Postdoctoral researchers
Overview
We are eager to welcome postdoctoral researchers to the CMS. As a CMS member you will join a vibrant community of postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers who regularly meet for seminars and work together in our dedicated facilities. You will have many opportunities to collaborate with other CMS members, and to develop undergraduate and postgraduate teaching experience.Topics
We particularly welcome fellowship proposals that connect with the following research areas. Please explore and see what best matches your interests.
Opportunities
Several recurring postdoctoral fellowship programmes can support a position at the CMS:
- British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Open to British citizens and EEA nationals, or people with a UK doctorate.
- See the 2026 CMS announcement for this year’s application details and internal deadline.
- Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships
- Open to people with a UK degree.
- Newton International Fellowships
- Open to people working outside the UK who do not have UK citizenship.
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Open to researchers who meet the scheme’s doctorate and international-mobility requirements.
- Junior Research Fellowships
- Different colleges run different schemes; some are covered by a joint application scheme.
- Daphne Jackson Fellowships
- Typically two years of funding at 0.5 full-time equivalent, for people returning to a research career after a break of two or more years for family, health, or caring reasons.
- Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships
- For outstanding early-career scientists who require flexible working because of personal circumstances such as caring responsibilities or health conditions.
- Future Leaders Fellowships
- For early-career researchers transitioning to or establishing independence. The University’s pre-selection process means applications must be prepared well in advance.
- Royal Society University Research Fellowships
- For outstanding early-career scientists developing an independent research career in a STEM field.
Unless otherwise stated, these fellowships require applicants to be early-career researchers, generally meaning that not too many years have elapsed since the award of the doctorate. Most calls run approximately annually, so if you have missed a call and the next has not yet been announced, it will probably reopen about a year after the previous call.
Please consult each funder’s current guidance for definitive eligibility, deadlines, and funding details. The Faculty’s postdoctoral opportunities page provides further information about applying.
Applying
Timeline
For fellowships other than Junior Research Fellowships, the University typically sets internal deadlines several weeks before the funder’s published deadline. Even where no internal deadline is stated, the Research Office requires significant notice.
Expressions of interests
Please contact Peter Harrison well in advance—ideally at least two months before the funder deadline—to discuss potential topics and application strategy. It would be helpful if you could include the following with your email:
- A draft CV;
- A sample piece of work;
- A paragraph or so about your research interests and how they fit into our focus topics;
- Any questions you might have about the application process.