Opportunities - Researcher Hub - University of Liverpool

Please note that some of the files on this page link to Imperial College London branded documents as they have kindly made their resources available for Liverpool staff to use.

Faculty specific information

The Health and Life Sciences

News on initiatives and events open to researchers in health and life sciences and links to a list of fellowship opportunities.

Humanities and Social Sciences

Initial actions

You should start by doing your research and finding out what is available and what you’re eligible for.

A good place to start is the Research Councils, your research area specific funders and charities webpages, you can also follow them on i.e. Twitter for any updates and call announcements.

Use your network, speak with current fellows, your PI, mentors to get further advice and suggestions. Who are the main funders for the department you wish to host your fellowship? It is likely that your research idea if it aligns with the departments' research strategy, will also align with these funders.

Some general search tools available are:

EURAXESS funding search tool from the British Council - lists schemes that fund travel to conferences, meeting organisation, short visits, longer fellowships. Results can be filtered to show only those appropriate for early career researchers
ECRcentral is a central platform for early career researchers to find research fellowships and travel grants and to share experiences, resources and feedback
The University subscribes to the ResearchProfessional database which is a comprehensive resource of funding opportunities. For more details on how this database can help colleagues find funding visit the Research Support Office page or watch Research Professional: Funding opportunities for all research staff (UoL staff login required)
Atelier Ideas & Research A key database for searching fellowships specifically in humanities and social sciences (internationally).

The tables below list early career fellowships under several categories with links to the funders’ web pages, deadlines and details about who is eligible to apply.

Back to: Researcher Hub

Using the tables

If you are calculating your eligibility and have had career breaks or have worked part-time at any point, remember to include this in your calculation.
You might be subject to additional criteria (such as nationality restrictions). Always check the funders’ websites for further details.
If interview dates are not listed, this means that the funder does not advertise this information or the information wasn’t available when the table was updated.
This list is not comprehensive but includes many UK and central EU fellowship funding sources. Ask colleagues in your department if they know of additional funding sources in your field. International colleagues might know of fellowships available in other countries.
Always check the funders’ websites for further details – dates and information can change

Early Career Fellowships Categories

Engineering

Fellowship	Eligibility	Deadline	Interview
UKRI - Future Leaders Fellowships	Early career researchers and innovators with outstanding potential
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)	Choose Postdoctoral, Early Career or Established Career as appropriate	Ongoing – panel meets to discuss reviewed applications in Oct/Dec/Feb/May/Jul/Sep.	4-month review process
ESA's postdoctoral Research Fellowship programme	Preference for less than 5 years of postdoctoral experience. Member of cooperating state	Check the website and search for Internal Research Fellow in the ESA job opportunities link.	Within 4-6 weeks of deadline.
Royal Academy of Engineering	Researchers who have been awarded their PhD in the last four years	Applications usually open in July
Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowships	No more than 3 years postdoc experience	February	Decision by June
Royal Society University Research Fellowship (URF)	3-8 years of postdoc experience	September	March/April
Schlumberger Foundation	Preparing for postdoc, female, from a developing country	November

Medicine Clinical

Fellowship	Eligibility	Deadline	Interview
UKRI - Future Leaders Fellowships	Early career researchers and innovators with outstanding potential
Alzheimers Research UK Clinical Research Fellowship	Clinical specialists who may or may not have a PhD	January and July	August and March
British Heart Foundation (BHF) Intermediate Clinical Research	PhD/MD plus NTN & More than 2 years specialist training but less than 2 years after CCT	Rolling – applications reviewed 4 times a year	Allow 9 months from submission to decision.
MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship (CSF)	Clinically qualified PhD/DPhil/MD or Vet Med	Jan / April / Sep	June / November / March
MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship (CRTF)	Achieved PhD over 5 yrs ago but have not been research-active since due to clinical commitments	Jan / April / Sep	June / November / March
NIHR Advanced Fellowship	Hold a relevant PhD or MD, or have submitted their thesis for examination at the time of application. Applicants must have been awarded their PhD or MD by the time they attend an interview	May and December	July and January
NIHR Development and Skills Enhancement Award	Be a current member of the NIHR Academy. Hold a relevant PhD or MD, or have submitted their thesis for examination at the time of application. You must have been awarded their PhD or MD by the time you start	Jan, May, Sep
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Clinician Scientist	Clinically qualified PhD/MD	Preliminary submission – Nov/Dec Full submission - mid-February
Wellcome Clinical Research Career Development Fellowships	Want a clinical academic career and you’ve completed your thesis for a higher degree (preferably a PhD)	February and August	June and December

