Winning an external fellowship is often the first step when transitioning to independence. These fellowships are awarded by charities, societies, and research councils. They typically range from five or more years and awards can be from several hundred thousand pounds up to millions. They are designed for post-doctoral researchers to make the transition to group leader. Well-known examples of such fellowship schemes are the Wellcome Career Development Award, the Medical Research Council Career Development Award, UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships, European Research Council fellowships, and fellowships from The Leverhulme Trust, and The Royal Society. There are some disease-specific charities that also support fellowhips, and these can be found on their relevant websites. Successful applicants may be eligible to enrol onto the university's scientific tenure-track scheme (ESAT), with the aim of achieving a tenured position upon successful achievement of defined objectives. It is worth also pointing out that most of the large funding schemes permit their awardees to undertake their fellowships on a part time basis. Examples of these fellowships include: Royal Society This scheme is for outstanding scientists who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field. These long term fellowships provide the opportunity and freedom to build an independent research career in the UK or Republic of Ireland and pursue cutting-edge scientific research. Royal Society University Research Fellowships website Leverhulme Trust The aim is to support talented scholars who have successfully launched a university career but who need to build a research team of sufficient scale to tackle a distinctive research problem. Leverhulme Research Leadership Awards website Medical Research Council (MRC) Career Development Award (CDA) The scheme supports talented post-doctoral researchers to lead their own research plans and establish their own research team. MRC CDA website MRC Senior non-clinical Fellowship This enables researchers to lead ambitious research programmes and pursue research training opportunities to develop their careers in order to become internationally recognised research leaders in their fields. MRC Senior non-clinical Fellowship European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant This scheme is aimed at talented early-career scientists who have already produced excellent supervised work and are ready to work independently. Candidates must also show potential to be a research leader. ERC Starting Grants website Wellcome Career Development Awards This scheme provides funding for mid-career researchers from any discipline who have the potential to be international research leaders. They will develop their research capabilities, drive innovative programmes of work and deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing. Awards are typically for 8 years, and are aimed at mid-career researcher who are ready to lead a substantial and innovative research programme. Wellcome Career Development Awards UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships These aim to provide funding for up to seven years to support talented researchers and innovators who are transitioning to research or innovation leadership. UKRI FLF DBT/Wellcome India Alliance senior fellowship These support researchers who have demonstrated their ability to lead an independent research project and group in expanding their research programme in India. DBT/India Alliance This article was published on 2024-09-09
