Research fellowship opportunities

Research fellows are already an integral part of our academic staff and we welcome further applications from schemes including:

• Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Royal Society Career Development Fellowship
• BBSRC Fellowship
• NERC Independent Research Fellowships 
• Royal Society University Research Fellowship 
• Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship 
• ERC Starting Grant 

Who should apply

Potential fellows with research interests in all areas of biology are encouraged to apply. Please check your eligibility for the specific fellowship you plan to apply for (see ‘Where and when to apply’ for details).

We would also like to hear from current independent research fellows who are interested in transferring an existing fellowship to Bristol.

We are proud to have been awarded an Athena Swan Gold Award in 2024 and recognise the importance of diversity to a positive and successful research culture. We particularly encourage applications from researchers who are women and/or from backgrounds that are underrepresented in academia.

How we can help

We can support you in the following ways:

Your application

Writing

As with thesis chapters and journal papers, writing your first fellowship application can be daunting. Many members of the School have experience of fellowship applications from writing successful proposals, previous mentoring experience or from sitting on fellowship selection panels. We will partner you with a staff member from an aligned research area who will be happy to discuss your ideas in detail and provide advice and feedback at the draft stage.

Independence

An important, but often overlooked, aspect of the application is explaining why you and your host institution are the ideal mutual fit. We will discuss how you will develop your own independent research group here in Bristol, how your research complements existing work within the School and help you to identify possible collaborative opportunities with current staff.

Interview

Early-career researchers often have little experience of interviews, which can make all the difference between success and failure. To maximise your chances, we offer interview training including a mock interview with extensive feedback.

Administrative and financial support

In addition to the support provided by the School, we will connect you to Research Development Associates from the University Division of Research, Enterprise and Innovation who will offer further advice and feedback throughout the application process. Additional funds from internal schemes, including the Bristol Centre for Agricultural Innovation and the Liv Sidsen Jansen Memorial Trust for Environmental Research, may also be available to enhance applications through support for specific research objectives within their remits.

Your arrival

Arriving at a new university department can be a confusing and frustrating experience. The School of Biological Sciences acknowledges that research fellows need to integrate into the School and develop their research programmes as quickly as possible. We have therefore adopted a Research Fellow Code of Best Practice to ensure that suitable office and lab space is ready in advance of arrival, extensive help and mentorship is provided and specialist facilities are set up within an agreed time frame. All new research fellows are additionally encouraged to give an introductory departmental seminar within their first few months to help meet colleagues and discuss future research directions.

Your development

Mentoring

Each fellow is assigned both a junior and a senior mentor. Senior mentors will provide guidance on research and career development (including strategies for impactful publishing and grant applications). Junior mentors (usually other research fellows) will assist with integration into the school and be a friendly point of contact for day to day issues.

Teaching

Although the focus of a fellowship should be research, opportunities to teach at both undergraduate and postgraduate level are available for interested individuals. Moreover, fellows can take advantage of the wide-ranging programmes available from the Bristol Institute for Learning and Teaching, which provide invaluable training for future lecturers.

Skills

Fellows are encouraged to participate in career development training courses run by the University and targeted at research staff, including the Bristol Clear support hub and the Principal Investigator Practice programme.

Your future

Training

An annual review with your senior mentor will allow you to reflect on your progress, identify areas where you need further support and ensure you achieve your career and research goals.

Progression

We aim to prepare all our research fellows for the next stage of their career. Fellows earlier on in their career (e.g. Marie Curie, Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin, BBSRC Fellowship) will be assisted in their applications for more senior fellowships. More senior fellows (5-year NERC, Royal Society URF, ERC) will be helped in securing permanent positions at the end of their fellowship. Over 80% of our fellows have gone on to permanent academic position in the School and many of our current senior fellows are on proleptic positions.

Where and when to apply

The main fellowships supported by the School are detailed below, however, we welcome applications to additional relevant schemes not listed.

Pathway to independence

Funder	Fellowship	Eligibility	Scope/Remit	Funder deadline	Internal application deadline
Horizon Europe	Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship	Up to 8 years’ research experience after PhD, must be moving from another country within or outside Europe.	To support researchers in moving to a different country and acquire new skills as a precursor to independence.	September annually	1 June
Royal Society	Career Development Fellowship	For researchers from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM, must be a UK national or have completed part of your higher education/postdoctoral training in the UK	A postdoctoral research fellowship to support the retention in STEM of researchers from underrepresented backgrounds by providing funding to conduct high-quality research and a comprehensive programme of training.	November annually	1 August
Royal Society	Newton International Fellowships	For non-UK early career scientists (less than 7 years full-time postdoctoral experience)	For outstanding early career researchers to gain experience, technical expertise and develop collaborations across international borders.	March annually	1 December
1851 Royal Commission	1851 Research Fellowship	Early career scientists with less than 3 years postdoctoral experience	For ECRs to instigate and develop their own programme of research.	January annually	1 September
BBSRC	BBSRC Fellowship	No time-based eligibility but must demonstrate relevant research experience	To carry out independent research within a host laboratory and gain leadership skills	May annually	1 February

Independent Research Fellowships

Funder	Fellowship	Eligibility	Scope/Remit	Deadlines	Internal application deadline
Royal Society	Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship	Up to 6 years’ research experience after PhD, must show need for flexible support	Enables transition to an independent research career for ECRs needing a flexible working pattern due to personal circumstances	October annually	1 July
Royal Society	University Research Fellowship	3-8 years’ experience after PhD	Support for outstanding ECRs to build an independent research career and to give the freedom to pursue innovative and transformative research	September annually (internal deadline of July)	1 June
NERC	Independent Research Fellowship	Must be an ECR, not eligible if holding an academic position at lecturer level	Supports individuals demonstrating an upward trajectory to pursue independent environmental research	April annually	1 January
ERC	Starting Grant	2-7 years’ experience post PhD, requires a commitment to host the research within the School	Opportunity for an outstanding ECR to lead their first major independent research programme	October annually	1 July

Writing a successful research fellowship application can take considerable time and requires detailed input from both your academic mentor and School support staff. Furthermore, some fellowships have internal selection processes and deadlines, and budget details for all applications need to be submitted well in advance of the external deadline. To ensure that we are best able to support you, please contact the School before the relevant internal deadline outlined in the above table. The earlier the better!

Please note that the deadlines for fellowships may change year-on-year.

How to apply

If you have already identified an academic mentor who would be willing to support your application please contact them directly by email. If you are interested in applying for a fellowship at the School of Biological Sciences but are unsure of who would be an appropriate mentor please contact current University Research Fellow Dr. Jim Fouracre (jim.fouracre@bristol.ac.uk) for more details about the application process and how the School can support you.

If you would like to move here on an existing fellowship, please contact the Head of School, Prof. Nick Roberts (headofschool-biology@bristol.ac.uk), to arrange a meeting.