in role or hit top spinal point of role; colleagues have to meet the criteria set out via the evidence case, as is the case in the other parallel pathways.

Please submit expressions of interest by 24 October 2025 and your full application pack by midday on 12 November 2025 for departmental submission. Final submission to the Central University’s Academic Processes Team for 12 January 2026. For further guidance, please also see the question “Q: How do I make an application?” within the Frequently Asked Question Document.

Before applying, all applicants should read the criteria and evidence document, alongside the career pathway matrix to identify the relevant thresholds that they will need to evidence in order to be eligible for promotion. Discuss with their line manager, submit an EoI and ultimately a full application.

Once they have satisfied themselves that they meet the criteria, applicants wishing to apply for promotion should complete the application form for Engineer Pathway promotion and submit that along with a current CV in the standard format. Note that there is a separate form for applicants applying for promotion to the level of FA9 role (Chief Engineer).