Research Fellowship

Imperial College Research Fellowships (ICRF) hosted by the Department of Physics

The Imperial College Research Fellowship (ICRF) is a prestigious four-year programme designed to support exceptional early-career researchers in establishing their independent research careers within a world-class academic environment.

Funding: Up to £30,000 is available over the duration of the fellowship to support research expenses and travel. In fully justified cases, this can be increased to £45,000.

Professional Development: Fellows will have access to training and development resources through Imperial’s Early Career Researcher Institute https://www.imperial.ac.uk/about/leadership-and-strategy/provost/vice-provost-research/vpre-led-initiatives/early-career-researcher-institute/

For the 2025 application cycle, the Department of Physics is exclusively participating in the 'AI in Science' theme, co-funded by Schmidt Sciences.

Fellowship Start Date: Between 1 August 2026 and 1 December 2026

Further Information: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-office/funder-information/research-fellowships/icrf/information-for-applicants/

Application Link: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs (Reference: NAT01920)

Eligibility Criteria

You should have no more than four years of postdoctoral research experience by the application deadline (18 August 2025). This period is calculated from the date of the successful PhD viva (defence) to the closing date of the call. Allowances may be made for career breaks due to parental leave, health issues, career change outside of research..

How to Apply

1. Identify a Departmental Sponsor

·        Review the Department of Physics academic staff and contact a potential sponsor whose research aligns with your proposal. https://www.imperial.ac.uk/physics/research/staff/

2. Submit for Departmental Approval – Deadline: 11 August 2025

·        To obtain Departmental approval, please send your final draft Research Proposal and Budget form to Show email in your sponsor, no later than Monday, 11 August 2025. Approved forms will be returned in time to meet the College deadline.

3. Submit Full Application – Deadline: 18 August 2025, 23:59 BST

·        Applications must be submitted via the Imperial College Jobs website under reference: NAT01920.

The Department of Physics is proud to be an IoP JUNO Practitioner and to hold an Athena SWAN Silver Award, recognising our ongoing commitment to fostering a supportive, inclusive, and high-achieving community. We strive to create a welcoming environment for everyone and have introduced a range of initiatives to encourage collaboration, inclusivity, and professional development.

We value the strength that comes from diverse perspectives and strongly encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from individuals who identify as female and those who consider themselves underrepresented in physics.

Imperial is committed to equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination, and creating an inclusive working environment for all. We welcome candidates irrespective of age, disability, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, sex, or sexual orientation.

For more on Imperial’s commitment to equity and support networks, please visit:

- Equality at Imperial: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/equality

- Imperial’s Diversity Networks: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/equality/staff-networks/