Mid-Career Researchers
Mid-career faculty — typically 5 to 15 years post-PhD — navigate a pivotal stage of academic life. As they transition from being mentored to serving as mentors and leaders, expectations shift. Increased service commitments, growing teaching responsibilities, and expanding leadership roles can limit time for research momentum. At the same time, many faculty begin thinking more intentionally about long-term impact, promotion, and sustained funding success.
Mississippi State University offers targeted support to help faculty thrive during this stage. Opportunities such as the Faculty Leadership Program and the Community-Engaged Research Fellows program provide structured pathways for professional growth. Clear Promotion and Tenure guidelines within the Faculty Handbook — along with college-specific mentorship plans and resources — further support advancement and leadership development.
To reduce the burden of identifying competitive funding pathways, the Office of Research Development curates a list of funding opportunities tailored to mid-career researchers across disciplines. For individualized guidance or to schedule a consultation, please contact us at development@ord.msstate.edu.
Kickstart your research impact.
Scale Your Funding Portfolio
- Transition from single-PI to multi-PI and center-scale proposals
- Compete for large federal initiatives (NSF, DOE, DOD, NIH)
- Position for program officer engagement and repeat funding
Lead High-Impact Collaborations
- Build interdisciplinary and cross-college teams
- Integrate students, postdocs, and research staff strategically
- Connect with national labs, industry, and foundation partners
Increase National Visibility
- Pursue leadership roles in professional societies
- Target keynote, panel, and advisory opportunities
- Strengthen publication strategy for high-impact outlets
Position for Major Recognition
- Nomination planning for awards and honors
- Prepare for center director, cluster lead, or strategic initiative roles
- Align trajectory with institutional and federal priority areas
Funding Opportunities for Midcareer Researchers
- NSF Mid-Career Advancement
- NIH Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24)
- NIH Midcareer Investigator Award for Tenure-Track Intramural Investigators (K22)
- NIH Career Enhancement Award (K18)
- https://www.ored.msstate.edu/initiatives/research-awards/powe-research-excellence-award/mid-career-research-scholar-award
- https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes?f%5B0%5D=lead_applicant_career_stage%3A9809
- National Council for Preservation Education – Mid-Career Faculty research and Creative Activities Grant
- Schmidt Science Polymaths Awards
Another way to find opportunities geared toward Mid-Career Researchers is to claim your Pivot profile and set your search Career Stages parameters to Mid-Career to Established in Field.