POST Fellowship
The Nuffield Foundation POST Fellowship is open to any PhD students in a social science (or natural science) field who are undertaking or have recently finished their PhD studies.
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Fellowship information
The deadline for applications is 20 October 2024 at 23:59.
The Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST) and the Nuffield Foundation are offering a 13-week fellowship to PhD students who are undertaking or have recently completed their PhD study (“recently completed” applies to people who were, within the previous 12 months, registered for a PhD or DPhil in a UK university).
Successful applicants will be based in UK Parliament, supporting its use of research evidence. Most fellows assist POST in providing briefing material for parliamentarians on emerging science topics. Work may include:
- Producing a POSTnote or POSTbrief (briefing documents to help inform the work of MPs and Peers), or contributing to a longer briefing report.
- Assisting a select committee in an ongoing inquiry.
- Organising a seminar to inform or disseminate research.
PhD Fellows are encouraged to interact closely with people and activities in the two Houses of Parliament, including Select committees, MPs and Peers, their support services, ‘All-Party Parliamentary Group’ meetings and the very wide range of other activities at the Palace of Westminster.
The fellowship can be carried out full-time for three months or part-time over a longer period. Successful applicants will be expected to start their fellowship at a date in 2025 to be agreed between the applicant, POST, Nuffield Foundation and the applicant’s supervisor.
Read more about our Fellowships.
Funding arrangements
Successful applicants will receive a grant totalling £8,000, paid in two instalments. The first instalment of £4,000 will be paid before the start of their Fellowship and the second instalment of £4,000 will be at the halfway point of the Fellowship. The award is intended to cover the Fellow’s travel and accommodation costs during the Fellowship and reimbursement of their PhD stipend. More information can be found in the application guidance.
Eligibility
The Nuffield Foundation POST Fellowship is open to any PhD student whose project is in any social science (or natural science) field, and who is not in their first year of study. They may be undertaking or have recently completed their PhD study (“recently completed” applies to people who were, within the previous 12 months, registered for a PhD or DPhil in a UK university). The full person specification can be found in the application guidance.
Successful candidates will be required to complete pre-employment checks. This includes security vetting to Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) level. All successful candidates are required to pass these checks before an offer can be confirmed.
How to apply
It is important that you download and read the application pack before applying, as it contains more details on the role, application process, and assessment criteria.
Applicants should complete the application before the deadline at 23:59 on 20 October. The applicants should submit:
Applicants should also email the following to postfellowships@parliament.uk
- An approval form, which has been completed by your PhD Supervisor and Head of Department.
- A two-page briefing on a topic that you think would be of current interest to Parliamentarians. This should not be the subject of your PhD. The briefing should be completed using the briefing template and should not contain your name or any other identifying details (aside from your name in the filename) to ensure the process is as fair and unbiased as possible. Please see the application pack for the two-page briefing assessment and some tips for writing it.
Applications will undergo an initial sift on the basis of two-page briefing.
Interviews will be held in late November 2024
Recent POSTnotes
Access to Justice: Legal aid and services by Lydia Okoibhole (2026)
Lydia examines how have changes to legal aid affected access to justice in England and Wales.
Violence against women and girls in schools and among children and young people by Aysha Riaz (2025)
Aysha looks at the rise in violence against women and girls, with online harms and abuse affecting girls at a higher rate than boys, and considers the core challenges and opportunities in the UK.
Geographical differences in healthy life expectancy by Laura Steel (2025)
Laura examines how healthy life expectancy varies widely across England and considers how prevention and policy interventions can reduce inequalities.
Frequently asked questions
Visit the FAQ page on the POST Fellowship website for answers to frequently asked questions.
If you have a question that is not answered in the application pack or our frequently asked questions page, please contact Natasha Mutebi, at mutebin@parliament.uk or Ben Brown, at bbrown@nuffieldfoundation.org
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