Fellowships

The University of Leeds is situated within the heart of a bustling city, surrounded by beautiful countryside.  A thriving cultural city, Leeds has something to offer for everyone.

The University, established in 1904, is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK. We are renowned globally for the quality of our teaching and research.  The strength of our academic expertise combined with the breadth of disciplines we cover, provides a wealth of opportunities and has real impact on the world in cultural, economic and societal ways.

Our Geosolutions centre represents one of the largest groups of scientists working across disciplines to deliver world leading geoscience research to underpin future energy generation, storage and consumption.  The vibrant research environment supports over 60 PhD students and 10 research fellows and have a thriving early career community.  The centre actively supports industrial engagement through provision of research support for collaborative projects funded by both industry and government and gives access to state-of-the-art facilities to deliver this.

We are ranked top 5 in the UK for Civil and Mechanical Engineering (2021 Guardian University Guide) and 13^th in the World for Geology and Geophysics (2020 QS World University Rankings).

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• The University Research Fellowships scheme is for outstanding scientists who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field. This Fellowship provides the opportunity to build an independent research career. Those appointed are expected to be strong candidates for permanent posts in universities at the end of their fellowships. Suitable individuals of any nationality can apply for a University Research Fellowship to be held in an eligible UK host research organisation. The scheme usually opens for applications in the summer and fellowships are for 8 years. Please contact geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk with initial queries. Further details can be found here.
• The Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship provide the opportunity to build an independent research career. Those appointed are expected to be strong candidates for permanent posts in universities at the end of their fellowships, however there is no obligation on schools to provide permanent posts. Previously successful candidates have been outstanding in their respective fields and the focus of their work tends to be on fundamental, blue-skies areas of research. This scheme is designed to support applicants who have a need for flexible support due to personal circumstances. ​​​​​​​The scheme usually opens for applications in the early autumn with an internal process preceding this in mid/late Summer. Fellowships are for 5 years. Please contact geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk with initial queries.
• Other Royal Society schemes include:
  • Newton International Fellowships - for non-UK scientists who are at an early stage of their career and wish to conduct research in the UK. Currently there is one round of application per year, opening in January.
  • Career Development Fellowships - offering 4 year postdoctoral research fellowship that aims to support the retention of STEM researchers from under-represented backgrounds.
  • Please contact geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk with initial queries.

The RAEng Research Fellowships are designed to promote excellence in engineering. They provide support for high-quality engineers and encourage them to develop successful academic research careers. Applications are welcomed from outstanding early-career researchers who are about to finish their PhD or have been awarded their PhD in the last four years. The scheme provides funding for five years to encourage the best researchers to remain in the academic engineering sector. All applicants will need to have identified and be actively supported by a UK higher education host institution.

If you wish to discuss project ideas, please contact research@raeng.org.uk or geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk.

There are two individual Fellowships available – European and Global. Individual Fellowships fund researchers looking to enhance their career development and prospects by working abroad. They help open up collaboration and mobility opportunities. European Fellowships are open to researchers either coming to Europe or moving within Europe (duration 1-2 years), and Global Fellowships fund secondments outside Europe for researchers based in the EU or associated countries (duration 2-3 years).

Interested applicants need to prepare a proposal, written jointly with the host organisation. The EU Office at the University of Leeds can help with putting the proposal together, they can be contacted on EUfunding@leeds.ac.uk. The deadline for submitting individual Fellowships is normally mid-September each year.

This cross-UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) scheme supports early career researchers and innovators with outstanding potential in universities, UK registered businesses, and other research and user environments including research councils’ institutes and laboratories. The FLF scheme welcomes applications from both UK and international applicants.

Please contact geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk with initial queries as we can offer support with applications. Further details can be found here.

The EPSRC Fellowship aims to provide greater support to the aspiring and current world-leading individuals who are delivering the highest quality research to meet UK and global priorities. Through links to EPSRC strategic priorities and focussing on areas where growth is required, Fellowships develop the next generation of researchers with the greatest potential across the postdoctoral, early and established career stages. There are no nationality restrictions for applicants.

The University runs an internal process in the Summer and Winter of each year to select candidates to put forward for EPSRC Fellowships. The duration of the fellowship is usually 3-5 years. Please contact geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk with initial queries. Further details can be found here.

NERC offer Independent Research Fellowships (IRF). NERC IRF’s are “designed to develop scientific leadership among the most promising early-career environmental scientists”. IRFs are open to researchers of any nationality and may be held in any area of the NERC remit, but must be based at an eligible UK research organisation. Applicants may not have a permanent academic position in a university or equivalent organisation.

Fellowships usually last for 5 years and historically the application deadline has been at the start of October. The University of Leeds has a formal support process for applicants, overseen by the Research and Innovation Service. An Expression of Interest is a requirement, with an internal deadline of early June each year.

Applicants interested in applying for a NERC IRF, to be based at Leeds, should contact geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk in the first instance. Further details can be found here.

• New Investigator Grants are designed to support early career researchers and the scheme is specifically aimed at supporting those looking to make the transition to an independent researcher. The award is a research grant but with significant focus on PI development and training and, where justified, up to 100% of PI time can be costed into the grant, making it similar to a Fellowship. The call is open to high-quality candidates from anywhere in the world who are within four years of the submission date of their PhD and have the support of an eligible UK research organisation. Proposals are welcomed across the full disciplinary range of the social sciences and at the interface with the wider sciences.  The University of Leeds has a formal support and assessment process for applicants, overseen by the Research and Innovation Service and an Expression of Interest (EOI) is an internal requirement for this call, there are no fixed deadlines for submitting an EOI. Please contact geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk with initial queries.
• The Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme is aimed at those in the immediate postdoctoral stage of their career, to provide an opportunity to consolidate their PhD through developing publications, their networks, their research and professional skills. The posts may be based at any of the White Rose DTP partner universities and will be fixed term positions on either a one-year full-time or two year part-time contract - guidance documents are available on the White Rose website and the process will involve and initial EOI form. Please contact geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk with initial queries.

1851 Research Fellowships are intended to give early career scientists or engineers of exceptional promise the opportunity to conduct a research project of their own instigation; an ultimate objective is to contribute to the knowledge base required for a healthy and innovative national culture.

Fellowships are held from the 1 October in the year of the award for a period of typically 3 years.

Applicants should have 3 years or fewer of post-doctoral experience.

The deadline for applications is usually January.

The British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship offers outstanding early career researchers the opportunity to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in an academic environment. This scheme aims to help develop the award holder’s curriculum vitae and boost their prospects of obtaining a permanent academic post.

The primary emphasis is on the completion of a significant piece of publishable research, and the integration of the award holder into the community of established scholars within their field.

Fellowships last 3 years. Applicants must be of Early Career Status, meaning they must apply within three years from the date of their successful viva voce examination.

The scheme usually opens in July each year, with an early October deadline.

Applicants interested in applying for a BA Postdoctoral Fellowship, to be based at Leeds, should contact geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk with initial queries.

ERC Starting Grant

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 can apply.

Applications can be made in any field of research

Starting Grants may be awarded up to € 1.5 million for a period of 5 years. (pro rata for projects of shorter duration). However, an additional € 1 million can be made available to cover eligible “start-up” costs for researchers moving from a third country to the EU or an associated country and/or the purchase of major equipment and/or access to large facilities and/or other major experimental and field work costs.

The call for applications is usually in July, with a deadline of mid-October each year.

See the central Research and Innovation (RIS) pages for more information, and contact Please contact geosolutions@leeds.ac.uk with initial any initial queries.

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