NINE DTP postdoctoral fellowships are aimed at those in the immediate postdoctoral stage of their career, to provide an opportunity to consolidate their PhD through developing publications, expanding networks, and enhancing their research and professional skills.

Fellowships must be aligned to an accredited DTP subject area, or 'Pathway'. See the NINE DTP Pathway table for participating departments.

Full details about the fellowship scheme can be found on the ESRC’s Call Specification and FAQs available in the download column on the right side of this page.

Fellowship purpose

Unlike some postdoctoral fellowships, this scheme is designed to help recent PhDs consolidate their recently completed doctoral work, e.g. through developing publications, establishing networks, and implementing impact-orientated activities (see the Call Specification for a more extensive list of potential ‘consolidation’ activities). Fellows may devote a maximum of 25 percent of their time to new research.

Eligibility

Applicants must have received their PhD from a UK Research Organisation. Specifically, they must have had their viva (and either passed or passed with minor revisions) no later than 25 March 2025. They also may have had no more than 12 months of postdoctoral research experience, measured from the applicant’s viva voce pass date to the application deadline of 25 March 2025.  Successful candidates must also meet conditions for employment at the university where they will be carrying out their fellowship, as well as securing a valid visa or work permit, if required.

Mentoring

A key component of the fellowship is mentorship from a permanent member of staff at the institution hosting the postdoctoral fellowship (this can be any of the seven institutions within NINE DTP). To identify a potential mentor, in addition to perusing department webpages, you may wish to consult relevant pathway leads at the institution(s) you are considering. Pathway leads can be identified via our Pathways page.

Benefits

This one-year (two-year if part-time) fellowship provides salary (generally at Point 30 on the national Higher Education pay-scale, set at £37,999 for 2024-25). In addition, fellows may budget £10,000 for other costs including mentoring costs, travel and subsistence, conference attendance, training, and fieldwork.

Applications

Applications must include:

• Application form
• Case for support
• Justification of resources (budget justification)
• CV
• List of publications (references from case for support)
• Head of department statement
• Mentor statement and summary CV
• Referee statement
• Workplan
• Data management plan
• Data sharing consent form
• Equal opportunities monitoring form (submitted separately, online)

Further instructions on each of these components can be found in the ESRC Call Specification.

Applications must be submitted as a single PDF file to the department at the university you are applying to by 4pm (UK time) on 10 March 2025.

Departments will then have 2 weeks to make eligibility and quality checks. As per NINE DTP procedures, the department (NOT the candidate) will submit your application to NINE DTP in advance of the closing date for proposals: 25 March 2025. No further edits or additions will be permitted after this point.

Assessment

Applications will be assessed according to six criteria (each of which is described further in the ESRC Call Specification):

• Quality of work programme
• Value for money
• Mentoring arrangements
• Impact and outputs
• Consideration of ethical issues
• Data management plans

An initial panel, consisting of pathway leads from the institution at which you are hoping to undertake your placement, will use these criteria as well as a seventh criterion of ‘overall assessment’ to select a shortlist to forward on to the NINE DTP fellowship panel. The NINE DTP panel – the seven NINE DTP directors – with further input from external reviewers as well as a university impact officer, will then announce outcomes in June 2025. We anticipate making a minimum of four awards across NINE DTP.