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Churchill College, Fitzwilliam College, Murray Edwards College, Selwyn College and Trinity Hall: Joint Application Scheme for Junior Research Fellowships 2010
The five Colleges invite applications for Junior Research Fellowships which will normally be tenable for three years from 1st October 2010. Fellowships are open to graduates, women and men, of any university who have recently completed their doctorate or are close to completion. The function of these Fellowships is as initial (normally) post-doctoral positions appropriate to the start of an academic career.
Eleven Fellowships are offered by the five colleges. Candidates are advised that competition is likely to be intense; last year over 700 applications were received.
Candidates are warned that they are responsible for checking their eligibility to take up the post under UK immigration rules.
The administration of the Scheme is conducted by the Fellowship Secretary at Churchill College. Please note that Churchill College is closed during the annual closedown period from 24 December 2009 to 4 January 2010.
Further particulars
Fellowships at Churchill College| Number: |
One stipendiary and one non-stipendiary Fellowship in the following arts subjects: Anglo-Saxon, Classics, Education, English, Linguistics, Modern and Medieval Languages (MML) and Music. One stipendiary and one non-stipendiary Fellowship in the sciences. One Raymond and Beverley Sackler Research Fellowship, non-stipendiary, non-residential, open to postdoctoral research workers employed in the Schools of Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Clinical Medicine, and Technology of the University of Cambridge in the fields of medical and exact sciences, and who are aged 35 and under at the time of application. |
| Entitlements: |
The stipendiary Research Fellows will receive a stipend at point 34 on the Cambridge University single spine, equating to £23,449 p.a. (under review), if post-PhD. If pre-PhD the stipend is reduced by 10%. The stipend is pensionable. Stipendiary and non-stipendiary Junior Research Fellows will receive a housing allowance of £3,200 p.a. Accommodation may be available in College, where there are a large number of flats and sets ranging in size and rent, and including family flats, but the allowance may also be used to offset the cost of accommodation outside College. If living out of College, research space will be provided in College, subject to availability. The Raymond and Beverley Sackler non-stipendiary research fellowship does not entitle the holder to accommodation in College or a housing allowance. All Junior Research Fellows in Churchill College are members of the Senior Combination Room, giving them access to social and sports facilities. There is an active social programme and the Research Fellows have generous dining entitlements. |
| Number: |
One stipendiary Fellowship in one of the following subjects: Computer Science; Economics; History; Management Studies; Mathematics; Music; Physical Sciences, including Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. |
| Entitlements: |
Stipends are reviewed at the same time as University stipends and are normally increased in line with increases in Cambridge University academic salaries generally. The current pensionable rates are: pre-PhD £17,026 — £19,645 / post PhD £18,550 — £20,834, with an additional allowance, which is currently £3,050, for any Research Fellow not resident in College. These will increase, with retrospective effect to 1 August 2009, when the 2009 cost of living award is known. A stipendiary Fellow already holding an award from another organisation, such as a Research Council or similar body, will be paid a stipend from the date such an award expires. The College has established a Scheme under which a Fellow may apply to the College for a loan to assist with house purchase. An annual allowance of £500 is provided for each Fellow to be used for academic purposes including the purchase of books, computing equipment or attendance at conferences. In addition, The Fitzwilliam Society Trust has established a fund from which grants may be made to assist with certain approved research expenses which are not covered by departmental, faculty or other sources. Rent free accommodation may be provided in College for a single person if it is available. There is a small charge to cover services. Study facilities are made available to a non-resident Research Fellow. A Research Fellow is a full member of the Governing Body and is entitled to all meals at College expense when the kitchens are open. |
| Number: |
One Stipendiary Fellowship in the Arts; one Non-Stipendiary Fellowship in the Sciences. |
| Stipend: |
The current pensionable stipend for a post-PhD Research Fellow commences at £18,032 and rises to £20,583 in the third year. The initial stipend for a Fellow still working on a PhD is £16,788 rising to £19,275. Research Fellows may be offered subsidised accommodation in College, subject to availability. Research Fellows on Muuray Edwards College stipends or below are entitled to all ordinary meals in College at no charge. Stipends are reviewed annually. |
| Murray Edwards College is the trading name of New Hall. |
| Number: |
One stipendiary Fellowship in any science subject (including Natural Sciences, Medical Sciences, Mathematics or Engineering). |
| Stipend/Entitlements: |
The initial pensionable stipend for a Research Fellow with a PhD (and who does not already have a salaried position) will correspond to the first step of an incremental scale, currently £17,328-£18,091-£18,856. The non-incremental stipend for a Research Fellow without a PhD is currently £15,436. Accommodation in College is provided for a single Fellow, for which a charge (currently £99 p.a.) is made. College flats, for which a normal economic rent is charged, may be available for married Research Fellows. Research Fellows enjoy the same privileges as other Fellows, which include seven free meals at the High Table per week, and small allowances for travel and other expenses incurred by Fellows in connection with their research. They are also eligible to join the College's private health care scheme, the College paying 50% of the annual premium. |
| Number: |
One stipendiary Fellowship in Arts and Social Sciences subjects. One stipendiary Fellowship in Science subjects (including Mathematics, Medicine and Engineering). |
| Stipends: |
The current pensionable stipend of post-PhD Research Fellows in their first year is £20,301 (pre-PhD £17,996) if resident in College. The stipend may be subject to reduction, or the Fellowship may become fully non-stipendiary, if financial support is received from another source. An additional allowance of £2,000 per annum (under review) is paid to any Research Fellow not resident in College. Stipends are reviewed annually and are normally increased in line with increases in Cambridge University academic salaries generally, although the College is not tied to University scales for Research Fellows. College accommodation is rent free. Unfortunately no accommodation is available for Research Fellows with children. |
Non-stipendiary Fellowships
There is no separate procedure for non-stipendiary Fellowships. All candidates are considered on academic merit alone. In the event of an offer of a non-stipendiary Fellowship the college offering will discuss individual circumstances with the candidate.
