From 1961 to 1963, Wilkes was a
research fellow at the
University of Birmingham. He moved to the
University of Manchester where he was an
assistant lecturer in history and archaeology from 1963 to 1964. He was promoted to
senior lecturer in 1971. In addition to his university lecturing and research, he has held a number of external positions. He was Chairman of the Faculty of Archaeology, History and Letters at the
British School at Rome between 1979 and 1983. He was editor of the
academic journal Britannia from 1980 to 1984. From 1982 to 1985, he served as president of the
London and Middlesex Archaeological Society. ==Family==