Medicine: non-clinical

Fellowship	Eligibility	Deadline	Interview
UKRI - Future Leaders Fellowships	Early career researchers and innovators with outstanding potential
Alzheimer’s Research UK Research Fellowship	PhD-qualified non-clinical researchers who have delivered previous research project(s) with impactful outputs, such as publications and conference presentations, and demonstrate an upward trajectory	January and July
Alzheimers Society Junior Fellowship	Applicants will be within five years of their PhD viva but the attributes above will be the deciding criteria. Candidates should contact the office to discuss if they are over 5years, Allowances will be made for career breaks.	March
Alzheimers Society Senior Fellowship	Applicants should be a minimum of five years from the date of PhD viva.	March
Versus Arthritis Career Development Fellowship	More than 3 years of postdoc experience	April
Versus Arthritis Foundation Fellowship	Within one year of completing their PhD at the time of application.	April
British Heart Foundation (BHF) Immediate Postdoctoral Basic Science	Less than 1 year from viva or in final year of PhD	Rolling – applications reviewed 4 times a year	Allow 9 months from submission to decision
British Heart Foundation (BHF) Intermediate Basic Science	3-6 years of postdoc experience	Rolling – applications reviewed 4 times a year	Allow 9 months from submission to decision
MRC Career Development Award (CDA)	There are no eligibility rules based on years of post-doctoral experience. To be considered suitable for the scheme, applicants should be able to clearly demonstrate that their skills and experience at the time of their application match those of the transition to independence career stage in the applicant skills and experience table	April and Sept	October and March
MRC Senior Non-Clinical Fellowship (SNCF)	Applicants should hold a PhD (or equivalent); there are no eligibility rules based on years of post-doctoral experience	April and Sept	October and March
MRC New Investigator Research Grant (NIRG)	There are no eligibility rules based on years of post-doctoral experience. The minimum formal qualification required is a graduate degree. Most applicants are also expected to have a PhD or an MD. Applicants can hold a lecturer appointment, a junior fellowship, or be in another research staff position	Depend on the panel
Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Career Development	You should be able to demonstrate that you meet the range of skills and experience as outlined in the ‘establishing independence’ career stage in our Fellowships Competency Framework	Preliminary Submission - February; Final submission - May
The Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund Intermediate Research Fellowships	Should hold a PhD (or equivalent), there are no eligibility rules based on years of post-doctoral experience	Call opens Feb/Mar – advertised on jobs.ac.uk
Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund Junior Research Fellowships	1-4 years of postdoc experience	Call opens Aug – advertised on jobs.ac.uk
Kidney Research UK Intermediate Fellowships (non-clinical)	2-3 years of postdoc experience	December
Kidney Research UK Senior Fellowships (non-clinical)	Extensive post-doctoral experience and already have demonstrated a sustained ability to conduct independent research	December
L'Oreal UK & Ireland National Fellowship	For Women in Science. Early career researchers	January
NIHR Advanced Fellowship	Hold a relevant PhD or MD, or have submitted their thesis for examination at the time of application. Applicants must have been awarded their PhD or MD by the time they attend an interview	May and December	July and January
NIHR Development and Skills Enhancement Award	Be a current member of the NIHR Academy. Hold a relevant PhD or MD, or have submitted their thesis for examination at the time of application. You must have been awarded their PhD or MD by the time you start	May, Sept, January
Wellcome Sir Henry Dale	You must have a PhD and significant postdoctoral research experience and want to be based in the UK	May, August and November	6 months after the deadline
Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral	Final year PhD or early-career researcher. be a UK or European Economic Area national or have, or expect to have, a PhD from a UK or Republic of Ireland university	April and October	6 months after the deadline
Wellcome Research Career Development Fellowships	You must have a PhD and significant postdoctoral research experience and want to be based in The Republic of Ireland	May, Aug, November	6 months after the deadline
Prostate Cancer UK Research Innovation Awards	Between 5 to 10 years postdoctoral research experience	Expression of interest: September. Full applications: January

Humanities and Social Sciences

Fellowship	Eligibility	Deadline	Interview
AHRC research, development and engagement fellowships: early career researchers route	Early-career arts and humanities researchers. Postdoctoral researcher with at least two years’ experience and have worked at least one year at an eligible organisation	Open – takes 30 weeks to assess proposal. You should start your fellowship no earlier than nine months and no later than 18 months after you submit your application.
British Academy postdoctoral fellowship	Early Career Status: Three years from the date of Viva Voce examination.	February
Wellcome Trust early career award	Early career researcher, generally no more than 3 years postdoctoral experience, will allow for part-time work and career breaks	February	July
ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowships	Applicants who have completed their PhD at a research organisation that is part of a DTP or CDT (not necessarily the NWSSDTP) and who are within 12 months of completing their PhD	February

