The Physics department supports several fellowship schemes every year, and a list with detailed timelines is given below. To ensure submission of high-quality proposals, the department runs an internal selection process for all major fellowship applications. Successful candidates would be offered a permanent post at the end of the Fellowship, subject to criteria being met, for schemes like ERF, URF and FLF.
At University of Liverpool, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in our physics workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ people, and women.
We advise to get in touch as soon as possible (as early as 3 months in advance) with Head of Department, Head of Research & Impact and Heads of each research area sending an email to Fellowship_Physics@liverpool.ac.uk to express interest and discuss fit to the Department Research strategy. We also recommend to secure, prior application, the sponsorship of a local academic faculty member in the department, who will help to provide a strategic justification for supporting your fellowship within the context of the department’s research strategy. Once internally selected, a team of academic experts will be available to work with applicants over extended periods to develop high-quality proposals. This process is particularly relevant for schemes who apply a quota on number of applications for each Department.
STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowships Opening of scheme for 2025 is expected in late Spring
The Science and Technology Facilities Council offer approximately 10 Fellowships each year to early-career researchers in astrophysics, particle physics, nuclear physics and accelerator physics. The deadline is usually in mid/end-September. A quota system applies for each university and so the department runs an annual internal selection process for this scheme.
It is therefore essential that you contact the team in charge of Fellowships (Fellowship_Physics@liverpool.ac.uk, inclusive of all cluster leaders) OR to the STFC-contact (Prof. Monica D’Onofrio, onofrio@liverpool.ac.uk), as well as a member of academic staff with a research area similar to your interests as soon as possible for further information and guidance. The process is depicted below, with attached relevant forms.
| 10th June 2024 | Internal Expression of Interest Deadline - The department sets an internal sifting process; following the schedule suggested by STFC, applicants are asked to submit an ERF Expression of Interest by the 10th of June to Fellowship_Physics@liverpool.ac.uk. Additional documentation such as a complete CV and publication list and potential referees is desirable. Applicants should cc in their local sponsor if they have one (note: head of groups are part of the mailing list above). |
| Mid-July 2024 | Decision Taken - final decision is taken by the Research panel and communicate to applicants. The successful candidates will iterate with their local sponsor and experts in research and impact in the department to further develop their scientific case and a high-quality proposal. We will also offer advice on all costs that will need to be included, and on the support that can be provided by the Department. |
| 1st October 2024 |
Applications are submitted by the deadline. |
The Royal Society - University Research Fellowships Opening of scheme for 2025 is expected in late Spring
This scheme is for outstanding scientists in the UK at an early stage of their career who have the potential to become leaders in their field.
The deadline is on the 10th of September.
Applicants must not hold a permanent academic position, nor have previously held an independent research fellowship and must have between 3 and 8 year’s experience since your PhD at the close of the round.
The scheme is open to applicants of all nationalities. Funding is available for up to 8 years and includes the applicant's salary and funding towards research expenses as outlined in the funder guidance website.
Please read them carefully. Applications are submitted through the Royal Society's application portal - Flexigrant.
While there is no quota associated to this scheme, the department runs an annual internal selection process to ensure that applications are of high-quality and fit well within our departmental strategy. Expressions of Interest and other documents (as in STFC ERF guidance) should be sent to Fellowship_Physics@liverpool.ac.uk (inclusive of HoD, Head of Research, Head of Clusters) by no later than the 10th of June.
Note: The UoL offers a voluntary peer review and mock interview at Institutional level. That process is not a replacement for departmental approval (mandatory) but could complement the review process for further support in the final preparation stages. If interested please let us know asap and before the 3rd of June.
UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships
The opening day of the call for round 10 of the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship scheme is on February 3rd. Full details of the scheme can be found here: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/future-leaders-fellowships-round-10/
Applicants must be early career researchers/innovators who are:
- looking to establish or transition to independence
- developing their own original and ambitious plans within a commercial setting
Successful applicants are expected to be supported with an open-ended position in line with organisational employment policies and practices, after the funded period of the fellowship.
