Research fellowships

We recognise the value and contribution of research staff as essential, which is why we aim to recruit the best people to a range of roles each year. Find out about applications for a research fellowship, and ​how our Research Support Office can help you

Current calls

Royal Society - University Research Fellowships 2025

We are accepting proposals for the 2025 Royal Society University Research Fellowships scheme 

Closed calls

Application and career support

Information about how we can support your applications and develop your career as a researcher in the School of Geosciences.

Please contact the School of GeoSciences Research Support Office. 

You must provide the following information so we can work out how best to support your application:

  • The name and deadline of the funding scheme you are interested in. In addition, whether you have applied to this funder before. This enables us to gauge how much help you need with the funder application system.
  • A forward/copy of an email or other short statement of support from the relevant Head of Research Institute, where they consent to support your application. This should be done in advance of contacting the Research Support Office.
  • To help them assess you for their support, you should provide the Head of Institute with:
    • your CV
    • a 1-page project description
    • note of the fellowship scheme that you are interested in
  • A name for a contact person in the School of GeoSciences. This is usually another academic familiar with you or your research area and who can assist with your application.
  • Please check in advance if your application requires a supporting statement from the Head of School. The GeoSciences Research Support Office can coordinate the production of these letters. However, as it requires advance planning to fit with the busy schedule of the Head of School, it may need to be organised weeks before a funder deadline.

You will also need to outline any financial or resource obligations not covered by the funding scheme that our School would have to meet should your application be successful. If this is the case, all such applications require the Head of School and/or the School Management Committee's approval in advance of submitting to the sponsoring body.

The Management Committee only meets monthly, so it is important to build plenty of advance preparation time for your application and notification to our School of your intentions.

Our School would not usually provide financial support where 50% or similar matching funds are required, but this is not completely ruled out.  If funds permit, or if the candidate is outstanding and the research is in an area of strategic importance, the Head of School may be prepared to consider an application.

Once you have notified our School

After you have contacted the GeoSciences Research Support Office about your fellowship application, it will be checked to ensure the School can support it. From there, we will assist you in preparing an application. You will receive details about how this is done after you have made contact.

What can we do after your application is submitted?

If you are applying to a scheme that has interviews or other assessments, it's important to let us know when you are invited to take part in them. We are keen to support candidates through activities such as mock panel interviews -  where experienced academics can provide constructive criticism and feedback to help you prepare.

It is also polite to let us know your application's outcome (good or bad). Unfortunately, funders do not always notify us, and so it is often up to candidates to tell us if they have been successful or not.

What happens if I am rejected?

Unfortunately, this can happen, but it does not have to be the end of the road. You are welcome to apply again (if funder terms and conditions allow this) and/or apply to other funding streams. We do not see feedback or criticism of unsuccessful applications from funders. Still, with your consent, if you are willing to share it, we can help you make other submissions and take care to address the feedback you were given.

We welcome all applications from independent researchers. We are committed to offering a rewarding and realistic career path.

As a research fellow in the School of GeoSciences, you can expect the following support:   

Research institutes

  • You will join one of our three research institutes as an academic staff member and line-managed directly by the Head of Institute. Each institute has an active seminar series that is open to all members of staff

Training and development

  • Our School will take your training and development seriously, whether you wish to continue in academic life or want to look to transfer your skills elsewhere.
  • For example:
    • Our School offers workshops and courses on topics such as grant applications, dealing with the media, assessing and presenting the impact of research.
    • We will provide you with opportunities to gain skills and practical experience in teaching and curriculum design (within the terms of your specific fellowship).
    • The University offers a range of support. For example, the Institute for Academic Development provides development opportunities for researchers and University teachers at all career stages and many free training opportunities.

Research Staff Hub

The University has developed a website that brings together information from across the University to support research staff to undertake their role, develop themselves and progress in their career. For more information about how the University supports Research Staff, visit the Research Staff Hub website.

Entrepreneurship

The University and School provide support and encouragement for entrepreneurship. For example, through our School's Business Development Executive, our hosting of the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) and the University's Edinburgh Innovations department. 

Further support

  • Specific independent research fellowships of around four to five years minimum length can be reviewed two years before the end of funding. That way, we can assess whether or not to offer a continuing employment contract after the end of the fellowship.
  • Fellowships of two years duration or longer that are externally funded to a salary point 30-36, will usually be supplemented by the School to start at spine point 37 (with normal annual progression beyond this) in recognition of the competitive and prestigious nature of such fellowships.
  • Fellowships of five years or longer will be prioritised during applications for a studentship (Home/EU and £1,000 per annum Research Training Support Grant), registered in the School of GeoSciences, in the annual studentship round managed by the School - subject to finding a high-quality applicant. Our School will support the fellow in developing the project and provide appropriate supervision, guidance and training.
  • Our School provides a high level of support in managing grants, including guidance on the various reporting and monitoring requirements.
  • Our School is committed to the highest Equality and Diversity practice standards, and we are especially keen to support women in academia. We hold an Athena SWAN Silver award.

Thinking of applying?

We welcome applications for fellowships. 

To pursue one through our School, first - check for any demand management that might be in place for the fellowship scheme of your choosing. 

This can mean there are internal deadlines here that are long in advance of funder deadlines. If we have to select candidates in advance, the process should be listed below under the 'current calls' section.

For more information and further enquiries contact the Research Support Office:

researchorg.geos@ed.ac.uk 

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