CONFIDENTIAL

Research Development Officer, UCD Research

Interviews, Friday 18th December 2020

A key part of this interview is to determine whether you, as a candidate, can carry out this role
successfully. Therefore, the panel welcomes your verbal feedback and views as to how you
would deal with the following 3 scenarios. These scenarios have been carefully selected to
reflect a typical situation that may arise in undertaking the Research Development Officer role.

Please feel free to write your own notes in the 30 minutes preparation time allocated to you.
You are asked to consider each scenario carefully, discuss your proposed practical steps and
personal perspectives with the panel. Feel free to refer to your notes during the interview.
(N.B. you will not be expected to submit your notes).

Scenario 1 - Working with researchers on collaborative partnership calls

Summary
A UCD Principal Investigator (PI) has contacted you as they have been approached by a
company who has identified a H2020 Societal Challenge Call Topic that they feel matches
both the company and the PI’s research interests. The PI asks to meet you, it is 4 months
before the deadline. Upon meeting you determine that the PI:
• does not have a clear understanding of the call topic and its requirements,
• does not have a ground-breaking research idea
• does not meet the expected impacts
• does not have the requisite scale to meet the call topic which is to the value of €8M.

Questions
1. What would your advice to the PI be?
2. How would you effectively communicate this to them?
3. What would your next steps be?
Scenario 2 – Developing strategic Sustainability-related opportunities

Summary
An exciting new national sustainability demonstrator opportunity has come up. A private
consortium is planning to establish a new Green Energy Park in the midlands of Ireland. The
site is close to gas, strong links to the electricity grid, and has the potential significant wind,
solar, storage/conversation. You have been asked to summarise the opportunity to senior
academics to get feedback and buy in.

Questions

1. What initial steps would you take to assess the opportunity?

2. What tools/methodologies would you use to identify and engage with suitable
colleagues (centres/institutes/individuals) at UCD to participate in the opportunity?
3. How would you present the opportunity to colleagues?
4. Assuming you secured interest what next steps would you take?

Scenario 3 – Working with senior researchers on developing a portfolio of funding

opportunities

Summary
You are working with a senior highly interdisciplinary academic team at UCD that has built a
national coalition focused on food integrity/security. This is an exciting opportunity to address
several sustainability related challenges. The UCD lead has asked you to develop a roadmap
to target and compete successfully in attracting increased national and EU funding over the
next 5 years.

Questions

1. What initial steps would you take assess the range of opportunities?
2. How would you prioritise these opportunities?
3. What EU calls would you consider?
4. How would you share findings with the PI and the rest of the UCD team?