Natural Sciences

Fellowship	Basic Eligibility	Deadline	Interview
UKRI - Future Leaders Fellowships	Early career researchers and innovators with outstanding potential
BBSRC Discovery Fellowships	PhD and no more than 5 years Postdoc experience	May	November
BBSRC David Phillips Fellowships	At least 3 years postdoctoral experience	May	November
ESA's postdoctoral Research Fellowship programme	Preference for less than 5 years of postdoctoral experience. Member of cooperating state	Check the website and search for Internal Research Fellow in the ESA job opportunities link	Within 4-6 weeks of deadline
Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)	Have a PhD and a lead author original research paper
L'Oreal UK & Ireland National Fellowship	For Women in Science. Early career researchers	January
NERC Independent Research Fellowships	Up to 8 years of postdoc experience	October
Ramsay Trust Memorial Fellowship	Postdoctoral chemists who have already had some postdoctoral experience of research	November
RAS Research and Norman Lockyer Fellowships	Up to 5 years of postdoctoral experience	October
Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellowships	No more than 3 years postdoc experience	February	Decision by June
Royal Society University Research Fellowship (URF)	3-8 years of postdoc experience	September	March/April
Schlumberger Foundation	Preparing for postdoc, female, from a developing country	November
Stephen Hawking Fellowships	Excellent researchers who will make significant contributions to the field of theoretical physics	Preliminary: June Full: July	January
Wellcome Sir Henry Dale	PhD and significant postdoctoral research experience (no years since PhD)	May, August and November	6 months after the deadline
Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral	Final year PhD or early-career researcher. be a UK or European Economic Area national or have, or expect to have, a PhD from a UK or Republic of Ireland university	April and October	6 months after the deadline
Wellcome Research Career Development Fellowships	You must have a PhD and significant postdoctoral research experience and want to be based in The Republic of Ireland	May, August, November	6 months after the deadline

Multi-disciplinary

Fellowship	Basic eligibility	Deadline	Interview
UKRI - Future Leaders Fellowships	Early career researchers and innovators with outstanding potential
ESRC New Investigator Grants	Up to 4 years’ postdoctoral experience and the support of an eligible UK research organisation (under revision)	No fixed dates
Imperial College Research Fellowships	Up to 4 years postdoc experience	August
Leverhulme Early Career Research	Up to 4 years from viva	February
Marie Curie Individual Fellowship	PhD or 4 years research experience	September
Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Ernest Rutherford	PhD and some postdoctoral research experience (no years since PhD). Check department requirements	September	February

Support for specific groups

Fellowship	Basic eligibility	Deadline	Interview
Daphne Jackson – scientists re-entering after a career break	Have had a career break of two or more years, taken for family, caring or health reasons • have at least 3 years research experience and/or a PhD • wish to return to a research-based career	Rolling (except sponsored calls)
Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin – scientists who need to work flexibly	Up to 6 years of postdoc experience	November	June
L'Oreal UK & Ireland National Fellowship	For Women in Science. Early career researchers	January
London Mathematical Society – Grace Chrisholm Young Fellowship	Have a PhD and be returning from a career break	December and June
Schlumberger Foundation	Preparing for postdoc, female, from a developing country	November
Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Returner	Usually returning from a break of 2 years or more	Rolling
Wellcome Career Re-entry	PhD and postdoctoral research experience with a continuous career break of 2 years	April and October	6 months after the deadline
Wellcome Sanger Janet Thornton Fellowship	At least 1 years’ postdoctoral experience returning after a break of 1 year or more, for any reason

Moving countries

Fellowship	Basic eligibility	Deadline	Interview
European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO)	Up to 2 years of postdoctoral experience	No deadlines (panels meet in February and August)
Marie Curie Individual Fellowship	PhD or 4 years of research experience	September
Schlumberger Foundation	Preparing for postdoc, female, from a developing country	November

Training/Transitional

Fellowship	Basic eligibility	Deadline	Interview
Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP)	Have a PhD and a lead author original research paper
MRC Skills Development Fellowships	Last year PhD or early career researcher	Directly contact the host institution
Wellcome Clinical Research Career Development Fellowships	Want a clinical academic career and you’ve completed your thesis for a higher degree (preferably a PhD)	February and August	6 months after the deadline

With acknowledgments to our colleagues in the Postdoc and Fellows Development Centre, Imperial College London.

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