About Heriot-Watt University
What is Heriot-Watt University?
Its About page says "Our pioneering story begins in Edinburgh in 1821 and continues today across the world", dating its founding roots to "the world's first mechanics institute in the heart of Edinburgh". Its Work for Heriot-Watt page says "A key distinction is our international activity, in research and education of students", and lists academic and research jobs alongside professional, support services and technical vacancies. Its footer gives "Scottish registered charity number SC000278".
Its UK campuses are each different. Its recruitment page says "Our Edinburgh Campus is set in 380 acres of beautiful green parkland on the outskirts of one of the most exciting and thriving cities in Europe", with a nursery, a dental and doctors surgery and a multi-faith chaplaincy on site. The Scottish Borders campus "has a countryside location, situated perfectly at the heart of Scotland's textile industry", and the Orkney campus "has supported a broad range of research, teaching and consultancy activities within the marine, oil and gas, and fisheries sectors for over 25 years". The same recruitment site also lists Dubai and Malaysia roles, which are on separate terms: the holiday policy says "holiday entitlement may vary for overseas colleagues", and gives Dubai staff "paid leave of 43 working days in total". This profile describes the UK campuses.
Where will I work?
Its Global Connected Hybrid Working Policy says it reinforces Heriot-Watt as "a campus first organisation", and sets the limits plainly: "The vast majority of job roles are campus based and that will not change", and "managers should not agree to any permanent or fixed working patterns whereby certain days are always worked remotely". Full-time staff whose activities can be carried out remotely "may seek agreement with their manager to work remotely for up to two days per week", pro rata for part-time staff. A Grade 5 HR operations posting on the board on 2026-10-10 describes "hybrid working with 2/3 days per week working from home", and five of the 22 UK postings that day are marked Hybrid; the research, laboratory and campus-service roles work on site. The policy adds "No colleague will be disadvantaged either when working on campus or working from home or hybrid working".
What is the Heriot-Watt team like?
Its recruitment page says "Heriot-Watt has signed up to the Technician Commitment" and that its technical services workforce "normally comprises around 100 technicians" across all five campuses. It offers a "Relocation allowance for international employees who are recruited from outside the UK". Pay is on agreed scales with annual increments: the Research Development Officer posting read is Grade 6 at £31,861 - £37,369, and the HR Shared Operations Consultant posting is Grade 5 at £27,241, with a 35-hour week "Monday to Friday, standard 9am until 5pm with 1 hour for lunch" and flexible start and end times.
Work-Life Balance
Its recruitment page lists "Generous holiday entitlement between 28 and 33 days, in addition up to 10 public holidays". Its holiday policy says "The University offers levels of holiday entitlement that are above the statutory minimum" and sets the Edinburgh and Orkney entitlement at "28 (Grades 1-5 and Apprentices) or 33 days (Grades 6-10)" a year, pro rata for part-timers, with "an additional 9 days (pro-rated for part-time colleagues)" on which the buildings are closed: 25 December to 2 January, Good Friday and Easter Monday. When "24th December (Christmas Eve) falls on a weekday" it is a closed day too. Current postings repeat it: "28 days annual leave plus 9 buildings-closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday)" for a Grade 3 role and "33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days for all full time staff" for Grade 6. The lowest tier is therefore 28 plus 9, 37 days a year, and Grades 6-10 get 42. The leave year runs from 1 October to 30 September, and up to 7 days can be carried forward if booked and taken by 15 January.
Its recruitment page lists "Generous sick pay provision", and a Grade 5 posting spells it out as "rising to a maximum of 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay". All employees can request flexible working: its Flexible Working Policy says they "can make two requests in every 12-month rolling period", from day one of employment, and gives examples such as reduced hours, job-sharing, compressed hours and term-time working.
Perks and Benefits
- 28 or 33 days of annual leave plus 9 buildings-closed days, and up to 10 public holidays, at the UK campuses
- Hybrid working of up to two days a week where the role allows, agreed with the manager
- A defined benefits pension scheme, with a generous employer contribution
- Sick pay rising with service to 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay
- Family friendly policies
- Flexible working requests from day one of employment
- Free car parking and a cycle to work scheme
- Give as You Earn payroll giving
- A relocation allowance for international hires recruited from outside the UK
- Campus facilities on the Edinburgh campus, including a nursery, dental and doctors surgery and a multi-faith chaplaincy