Procedure
The following procedure is followed by the Colleges in processing applications:
- Application form, references, and statement of research are reviewed by all five colleges and a proportion selected for detailed assessment.
- Candidates who pass the first stage are invited to submit written material, (typically an extract from a doctoral thesis and an academic publication), for assessment.
- Written material is sent to two independent academic experts for detailed assessment. Reports are shared between Colleges.
- Colleges rank candidates on the basis of assessors' reports. [Fitzwilliam College, Murray Edwards College, Selwyn College and Trinity Hall will call some of the top-ranking candidates for interview in the week beginning 8 March 2010.]
- Final decisions are made, and successful candidates notified, by end March 2010.
- In the case of the non-stipendiary Fellowships at Churchill College, the most successful candidate will be given some time (up to a month if necessary) to decide whether to accept; if declined it will be offered to the next candidate in rank order.
Timetable
| 22nd November 2009: | Closing date for applications |
| Week commencing 11th January 2010: | Candidates who have passed the first stage will be invited to submit written material for assessment |
| 21st January 2010: | Last date for receipt of written work |
| Week commencing 8th March 2010: |
Interviews:
Fitzwilliam College: 10th March Murray Edwards College: w/c 8th March Selwyn College: 12th March Trinity Hall: 10th and 12th March |
| 13th March 2010: | Election of 1st place candidates |
Written material for assessment
Those candidates whose applications reach the second stage of the competition will be invited to submit written work in mid-January. As the time available between candidates being invited to submit written work and the date for its receipt is limited, candidates are advised to note the following paragraph at this stage and have written work readily accessible. If candidates anticipate being overseas when the shortlist is announced, they might consider lodging their written work with a colleague.
The Colleges are concerned with the quality, rather than quantity, of the work submitted but, in order that an informed assessment may be made, it is important that sufficient material should be available. The work for submission to external assessors should be no more than 20,000 words (or about one quarter the length of a PhD thesis). If the submission includes an extract from a PhD thesis, candidates are advised to provide in addition a synopsis of the complete work. Candidates are encouraged to include a paper prepared for publication in an academic journal.
Submitted work should normally be in English but if candidates intend to submit work in a foreign language, they should give notice by indicating this on the Application Form where they enter the title of the work.
The closing date for the receipt of written work will be Thursday 21st January 2010.
Information required from applicants
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Completed application:
All application materials are to be submitted via the Joint Application Scheme for Junior Research Fellowships online application system, which will be live from 21st October 2009 — 22nd November 2009.
You can now apply using the online application system.
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Statement of research:
The statement of research should be not more than 1,000 words outlining the work candidates would submit in support of their applications, if requested, and the research they propose to do if elected. Please note that it will be read by people outside as well as within the candidate's own discipline and should therefore be intelligible to scholars in other subjects. The electors give significant weight to the proposal for future work as well as to the outline of work so far achieved. Candidates should satisfy themselves that the facilities necessary for their proposed research would be available to them in Cambridge. Those applying for experimental subjects will need to obtain support from relevant departments for lab space, etc.
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Equal Opportunities monitoring form.
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Two references:
Candidates are required to arrange for references by two independent referees to be submitted using the online system prior to the closing date. It is recommended that references are requested from people both of whom are familiar with the candidate's research work. One of these should normally be the supervisor. Please note that no more than two referees' reports are required and any further reports will be disregarded.
Closing date is Sunday 22nd November 2009.
Address
The administration of the Scheme is conducted from Churchill College and the Fellowship Secretary can normally be contacted on tel: (01223 336190), e-mail: jrf@chu.cam.ac.uk. Postal address: Fellowship Secretary, Churchill College, Storey's Way, Cambridge CB3 0DS.
Office hours are normally 09:00 to 15:00. An answering machine will be in operation outside office hours and when the office is unattended. Churchill College is closed during the annual closedown period from 24th December 2009 to 4th January 2010.
Withdrawal of candidature
Please be sure to let us know if you wish to withdraw your candidature at any stage, e.g. if you accept the offer of a post elsewhere.
