At this stage Coates had returned to work in one of the three universities that he had studied in and indeed he continued with this pattern in 1977 when he was appointed as professor at the Australian National University. However, he did not remain for long in his home country, moving back to France in 1978 to a professorship at the University of Paris XI at Orsay.
Sa hakbang na ito Coates had bumalik sa trabaho sa isa sa mga tatlong unibersidad na niya-aral at sa katunayan siya ang patuloy na may pattern na ito sa 1977 kapag siya ay hinirang bilang propesor sa Australian National University. Gayunman, siya ay hindi mananatili para sa matagal na sa kanyang sariling bansa, lumipat pabalik sa Pransya sa 1978 sa isang pagkapropesor sa University of Paris XI sa Orsay.