POST Fellowship

The Nuffield Foundation POST Fellowship is open to any PhD students in a scientific or quantitative social science field who are undertaking or have recently finished their PhD studies.

Fellowship information


The deadline for applications is 5 November 2023 at 23:59.

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 2024 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 £7,000, paid in two instalments. The first instalment of £3,500 will be paid before the start of their Fellowship and the second instalment of £3,500 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 scientific, natural or social 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 5 November. 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 or early December

Recent POSTnotes


Factors shaping gender incongruence and gender dysphoria, and impact on health services by Laura Heath (2023)

Laura outlines what is known about the factors that shape gender incongruence and gender dysphoria. The briefing looks at the systems in place for children, adolescents and adults and the impact on the NHS from increased referrals for gender identity care.

Child food insecurity and Free School Meals by Stephanie Hartgen-Walker (2023)

Stephanie summarises child food insecurity and Free School Meal initiatives in England. The POSTnote highlights relevant research evidence, provides stakeholder perspectives, and discusses the challenges involved in providing Free School Meals.

See more POSTnotes

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 Clare Lally, at lallyc@parliament.uk or Ben Brown, at bbrown@nuffieldfoundation.org

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Post Fellowships

Deadline for applications:
05 Nov 2023 23:59 GMT
Apply now

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