The Science and Technology Facilities Council offer 10 Fellowships each year to early-career researchers in astronomy, solar and planetary science, particle physics, particle astrophysics, cosmology and nuclear physics. A quota system applies for each university and so the department runs an annual internal selection process for this scheme. It is therefore essential that you contact the research facilitation team fellowships(at)physics.ox.ac.uk and a member of academic staff with a research area similar to your interests as soon as possible for further information and guidance.
Funding is available for 5 years including applicant's salary, and limited research expenses and travel funding. Applicants must not have a permanent academic position, or equivalent and should refer to STFC's competency profile to determine their eligibility. The scheme is open to applicants of any nationality and further guidance is available on the STFC website.
Applications are submitted via Je-S.
Deadlines and timescales (2021)
**Potential candidates are required to send a draft application consisting of the three page case for support, CV and list of publications (in the required STFC format) to the appropriate sub-department contact (see below) and fellowships(at)physics.ox.ac.uk by 5th July **
Candidates must also ask their nominated referee to email the contact directly in support of their application by the same deadline. This does not need to be a formally structured letter of support at this date, but should contain sufficient information for the internal selection panel to make their assessment. We will also require you to confirm that name of your academic sponsor within Oxford physics, and the name of a second internal academic reader for your proposal.
Particle Physics: Daniela Bortoletto (cc Sue Geddes)
Theoretical Physics: John Wheater (particle theory) or John Magorrian (theoretical astrophysics and plasma physics), (cc Michelle Jose)
Planetary Physics: Patrick Irwin and Philip Stier (cc Lucy Li)
Astrophysics: Rob Fender (cc Leanne O'Donnell)
Guidance and useful info
Once we know that you intend to apply, and have been selected as one of the department's allocated entries we will be able to send you our internal guidance documents.
Applicants must use STFC's CV template and are not permitted to alter its format in any way (except where you are including details of career breaks, in which case the length can be extended beyond the standard 2 pages. Otherwise please do not be tempted to add or delete sections.
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.