Examples
Worked examples
- Is an instance
A researcher 12 years post-PhD running a lab of 8 with three R01-equivalent grants
Counter-examples
Looks similar, but isn't
- Not an instance
A researcher 3 years post-PhD is an ECR, not mid-career, even if running a small group
Editorial commentary
Mid-career is the least standardised stage in the career taxonomy; definitions vary widely. ERC Consolidator Grants target 7-12 years post-PhD as a mid-career indicator. Operationally, mid-career researchers are eligible for neither ECR-only schemes nor senior-leader awards.
References
- ERC Consolidator Grant Eligibility Criteria
- UKRI Career Stage Framework
Also known as
Established researcher · Independent investigator (mid-career)
Machine-readable encodings
Use in your systems
xml
<role vocab="credit"
vocab-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/"
vocab-term="Mid-career researcher"
vocab-term-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/mid-career-researcher" />json
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "DefinedTerm",
"name": "Mid-career researcher",
"identifier": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/mid-career-researcher",
"description": "A researcher beyond the early-career window but not yet at senior leadership status — typically 8-20 years post-PhD with an established independent research programme, lab or group, and a track record of competitive funding and mentoring.",
"inDefinedTermSet": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/domain/mentorship-training-and-career-stages/",
"url": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/mid-career-researcher",
"sameAs": [
"Established researcher",
"Independent investigator (mid-career)"
],
"license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}
