Postdoctoral Longitudinal Fellowships, United Kingdom

Eligibility

1. Applicants must have graduated with PhDs from the research organisation(s) (RO) which make up the DTCs participating in the pilot GCRF Fellowship Scheme (the South West, North West, Oxford, Bloomsbury or UCL, and Scottish DTCs) or those universities that host CLOSER studies: Bristol, Essex and Southampton.
2. At the time of submission, applicants must either have a PhD or have passed their viva voce with only minor corrections. A postdoctoral fellowship cannot commence until the PhD viva voce examination has been passed.
3. Applicants must have no more than three years active postdoctoral experience at the start date of the award.
4. The scheme is not open to applicants who are established, permanent members of staff in an academic position with a research component.

Duration of Fellowships

The awards provide funding for up to one year full time, or up to two years part time, to give fellows time to prepare for a successful research career. Part-time awards are for applicants whose normal working hours are part time and not for applicants who wish to hold the fellowship and continue other employment. Fellows must spend 100 per cent of their working time on the fellowship and cannot take any secondary paid employment during the course of the award. A limited amount of teaching and other non-research activities will contribute to the professional development of the fellow and therefore award holders can set aside up to eight hours per week (pro rata) to other duties during the fellowship, including preparation time.

Collaboration, international skills development and overseas institutional visits

The ODA component of this call is concerned with focussing high quality research to address an issue of global importance. Underpinning the call and all funded Fellowships must be a strong research ethic based on mutual respect and understanding for different cultural, ethnic, social and economic beliefs and practices. Research must be rooted in, and acceptable to, the institutions, communities and societies where they will operate. Collaboration with partners may build on existing relationships or represent the development of a new collaborative relationship. The intellectual challenge should be the determining factor when configuring appropriate partnerships and collaborations. The principal requirement is for meaningful quality collaborations or partnerships. All GCRF Postdoctoral Fellows are encouraged to make an overseas institutional visit or series of visits during the course of their Fellowship to develop their international networks, engage with academic and non-academic audiences, and develop their skills to operate in an international context (eg language training and cultural awareness). Funding is available to support up to four months overseas within the period of the award. All travel must be subject to Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice. Applicants will need to demonstrate how these activities are integral to the planned programme of work during the Fellowship, as well as provide a full justification for the additional costs. Applicants can provide letter(s) of support from an overseas host institution as part of the application process, but if necessary the ESRC and CLOSER will help broker relationships.