The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh warmly welcomes and supports applications for independent research fellowships from early career researchers with a suitable project proposal and scheme in mind.

Relevant schemes include:

• BBSRC Discovery Fellowships: three-year fellowships. Applications usually open in February, due May, for fellowships commencing the following January onwards. Note that Discovery Fellowship applicants are not eligible to apply for a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship in the same calendar year.
• Daphne Jackson Trust Fellowships: flexible fellowships for returners from a career break for health, family or caring reasons. Applications can be made at any time.
• NERC Independent Research Fellowships: five-year fellowships for early-career researchers. Applications usually close October for fellowships commencing the following May onwards.
• Royal Society University Research Fellowships: eight-year fellowships for early-career researchers in natural sciences (note, these can be held at a not-for-profit research organisation). Applications usually open in July, close September, for fellowships commencing the following May onwards.
• Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships: eight-year fellowships for outstanding postdoctoral scientists who require a flexible working pattern due to personal circumstances, such as caring responsibilities and/or health-related conditions. Applications usually open in September, close November, for fellowships commencing the following July onwards.
• Royal Society/British Academy Newton Fellowships: three-year fellowships for non-UK scientists who are at an early stage of their research career and wish to conduct research in the UK. Applications close 28^th March 2023
• RSE Personal Research Fellowships: twelve-month awards enabling researchers to focus on a research project, providing research expenses and covering the cost of a temporary replacement to enable the fellow to remain in continuous employment. Applications open Spring 2023.
• UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships: four-year fellowships, extendable by a further three years. Outline applications usually open in September, close October, full applications due December, for fellowships commencing the following October-March.
• Wellcome Career Development Awards: eight-year awards for mid-career researchers from any discipline. Applications usually open four times a year. Current round closes 4^th April 2023.
• Wellcome Early-Career Awards: five-year awards for early-career researchers from any discipline. Applications usually open three times a year. The next round opens 28^th March 2023 and closes 18^th May 2023.

Application process

We encourage applicants from all backgrounds and have a range of initiatives to promote diversity and inclusivity, including part-time and flexible working and proactive celebration of diversity among our staff, students, and volunteers. More on equality, diversity and inclusion.

If you are interested becoming a research fellow at RBGE, please get in touch with Alex Davey (adavey@rbge.org.uk) at any time, ideally at least three months in advance of the deadline for any preferred scheme, with a brief description of your proposed project. You will be assigned a staff mentor to help you explore appropriate fellowship options and develop an outline application. The outline application will be reviewed by 3-4 individuals to provide feedback. For proposals that are considered likely to be successful, our fellowship support team will provide further guidance and feedback during the full application process.