LCLU Senior Fellowship

At the time of application the applicant must have a PhD. 

The application must include all of the documents listed below. Incomplete applications, including those missing any of the required documents, will not be considered.

• Curriculum Vitae (CV), cover letter, publications list 
• Research statement (1500 words) including: 
  • Summary of the vision and methodology of the project.  
  • how the proposed project relates to LCLU aims and objectives, other research directions in the host group. 
  • specific role and input of the fellow 
  • description of the interdisciplinary nature, the high-risk/outside-the-box character of the proposed research and the synergy of the proposal with the Centre’s mission. 
• Invitation letter from one of the host faculty members describing the suitability of the candidate to the scheme and the potential synergy between the applicant, host, and the Centre. 
• The names and contact details of two academic referees are a necessary part of the submission. Referees will be contacted automatically following an application, applicants should inform nominated referees for the need to provide references.

The evaluation consists of two steps. First, the written applications will be evaluated by LCLU Fellowship Selection Panel. Second, candidates whose applications pass the first step will be invited to a remote interview by the Selection Panel at University of Cambridge. The applicants will be informed by LCLU about the decision/offer no later than mid-February of the time of the application round. 

Interview 

The interviews last about 30 minutes. They are conducted end of January. 

During the interview, applicants will be asked questions about their proposed research projects, the choice of the research labs, the particular strengths and skills they would bring to the host labs and the Centre, and how they would like the collaboration to develop, as well as about their future career prospects. 

Assessment criteria 

Applications will be assessed against criteria addressing both the candidate’s aptitude as well as the quality of the proposed research and the synergy with the host labs and the Centre. Successful applications must be compelling in all respects. 

The criteria pertaining to the candidate’s aptitude are based on CV, demonstrated evidence of research independence (as described above), reference letters, the career outline and include: 

• research performance and potential 
• track record relative to opportunities and career stage 
• competence for the proposed work and synergy with the faculty member host(s) and the Centre 
• compatibility of the Senior Fellowship with the career goals of the applicant 
• long-term research vision 

The criteria referring to the research proposal include 

• the scientific quality of the planned research 
• the interdisciplinary nature of the planned research 
• significance and innovativeness of the project 
• high-risk/high-reward nature of the planned research 
• suitability of the proposed methodologies 
• The criteria referring to the synergies with the host labs and the Centre include 
• particular strengths and skills relevant to the host labs 
• added value and integration into the host labs and the Centre 
• ambition to move beyond his or her and the hosts’ previous research 
• embedding of the research within LCLU 

Whenever possible, Open Access should be granted to publications resulting from a LCLU Senior Fellowship, as per University of Cambridge Open Access Policy. The fellowship programme must be acknowledged in publications, conference presentations (including abstracts), and symposia, e.g., in the form ‘…the work was funded by the Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe Senior Fellowship Programme Grant G112026…’.  

Please use the following standard text about the Trust in the ‘notes to editors’ section:  

• Since its foundation in 1925, the Leverhulme Trust has provided grants and scholarships for research and education, funding research projects, fellowships, studentships, bursaries and prizes; it operates across all the academic disciplines, the intention being to support talented individuals as they realise their personal vision in research and professional training. Today, it is one of the largest all-subject providers of research funding in the UK, distributing approximately £100 million a year. For more information about the Trust, please visit www.leverhulme.ac.uk and follow the Trust on Twitter/X @LeverhulmeTrust”. 

To monitor and improve the programme, each Fellow is requested to submit a final report within four weeks after completion of their fellowship to the Centre’s Managing Office. The relevant request and form will be sent to the applicant in due course. 

The LCLU Senior Fellow is expected to actively participate in the Leverhulme Centre for Origin of Life in the Universe by attending events therein and by giving a presentation at the midpoint and end of the fellowship. 

Fellows are actively involved in LCLU events and activities (as their schedule permits) and establish independent research ties with other members of the network and beyond. Fellows must sign the code of conduct of the Leverhulme Trust. 

Fellows may wish to take part in teaching activities of their host department, to a maximum of 6 hours per week (which translates to 2 supervisions per week), for which they will be renumerated. 

The fellow will be expected to take part in Centre’s networking activities, such as seminars, annual meeting, coffee meetings, etc. 

After the candidates have been selected and the offers have been sent out, the LCLU Senior Fellowship programme will share the applications with the Leverhulme Trust to receive approval.