tedder became a lecturer in chemistry at sheffield university in 1955, and in 1964 was appointed to the roscoe chair in chemistry at queen's college, dundee, which in 1967 became the university of dundee. he became purdie professor of chemistry at st. andrews university in 1969, and held the post until retiral 1989, thereafter retaining the title emeritus professor. in 1977 he submitted a paper to the courts of the universities of st andrews and dundee which called for the reunification of the two universities, which had separated when queen's college became the university of dundee a decade earlier. although this proposal was rejected it did lead to closer co-operation between the two institutions.