Blog post - Insights into RTP career development

Insights into RTP career development,

by Senior Research Software Engineer and X-CITED Lead – Nic Whippey:

“I recently embarked on my journey as a Research Technical Professional (RTP) when I joined the University of Exeter as a Senior Research Software Engineer (RSE) in the Research Software and Analytics Group (Research Software and Analytics Group | Research Software and Analytics Group | University of Exeter). Before this, I spent a decade developing software in the medical device industry and writing software to control experiments during my Neural Dynamics PhD. Returning to academia was quite a shock, and one of my first projects was as a Co-Investigator on the X-CITED project, which aims to develop RTP skills. This project focuses on fostering communities and facilitating RTP skill growth through direct industry engagement, making my industry experience valuable. However, I initially wondered, “What is an RTP? I barely know what an RSE is. Am I really a good fit for this role?” Now, five months in, I am grateful for the unexpected opportunity to delve into RTP career development, and here are some insights I’ve gained. 

I discovered the incredible role of RSE when I met Fliss, my current manager, at the South West Analytics and Infrastructure in Healthcare conference last summer. I was amazed to find a role that allowed me to use my software engineering skills while being involved in cutting-edge research. The diversity of projects at the University of Exeter amazed me, including workplace inclusion tools, to image analysis, living systems experiments, air traffic control agents, genomics pipelines, and quantum physics simulations. That’s just a few of many. Each project is unique, requiring new domain knowledge, technology upskilling, project management, and collaboration with new researchers to understand their needs. The importance of wellbeing, support, and community has become evident to balance the pressures of constant learning and context switching. 

Meeting the rest of the X-CITED team was incredibly enlightening. I learned that the landscapes of RTPs vary significantly between digital and non-digital domains. Non-digital RTPs, such as those in material and structural characterisation, chemical characterisation, and microscopy and nanomaterials, often possess very specific technical skills and equipment they use daily. This specialisation can make transitioning between subject areas challenging. 

In contrast, RSEs have rapidly changing skill sets, often being skilled in many areas but masters of none. However, I quickly realised the expansive realm of digital RTPs; it includes not only research software engineers and data scientists, many of whom are siloed within labs, but also data engineers, archivists, informaticians, statisticians, audio-visual technologists, technical professional staff, and individuals staffing core facilities. 

As my role as a senior RSE has progressed over the last five months, I’ve realised the importance of creating a community that encompasses all areas within the digital RTP umbrella. To support research, I need the support of those in research infrastructure to set up my projects, and depending on the project, I could work alongside any of the digital roles. I’m incredibly excited to create a community that will foster relationships and knowledge sharing among us all. Together, we can support and be part of cutting-edge research and technology. 

A key component of the X-CITED project is the development of Communities of Practice (CoP). These communities are designed to enhance support, learning, networking, visibility, and collaboration among RTPs. I’m excited to announce the launch of the Digital CoP, where we will hold bimonthly online meetings to connect, showcase our work, and deepen our understanding of the diverse roles within Digital RTPs. These meetings will provide a platform for sharing knowledge, learning from each other and a variety of learning opportunities, and building strong networks. Understanding the distinctions and connections between our roles is crucial, especially in the rapidly evolving landscape of digital RTPs. I look forward to collaborating with peers across the GW4 universities, sharing best practices, and refining our processes. Together, we can drive technological advancements in research and make a significant impact.” 

Join us! 

• Join the X-CITED Digital Community of Practice here: X-CITED – Digital Community of Practice | General | Microsoft Teams 

• Join us for our Digital Community of Practice Kick Off Meeting on 13th May, 10-11.30 

• Find out more about the X-CITED project on the website: X-CITED – GW4 

• If you would like to get involved and hear more about X-CITED’s activities, please join the X-CITED Mailing List.