Postdoctoral Fellowships

Expressions of interest for Marie Skledowska-Curie Fellowships 

We welcome expressions of interest from excellent international researchers interested in applying to the European Commission Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship with a research project to be hosted by Newcastle Univeristy. 

The Marie Skłodowska Curie Action is a funding scheme that supports the mobility of researchers. These fellowships may last 12-36 months and involve a research project, advanced training and knowledge exchange at the host institution. They offer a competitive salary, mobility and family allowances and a budget for research and training costs. Applicants are expected to have an excellent CV and a strong publication record. There are two kinds of fellowships:

• European Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who wish to engage in R&I projects by either coming to Europe from any country in the world or moving within Europe. The standard duration of these fellowships must be between 12 and 24 months.
• Global Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to European nationals or long-term residents who wish to engage in R&I projects with organisations outside EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. These fellowships require an outgoing phase of minimum 12 and maximum 24 months in a non-associated Third Country, and a mandatory 12-month return phase to a host organisation based in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country. 

Candidates will need the support of the host institution to develop their applications. We will offer competitive candidates both academic and administrative support to strengthen their proposal. 

Deadline: 12 October 2021

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact a potential supervisor directly, or if interested in applying they can also contact:

• Geography Post-doctoral Recruitment Coordinator: Professor Al James
• Politics Post-doctoral Recruitment Coordinator: Dr Benjamin Faude
• Sociology Post-doctoral Recruitment Coordinator: Professor Janice McLaughlin

Outline Stage 2021-22

The British Academy is inviting proposals from early career researchers in the humanities and social sciences wishing to pursue an independent research project, towards the completion of a significant piece of publishable research.

Aims

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. The Postdoctoral Fellowship is non-renewable.

Eligibility requirements

The applicant must be a researcher from the humanities and social sciences and be based at an eligible university or research organisation. Suitable institutions include any UK university or recognised research organisation based in the UK. British citizens and any nationals from the EEA are eligible, regardless of where their doctorate was obtained. Anyone of any nationality who has a doctorate from a UK university is eligible. If an applicant does not meet the prior categories, they may be accepted if they can demonstrate "strong prior association" with the UK academic community. Applicants must be of early career status, meaning they must apply within three years from the date of their successful viva voce examination. The applicant must already be of postdoctoral status at the time when the Research Awards Committee meets. Find out more here.

For this next round only, British Academy have decided to extend the eligibility period considering the difficulties faced by researchers as a result of the pandemic. They recognise the impact that COVID-19 may have had on the ability of some researchers to make applications in the past year. If you have completed your viva voce between November 2018 and April 2022 you will be eligible to apply to this round.

Value and duration

The scheme is covered under the Full Economic Costing (FEC) regime. Currently, the Academy funds 80% of salary costs, directly allocated and indirect costs under FEC. The Fellowship is tenable for three years, starting autumn 2021 in a UK-based university or higher education institution.

Application process

The deadline for submissions and UK institutional approval is Wednesday 12 October 2022 (17.00 UK time).

Contacts

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact members of staff working on related topics for support during the application process:

• Geography Post-doctoral Recruitment Coordinator: Professor Al James
• Politics Post-doctoral Recruitment Coordinator: Dr Benjamin Faude
• Sociology Post-doctoral Recruitment Coordinator: Professor Janice McLaughlin

Each year the Leverhulme Trust holds a competition to award Early Career Fellowships to researchers within 4 years of PhD examination, to enable them to undertake a significant piece of publishable work. Fellowships are tenable for 3 years on a full time basis, with Leverhulme contributing 50% of each Fellow’s total salary up to a maximum of £26,000 per annum, with the host institution expected to support the remaining 50% of the salary. Leverhulme also contribute an additional £6,000 per annum of research expenses if requested.

For 2023 Leverhulme will be awarding approximately 145 fellowships. Previous success rates for the scheme are usually within the 6% to 8% range, which has been maintained through Leverhulme investing further funds into this scheme.

In Geography, Politics and Sociology, we receive more applications than quota spaces, therefore there is a school selection panel at which applications are ranked and candidates selected. Applicants must submit their application to the school via this form– this includes a 2-page CV (minimum 11pt font) and 2-page research proposal (minimum 11pt font), emailed to gps.researchsupport@ncl.ac.uk Please look at the form before applying so you know what information you will need to submit. Application which are not submitted on the form, or where the CV and proposal have not been received, will not be considered.

Applications must be submitted via the form by 12pm MIDDAY Wednesday 23rd November 2022. Applications will be assessed and ranked and the three nominated candidates confirmed to Faculty along with any reserves.

To assist in selection of successful applications, The School of Geography, Politics and Sociology will be using the following ranking criteria:

60%: Quality of proposal, including timeliness of research question and use of innovative methods
30%: Strength of CV including publication record
10%: Alignment and fit of proposal with proposed school and subject area

Eligibility: Applicants must not yet have held a full-time permanent academic post in a UK university or comparable UK institution, nor may Fellows hold such a post concurrently with the Early Career Fellowship. The Trust will consider applications from candidates whose permanent post does not include any research. Applicants who have existing funding in place for a duration equivalent to or greater than the duration of the Early Career Fellowship should not apply.

Applicants must hold a doctorate by the time they take up the Fellowship. Those who are or have been registered for a doctorate may apply only if they have submitted their viva vice examination by 4pm on the closing date of 23 February 2023. Applicants must be within 4 years of their PhD examination– hence those who formally submitted their doctoral thesis for viva voce examination before 23 February 2019 are not eligible unless they have since had a career break (maternity leave, family commitments, illness, or other exceptional circumstances). The Trust will accept applications from candidates who submitted their doctoral thesis for examination up to five years prior to the closing date is they can make a case for their work having been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (this would need to be explained in their application).

For full eligibility details please refer to Leverhulme Trust’s website. Applicants should make sure they are eligible to apply to this scheme prior to an application being made to the School.

Topics and fields of study: Applications will be considered in all subject areas except: studies of disease, illness and disabilities in humans and animals; research that is intended to inform clinical practice or the development of medical applications.

Following approval from HaSS Faculty Steering Group, it has been agreed that each School within HaSS will be able to nominate 3 applications for the 2023 call. Should a School not require its full allocation, there would be the opportunity to allocate that space to any reserve candidates from other Schools, provided the application is of high quality (subject to the Dean of Research and Innovation’s approval).

To ensure candidates are given a sufficient time to develop applications and receive support, please find below the timescale for this call

Further details of the call can be obtained from proposed mentors.

Please check the Leverhulme page for detailed information on eligibility and application process www.leverhulme.ac.uk/early-career-fellowships

The School of Geography, Politics and Sociology invites expressions of interest to this call in the following subject areas and pathways:

• Human Geography
• Sociology, Social Policy & Social work
• Conflict, Security and Justice
• Children, Youth and Families

The deadline for receipt of Expressions of interest via the webform, accompanied by the 2 page CV and 2 page proposal (e-mailed to gps.researchsupport@ncl.ac.uk – strictly 11 pt font minimum and 2cm page margin) is 16:00 31st January 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.

Full details of the scheme, including the application form, eligibility, call specification, FAQs, timeline and process, is available on the NINEDTP website