How to apply: UKRI limits the number of applications an institution can make. Therefore, the Department and University is running a demand management process and engagement with this is mandatory.
If you are interested in applying, please submit an Expression of Interest to Fellowship_Physics@liverpool.ac.uk by the end of Friday, 7th of February with the following documents.
- CV (no page limit)
- A short document (2 pages maximum) that covers aims and objectives, feasibility of the research, strategic fit to the department research, with emphasis on novelty, complementarities, and potential synergies.
Applications will be reviewed by a dedicated departmental panel (chaired by the Head of Research and inclusive of HoD, cluster leaders and senior academics) for an initial assessment on the basis of the provided documentation.
Applicants will be communicated the outcome of the assessment and provisional approval by the Department to go forward by February 17th, on time to complete the short intention to submit form for the University review by February 19th (4.00 pm). The final assessment will be made by the Departmental panel on the basis of the full proposal that candidates will have to submit for University review by the 13th of March. At that stage, a University panel will assess and agree which candidates should go forward, and will be notified in the week commencing 28th April.
External Applicants: Applications are also welcomed from external researchers and innovators from the UK or abroad. Please get in touch asap so we can organise a sponsor that can help in the process.
EPSRC Fellowships NOW CLOSED
The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council now offers two categories of Fellowship – a postdoctoral Fellowship in a limited range of scientific areas and an “Open Fellowship” applicable across the whole portfolio of physical, engineering and energy sciences.
Interested applicants should consult the EPSRC fellowships pages for more information on expected career stage for each fellowship type and further details of when applications should be made. Applications are made through Je-S. You cannot resubmit the same project proposal should your application be unsuccessful.
Postdoctoral Fellowships
EPSRC selects which scientific areas they will fund postdoctoral fellowships in at different times so you should refer to EPSRC's list of priority areas to check whether applications are currently being accepted for your scientific area. As of January 2023 applications are currently being accepted in 'energy', 'mathematical sciences' and 'synthetic biology'. Funding is available for up to 3 years, which includes your salary, travel and subsistence and research expenses including consumables, but only equipment costing under £10k.
Open Fellowships
Funding is available for up to 5 years, which includes your salary, salary support for PDRAs, travel and subsistence, and research expenses including equipment as per EPSRCs funding rules. Open Fellowships now provide opportunities not only for traditional research Fellowships, but also enable applicants to focus on innovation, instrumentation/technique development or software engineering or to include non-technical elements to create positive change in the research community should they wish. Note that EPSRC say Open Fellowships are suitable for those who “have already been in receipt of significant funding, or have been leading in an area of technical development” and hence are most likely to have several years of postdoctoral experience.
Deadlines and timelines (2024)
There is no formal submission deadline for EPSRC Fellowships.
Please send an email to Fellowship_Physics@liverpool.ac.uk if you are willing to apply with us so that we can help in the preparation of applications.
For all Fellowships you will require a letter of support from the Head of Department which will be written in collaboration with the leader of the appropriate research area. Any equipment required will need departmental support (including funding) so please make the facilitation team aware at an early stage in the application process if you are hoping to include a request for equipment in your application.
H2020 Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships
MCSA Individual Fellowships are for two years only and usually involve joining an established research group in the Department. An academic member of the Department will be needed as a host, so please contact the person whose group you wish to join. The next deadline is in September and your CV will be required at an early stage in order to gain approval to proceed with the application.
European Research Council Grants
ERC Starting Grants are open to researchers of any nationality with 2-7 years of experience since completion of PhD, a scientific track record showing great promise and an excellent research proposal. Consolidator Grants targeted more experienced researchers, whilst Advanced Grants are available for international research leaders who have demonstrated their potential for ground-breaking research. There are calls for all three schemes each year. If you think that our Department would be ideal to host your ERC application, please contact the mailing list Fellowship_Physics@liverpool.ac.uk or a member of academic staff in the relevant research area at an early stage to establish the required support.
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