 He then worked at the University of Nottingham between 1999 and 2007 as a Professor of Astrophysics, where he set up a new group in astronomy.Coles was a Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics at Cardiff University from 2007 to 2013, and was the Deputy Head of the School of Physics and Astronomy.In February 2013 he became the Head of the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Sussex.