This UKRI guidance explains the different roles that can be included in funding applications submitted through the UKRI Funding Service, including role descriptions, responsibilities, eligibility, and costings guidance. It is particularly useful in a UK Higher Education context because it helps researchers match the design of their project team to the formal expectations of a major funder, rather than relying on inherited assumptions about who should be included and in what capacity. For established researchers who are increasingly shaping bids rather than simply contributing to them, it provides a practical framework for thinking about who needs to be named, how responsibilities should be framed, and how contributions can be recognised appropriately.

• Clarifies the full range of roles UKRI recognises in applications, including those often overlooked or mislabelled
• Helps ensure team structure reflects real contributions and withstands funder scrutiny
• Directly applicable to UKRI Funding Service submissions across all research councils

“Research is a team sport. Be clear whether your greatest contribution is as the ‘star striker’ or the ‘coach,’ and align your role accordingly.”

Nick Plant, Pro-Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation, University of Leeds