This article distinguishes between six tasks related to the academic researcher role: (1) networking; (2) collaboration; (3) managing research; (4) doing research; (5) publishing research; and (6) evaluation of research. Data drawn from surveys of academic staff, conducted in Norwegian universities over three decades, provide evidence that the researcher role has become more demanding with respect to all sub-roles, and that academic staff have responded to increasing external and internal demands by enhancing their role performance.