Postdoctoral Fellowships

The School of Physics and Astronomy welcomes applications from candidates interested in applying for personal fellowships at the University of Edinburgh.

Fellowship opportunities

Daphne Jackson Fellowships and University of Edinburgh Innovation Fellowships accepting applications now.

To provide transparency and efficiency in the management of applications, the School operates an internal review process for the following fellowship opportunities:

  • Royal Society University Research Fellowships
  • STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowships
  • EPSRC Open and Postdoctoral Fellowships
  • UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships
  • Royal Astronomical Society Fellowships
  • Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships
  • Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships
  • Stephen Hawking Fellowships
  • Elizabeth Gardner Fellowship 

Applications for other fellowship opportunities are welcome. Please contact relevant members of academic staff or the director-of-research [at] ph.ed.ac.uk (Director of Research) directly to discuss prospective applications.  The School of Physics and Astronomy is committed to advancing equality and diversity, welcoming applications from everyone irrespective of gender, ethnic group or nationality. We particularly encourage applications from female and/or BAME candidates.

How to submit a preliminary application

If you would like the School to support your application for one or more of these fellowships, please submit  the following documentation is a single pdf to: fellowships-panel [at] ph.ed.ac.uk. You are encouraged to develop your proposal with the active participation of a member of academic staff. Once outline  proposals are received academic supporters will be asked to submit a short email to fellowships-panel [at] ph.ed.ac.uk.

Internal Deadlines

In general (except UKRI Future Leaders), cases for support need to be ready two weeks before funder deadline for internal peer review. Full cases including costing need to be ready one week before funder deadline for final checks. Please submit these to grants [at] ph.ed.ac.uk as soon as ready.    

 Documentation

 For all Fellowships except UKRI Future Leaders, Stephen Hawking Fellowships, Daphne Jackson Fellowship and UoE Innovation Fellowships :
  • CV  (2 pages). This should include the following data: number of years since PhD (excluding career breaks);
     total number of refereed journal publications; h-index and database used.

  • Research Statement/Proposal  (maximum 3  A4 pages,  minimum font  size 11) – this should  comprise:  a statement of Fellowships to be considered for; a summary of research to date and a statement of proposed research including which research area the proposed research fits into (see below for STFC ERF relevant themes and RSURF subject areas); and the name of a current Edinburgh academic staff member who is happy to support and help develop your application.

  • A list of your best 4 publications, together with a short statement of your contribution to each paper.

For UoE innovation Fellowship application:
  • Directly submit application to funder (here)
  • Name of a current Edinburgh academic staff member who is happy to support your application
  • Contact grants [at] ph.ed.ac.uk as soon as possible 
For Daphne Jackson Fellowship application:
  • Directly submit application to funder (here)
  • Name of a current Edinburgh academic staff member who is happy to support your application
  • Contact grants [at] ph.ed.ac.uk as soon as possible 
For UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships outline application:
  • 4 page Case for Support (template)
  • CV (FLF format, download here)
  •  1-page work plan (template)
  • Name of a current Edinburgh academic staff member who is happy to support your application
  • Contact grants [at] ph.ed.ac.uk as soon as possible 
For Stephen Hawking Fellowships:
  • Email name of a current Edinburgh academic staff member who is happy to support your application
  • Email Case for Support for internal review as soon as ready

Themes for STFC ERF

Applications must fall within the remit of the STFC core Science Programme (astronomy, solar and planetary science, particle physics, particle astrophysics, cosmology, nuclear physics, accelerator science) and afford scope for original work.

Physics and Astronomy  Subject Areas for RSURF

Astronomy, Astrophysics, Biophysics, Computational Physics, Condensed Matter (incl. soft matter, liquids and nano-materials), Cosmic Radiation, Cosmology, Crystallography, Elementary Particle Physics, Gravitation, Interstellar Medium, Lasers and Optoelectronics, Low Temperature Physics, Magnetism, Mathematical and Theoretical Physics, Mathematical Astronomy, Mathematical Astrophysics, Mathematical Cosmology, Mathematical Gravitation, Nuclear Atomic and Molecular Physics, Planetary Science, Plasma Physics, Quantum Theory, Semi-conductors, Solar Physics, Statistical Physics, Physics (Applied), Physics (Experimental).

Themes for EPSRC Open Fellowship

Open Fellowships are open across the whole of EPSRC’s remit.

Further information on various Fellowships

University of Edinburgh Innovation Fellow

 Deadline

 9 June 2023

 Eligibility  See rules
 Award value  1 FTE
 Award duration  3 Years
 Nationality  Any (Tier 1 visa required)
Further information   Apply here 

Daphne Jackson Fellowship

 Deadline

 29 May 2023

 Eligibility  See rules
 Award value  0.5 FTE
 Award duration  3 Years
 Nationality  Any (Tier 1 visa required)
Further information   Daphne Jackson Fellowships 

STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowships

 Deadline

 Internal deadline 21st of July

 Eligibility  PhD required
 Award value

 See guidance

 Award duration  5 Years
 Nationality  Any (Tier 1 visa required)
Further information   will be available from 1st of June at STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowships 

EPSRC Open and Postdoctoral Fellowships

 Deadline

 rolling, next deadline 30th of March, end of Sept, end of Dec 

 Eligibility  PhD required
 Award value

 See guidance 

 Award duration  5 Years
 Nationality  Any (Tier 1 visa required)
Further information   EPSRC Open Fellowships

UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships

 Deadline

 Currently closed

 Eligibility  See rules
 Award value  no maximum award value
 Award duration  4-7 Years
 Nationality  Any (Tier 1 visa required)
Further information   UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships 

UKRI Stephen Hawking Fellowship

Deadline Currently closed
Eligibility PhD, 4 years research  experience
Award value No limit
Award duration 3  years
Nationality Any nationality 
Further information Stephen Hawking Fellowship 

Royal Society University Research Fellowships

 Deadline

Currently Closed

 Eligibility  3-8 years post PhD 
 Award value

 See scheme notes

 Award duration  5+3 Years
 Nationality  Any (Tier 1 visa required)
Further information    Royal Society University Research Fellowships 

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship

Deadline Currently Closed
Eligibility must be moving from a different country
Award value See online
Award duration 1-2 years
Nationality Any nationality 
Further information Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship

Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship

Deadline Currently Closed
Eligibility need for flexible support, PhD required, up to six years postdoctoral experience
Award value See link below: salary, research expenses, contribution to PhD student
Award duration 5  years
Nationality Any nationality 
Further information Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship 

RAS Fellowships

Deadline Currently closed
Eligibility PhD required, up to 5 years postdoctoral experience
Award value See guidance
Award duration 3 years
Nationality Any (Tier 1 visa required)
Further information RAS Fellowships

Newton International Fellowships

Deadline Currently closed
Eligibility PhD required, up to 7 years postdoctoral experience
Award value See guidance
Award duration 3 years
Nationality

should not hold UK citizenship at the time of application

Further information Newton International Fellowship

Elizabeth Gardner Fellowship

 Deadline

 Currently closed

 Eligibility  PhD required
 Award value  See link below
 Award duration  4 Years
 Nationality  Any (Tier 1 visa required)
Further information   Elizabeth Gardner Fellowship

Contact details

Application submission email address: fellowships-panel [at] ph.ed.ac.uk.

Contact for further information: director-of-research [at] ph.ed.ac.uk