"Senior Research Fellowship Sponsorship Scheme"

Are you planning to submit a senior research fellowship* application for funding competitions with deadlines after March 2026?

The Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge seeks Expressions of Interest from early career researchers who wish to be sponsored for externally funded fellowships that will allow them to start an independent research group in our Department.

We offer a programme of support that will help you to establish you as an independent academic researcher, including assistance with your fellowship application, setting up your lab and recruiting personnel, as well as mentoring and training to help you develop your career. Research fellows will also have access to the comprehensive package of ongoing support available from the School of Biological Sciences https://www.bio.cam.ac.uk/research/research-fellowships.

We have an excellent track record in progressing our Senior Research Fellows into lectureships or equivalent positions at leading international universities and research institutes.

About the Department of Zoology

We are a thriving community of researchers investigating how animal life evolved, how it functions and persists today and how we can conserve it for future generations. The Department comprises more than 25 research groups, working at every level of biological organization from genes to ecosystems. We are keen to increase diversity in our academic staff and particularly encourage expressions of interest from women and BAME applicants.

Our dynamic intellectual environment includes the world-leading Cambridge Conservation Institute and University Museum of Zoology, and provides opportunities for collaboration in research themes that span the School of Biological Sciences (https://www.bio.cam.ac.uk/research/research-themes) and the wider university (https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/research-at-cambridge/strategic-research-initiatives-networks).

The School of Biological Sciences has state of the art facilities in imaging, high performance computing and bioinformatics. The Department's research strengths currently lie in behaviour and neuroscience, conservation science, ecology and all aspects of evolutionary biology.

How to apply for sponsorship

Please address informal enquires to the Head of Department Professor Rebecca Kilner hod@zoo.cam.ac.uk

To make an application, please download and complete the very short application form (https://shorturl.at/3KpGp) and send it with your publications list and contact details for two referees to admin@zoo.cam.ac.uk by 17:00 GMT on Sunday 9th November 2025. We will only contact you, and your referees, if you are shortlisted.

We will shortlist the fellowship applicants we would like to support by Monday 8th December 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the Department to meet the academic staff and give a seminar in the week beginning 12 January 2026.

*Target fellowship schemes include: ERC Starting / Consolidator Grant, The Wellcome Trust Career Development Awards, Royal Society University Research Fellowship, Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship, Branco-Weiss Research Fellowship.

If you have any queries regarding the application process please contact Anastasia Nezhentseva.

Email: an286@cam.ac.uk

Telephone: (0)1223 330117

Please quote reference PF46494 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.