Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships
Applications are invited from suitably qualified researchers in the early stages of their academic career who wish to base their research in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Oxford with the support of a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship. A previous connection with the University is not required—indeed, according to the Leverhulme website:
"The Trust believes that the development of an academic career is best served by gaining experience at different institutions. Applicants who have not already moved institutions in the course of their academic career (i.e. between their undergraduate university and proposed host institution) should nominate a new host institution, or otherwise demonstrate clear evidence of the academic and/or personal reasons for remaining at the same institution, such as access to highly specialist equipment or a highly specialised research team."
Thus applications are particularly welcome from those currently working elsewhere. The Faculty will hold an internal competition to decide which submission to put forward, so applicants should not approach the Leverhulme Trust until Faculty support is confirmed in writing.
The scheme is aimed at scholars who are at a relatively early stage of their academic careers, defined as those who have not yet held a permanent full-time academic post in a UK institution and who will have submitted their doctoral thesis for viva voce examination not more than four years prior to the scheme's closing date of 20th February 2025.
Candidates should have a proven record of research but are welcome to provide information on any circumstances which may have impacted it. The objective is for Fellows to undertake a significant piece of publishable research during the tenure of the award; hence the proposed project should not be a reworking or extension of the candidate’s doctoral research project. For more information on the scheme, including eligibility, please see the Leverhulme Trust website.
How to apply
Candidates should complete an Expression of Interest form, including research statement and CV, and return it to adminofficer@philosophy.ox.ac.uk by midday on Thursday 28th November 2024.
Candidates should also identify a suitable mentor from among the permanent members of the Faculty of Philosophy. When a potential mentor has been identified and their support secured, you must ask them to complete a Mentor Statement and send it to the same address by the same date (or you can return it with your Expression of Interest).
Both forms are available below.
What happens next?
Once the Faculty has considered the applications and forwarded its recommendation to the Humanities Division, the successful candidate will be supported by the Divisional Research Facilitators in completing the full Leverhulme application. A workshop with all selected candidates from across the Division will take place in January.