Image shows Prof Hannah Christensen, a male researcher and Prof Tim Palmer in an office, all smiling as they gaze at a device which is generating a pattern of curved orange lines of light. In the background is a computer screen with a heat map showing contours and coloured in the colours of the rainbow.

NERC independent research fellowships

Independent-level fellowships

The Natural Environment Research Council offers Fellowships in areas including atmospheric and oceanic sciences and earth observation. The Independent Research Fellowship (IRF) scheme is designed to develop scientific leadership among the most promising early-career environmental scientists. 
Applicants must have submitted their PhD thesis by the time the fellowship interview would take place (usually the March following the closing date). Applicants must not have a permanent academic position and the scheme is open to applicants of any nationality.

Funding is offered for 5 years, including applicant's salary, and some research expenses.
Further guidance is available on NERC's webpages. Applications are submitted via TFS.

Deadlines and timescales (2024/5)

The 2025 Call opened 9 January, with a funder deadline of 3rd April 2025. 

Oxford Physics internal selection process closed 8 January 2025.  

EOIs should be submitted to fellowships@physics.ox.ac.uk and consist of the following documents. EOIs will be assessed on a condensed version of the IRF assessment criteria (*see below). 

  • 1 page summary of proposed research project
  • CV
  • List of publications and any other research outputs
  • Please cc in your Oxford Physics sponsor (an Oxford Physics academic who supports your application). If selected to apply you will also need a second reader for your application (a second academic in the department who supports the application process in addition to your main sponsor). 

*Assessment criteria used at EOI stage (taken from the 2023 IRF call)

  1. The proposed research -
    • is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the field(s) or area(s)
    • has the potential to advance current understanding, generates new knowledge, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area
    • is timely given current trends, context and needs
    • impacts world-leading research, society, the economy or the environment
  2. The applicant has the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) and skills to deliver the proposed work (including evidence of leadership and contributing to a positive research environment where applicable). 

For applicants that require NERC British Antarctic Survey (BAS) support for your project, please see instructions on the NERC Fellowships page as there is a pre-award operation support planning questionnaire required by 3rd January 2025. Please note this a NERC requirement and not related to the above internal selection for candidates in the department. 

The department is welcoming of EOIs from all applicants and individuals from underrepresented groups in physics are particularly encouraged to apply. Should any candidates have difficulty in securing a sponsor within the department or need further guidance on this please contact the facilitation team and we will endeavour to support you. Similarly, if there are any additional factors or circumstances that you wish to be considered during our assessment of your EOI – this might include (but is not limited to) career breaks, caring responsibilities, part-time working, disability etc – or if you are likely to need any specific support or accommodations during the application process, please communicate this to us (in confidence if required): fellowships@physics.ox.ac.uk.

The timeline for preparation of application documents is TBC for the January 2025 call. The below timeline from the November 2023 round is included for reference. 

  • 11th September 2023 - Send list of costs to your Research Facilitator for the budget.
  • 18th September 2023 - Send a draft of sections 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the application to your sponsor, second reader and Research Facilitator for feedback.
  • 25th September 2023 - Send a draft of the rest of the sections of your application to your application to your Research Facilitator for feedback.
  • 25th October 2023 - Departmental deadline, budget finalised, application ready for departmental checks
  • 1st November 2023 - Research Services deadline, application submitted on TFS portal
  • 8th November 2023 - Application submitted to NERC by Research Services

Guidance and useful info

Once we know that you intend to apply and you have been selected at EOI stage, we will be able to send you our internal guidance documents.

The interview stage is an important part of the selection process so if you are invited for interview please notify the facilitation team and your local academic contacts as soon as possible so that mock interviews can be arranged in advance of the real interview.