Fellowships

Fellowship at Oxford Chemistry

We offer a dynamic and multidisciplinary research environment with state-of-the-art facilities and access to excellent infrastructure and expertise in the wider Oxford area. Fellows benefit from comprehensive training and development, a mentoring programme and career support.

Early Career Fellowships aim to provide career development opportunities for those who are at a relatively early stage of their academic careers, but who have a proven record of research. Early Career Fellowships provide complete independence but without the usual teaching or administrative demands. This gives researchers the time and ability to develop their independent research, apply for additional funding, network, travel to conferences, and build an international reputation.

We have a team of in-house experts, our research facilitators, that help with all aspects of fellowship applications for both internal and external candidates, spanning postdoctoral to established career levels. We encourage and facilitate collaboration, both within the department, the wider university, and with other universities, research institutes, and industrial partners.

The Department of Chemistry is strongly committed to equality and valuing diversity and we operate a flexible working policy.

For more information please contact the Research Facilitation team.

Applying for Early Career and Postdoctoral Fellowships

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For those wishing to work with a supervisor to develop their own independent project

Some postdoctoral fellowships are subject to an internal selection process before application. Please contact the academic supervisor you are interested in working with and the Research Facilitation team to discuss your application.

If you are unsure of who to approach, you can start by contacting the relevant Research Theme lead or the Research Facilitation team.

For those wishing to develop their own independent research group

Departmental support is required before application via the Expression of Interest (EoI) process - see guidelines here.

Candidates are strongly encouraged to discuss their research ideas with a member (or members) of academic staff in the Department, especially those with whom they might seek to collaborate, and the Head of the most relevant Section.

Researchers are also encouraged to contact the Research Facilitation team at an early stage to discuss the application process. If you have questions regarding the EoI process or would like support contacting academics in the department, then we are happy to arrange an informal chat via Teams or Zoom.

Application process

If you would like to apply for an independent research fellowship hosted in our department, please submit the following documents to the Head of Department’s Office:

  • Complete EoI form
  • Research proposal (2 pages maximum - anything beyond 2 pages will not be reviewed)
  • CV
  • Ensure brief supporting statements from at least two referees (one of which should be from the Department of Chemistry at Oxford) are submitted directly to the Head of Department's Office

Successful candidates will be invited to interview where they will give a short presentation followed by questions from the panel. Departmental support is then valid for a year, which covers all available fellowship deadlines. The candidate will be assigned an academic mentor from Oxford Chemistry. Our Research Facilitators will guide you through all aspects of the application process and can offer help with application feedback, costings and interview preparation.

EoI deadlines

EoIs are reviewed on the following dates:

  • 17 Jan 2023
  • 23 May 2023
  • 19 Sep 2023

Fellowships and schemes

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Scheme Duration Eligibility Funder Deadline Suggested EoI Deadline
Future Leaders Fellowship 4 years with possible extension to 7 years See person specification Feb A separate EoI process will be announced when the call is opened

 

 

Scheme Duration Eligibility Funder Deadline Suggested EoI Deadline
Postdoctoral Fellowships 3 years See person specification. Currently only available in Maths and Energy

April

September

January

 Not required
Open Fellowships 5 years See guidance Apply at any time

January

May

August

 

 

Scheme Duration Eligibility Funder Deadline Suggested EoI Deadline
Independent Research Fellowships 5 years   October May

Scheme Duration Eligibility Deadline Suggeted EoI Deadline
Discovery Fellowships 3 years <5 years post PhD May Not required
David Philips Fellowships 5 years >3 years post PhD May January

 

Scheme Duration Eligibility Funder Deadline Suggested EoI deadline
Career Development Award 5 years Postdoctoral researcher

April

September

January

May

 

Scheme Duration Eligibility Deadline  Suggested EoI Deadline
*Early Career Fellowships 3 years <4 years post PhD February Not required

* These fellowships only provide only 50% of the salary. You would need to discuss with your potential supervisor how to fund the remaining 50%.

Scheme Duration Eligibility Deadline Suggested EoI Deadline
University Research Fellowship 5 years 3-8 years post PhD September May
Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship

5 years

<6 years post PhD

Needs for flexible support

 November May

 

Scheme Duration Eligibility Deadline Suggested EoI Deadline
Wellcome Early Career Awards 5 years <3 years post PhD

February

October

January

May
Wellcome Career Development Awards 8 years Mid Career  Researcher

March

November

January

May

 

 

Scheme Duration Eligibility Deadline  Suggested EoI Deadline
*Ramsay Memorial Fellowships 2 years   November Not required

* These fellowships only provide only 50% of the salary. You would need to discuss with your potential supervisor how to fund the remaining 50%.

Scheme Duration Eligibility Deadline Suggested EoI Deadline
Daphne Jackson Fellowships 2 years After a career break of two or more years No deadlines 3-4 months before you plan to apply

 

Scheme Duration Eligibility Deadline Suggested EoI Deadline
European Research Council Starting Grant 5 years 2-7 years post PhD

Expected Jan 2022

 August
Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship     October  

 

Scheme Duration Eligibility Deadline Suggested EoI Deadline
Research Fellowships 3 years <3 years post PhD February Not required but there is an internal selection process

 

Scheme Duration Eligibility Deadline Suggested EoI Deadline
Newton International Fellowships 2 years   June Not required but there is an internal selection process
Canon Foundation Research Fellowships    

February

September

 No deadline
CRUK Career Development Fellowships    

January

July

August

May

Scheme Duration Eligibility Deadline Suggested EoI Deadline
Junior Research Fellow        
Glasstone Fellowship     October Not required

 

Funder Scheme Duration Eligibility
Daphne Jackson BHF-Daphne Jackson Fellowships 2 years After a career break of two or more years
British Heart Foundation Career Re-entry Research Fellowship 4 years After a career break of two or more years