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New ECRs

This page provides information to help you in your first few days and weeks as you begin your early career research role at Sussex.

We warmly welcome you into the researcher community here at Sussex and look forward to seeing you at future ECR events!

We particularly hope you will join the Researcher Development-hosted Welcome event which you will be invited to in your first six months, as part of your wider community induction process.

Checklist for New Researchers

Before you arrive...   (Logistics)

• Familiarise yourself with the Terms and Conditions of Employment
• See the Welcome Guide* for more information
• See the Sussex Digital Pack from Organisational Development 
• If you are coming from abroad arrange any necessary visas and work permits 
• See the University's website for visa information guidance. You can check what you will need by visiting UK Visas and Immigration website. Make sure you leave plenty of time to arrange your visas.
• Sign and return your Staff Record of Acceptance form to HR 
• Register any children with local childcare/schools
• There is a nursery and pre-school on campus 

• See the Welcome Guide* for more information

• Ensure you have the appropriate documents required for opening a UK bank account (if coming from abroad) and for renting property.

• For banks you will need proof of your UK address and proof of income (e.g. last three months of bank statements, previous payslips and University appointment letter)

• For renting you will need proof of income and guarantor information

• Check with banks and letting agents as to the specifics of the documentation you will need to provide

• Arrange accommodation
• See the Welcome Guide* for useful websites
• Familiarise yourself with the Researcher Development's webpages, a hub of information and resources available for Sussex Researchers

*Note: the Welcome Guide is currently under review, and some content is out of date. However, it still contains valuable information for new starters. We encourage you to visit the University's webpages for all staff and other resources. We appreciate your patience as we work to transfer the guide's information into a more accessible format.

On your first day at Sussex...   (Essentials)

• Familiarise yourself with the Campus Map!
• Take your paperwork to Human Resources (room 338, Sussex House). You will need:
  • Staff Record of Acceptance Form (if not returned in advance)
  • P45 or P46 (if you do not have a P45)
  • Completed Immigration, Asylum and Nationality form
  • Passport and/or other forms of identification as specified in your appointment information.
• Obtain your ITS username and password from IT Services in Shawcross building.
• Login to Sussex Direct to check your personal information. If required, you can apply for a staff paperless parking permit via the self-service portal, or visit the Transport webpages for more information.
• Visit the Print Unit in York building to obtain your University Card.
• Meet your supervisor and research group colleagues

In your first weeks...   (Local induction)

• Have a meeting with your supervisor/line manager to discuss your work objectives and career development goals: Guidance and templates to support your start of contract objective setting and career development discussion.
• Meet your Head of Department and/or Head of School
• Meet your departmental/school administrator
• Meet the person with responsibility for research staff development within your school
• Health and Safety induction from your building’s Health and Safety Coodinator
• Meet your HR contact
• Meet the ECR Rep(s) for your school
• Familiarise yourself with key policies and guidance relating to your research, development and employment.
• Familiarise yourself with Finance System information and policies.
• Familiarise yourself with support and opportunities on offer to researchers through the Researcher Development Webpages.
• Familiarise yourself with University Strategy and Governance.
• You will be subscribed to the ECR Mailing List, which is used to communicate news, events and other information relevant to researchers and those involved in supporting researchers.

In your first few months...   (Wider induction and community)

• You will be invited to a University induction from Organisational Development for all new members of staff.
• You will be invited to an ECR Welcome event, hosted by SRS Researcher Development. This event will give you an opportunity to:
• Meet other researchers that have also recently started at Sussex
• Find out about the range of support on offer to ECRs across the University
• Find out about opportunities to get involved in the wider University community
• Identify some goals for your ongoing career development
• Ask any questions you may have relating to your role or working at Sussex in general
• Enjoy a free lunch!

Remember, if you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of your role as an ECR, Researcher Development are here to help. Please contact us with your questions via researchstaffoffice@sussex.ac.uk. Discussions with our team are treated in confidence.

Resources for ECRs