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The Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe Senior Fellowship (Fixed Term)
Applications are invited from early-career researchers (up to five years of research experience, excluding career breaks since the award of your PhD, at the time of proposal submission) to conduct research at University of Cambridge. The fellowship aims to advance interdisciplinary research that tackles significant questions regarding the origins and distribution of life in the universe as part of the Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe. It provides the opportunity for junior researchers to build academic independence, contribute to significant interdisciplinary research, and collaborate with top researchers in multiple fields.
Applicants must have a PhD in a relevant field to LCLU research themes (Research Themes | Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe). The Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe (LCLU) harness simultaneous breakthroughs in astrophysics, planetology, organic chemistry, biology and cognate disciplines to tackle one of the great interdisciplinary challenges of our time: to develop a deeper understanding of life, its emergence, and its distribution in the Universe.
LCLU research focuses on four themes: Identifying the chemical pathways to the origins of life; Characterising the environments on Earth and other planets that could act as the cradle of prebiotic chemistry and life; Discovering and characterising habitable exoplanets and signatures of geological and biological evolution; Refining our understanding of life through philosophical and mathematical concepts.
The Centre brings together researchers from Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory, Institute of Astronomy, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, Department of Earth Sciences, Department of Zoology, Department of Biochemistry, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Faculty of Divinity, and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology to enable cross-disciplinary research on the origin, nature, and distribution of life in the Universe.
The Centre also has established international and national collaborations with researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, University College London, University of Oxford, ETH Zurich, Harvard University and the Centre of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey.
The fellowship provides an excellent opportunity for early career researchers to build academic independence, contribute to significant interdisciplinary research, and collaborate with top researchers in multiple fields.
The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate clear evidence for intellectual independence (e.g., as documented in letters of reference, publications without PhD supervisors, collaboration with other institutions or different PIs, etc.) and should propose an original and innovative research programme. They will be expected to actively participate in the Leverhulme Centre for Origin of Life in the Universe by attending events, networking activities therein and by giving a presentation at the midpoint and end of the fellowship.
Fellows may wish to take part in teaching activities of their host department, to a maximum of 6 hours per week, for which they will be renumerated.
Salary will range from the minimum of lower spine point corresponding to grade 9 (£47,389 to £59,966) at the University of Cambridge salary scale. A research allowance up to £40,000 based on outlined research costs specified in their initial proposal and support for relocation costs. Further benefits of university employment are outlined at http://www.induction.admin.cam.ac.uk/.
The fellowship may be held for up to four years.
Application process
Applications should be submitted online via the University of Cambridge jobs page LCLU Senior Fellowship (Fixed Term) | University of Cambridge by clicking “Apply online” in the job advert. You will need an email address to register for our online system.
Applicants must submit additional documents in support of their application. Please ensure that you upload these documents in the "Upload" section of the online application. To see the list of required documents: LCLU Senior Fellowship | Leverhulme Centre for Life in the Universe
The deadline for applications is 23:59 BST Monday 10th November 2025.
Applications will be reviewed after the closing date and short-listed candidates will be interviewed in end of January 2026.
Appointees shall ideally start in October 2026, but alternative starting dates can be arranged with some flexibility.
Informal enquiries can be addressed via email to se413@cam.ac.uk.