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About the scheme

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 anyone whose university registration ended within the 12 months prior to 20 October 2024. The scheme is not open to those in the first year of their PhD).

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 a part-time option can be arranged if required. Successful applicants will complete their fellowship during 2024 with the start date to be agreed between the applicant, POST, the Nuffield Foundation and the applicant’s supervisor.

Who is eligible to apply?

The Nuffield Foundation POST Fellowship is open to any PhD student working in a social science (or natural science) field. They may be undertaking or have recently completed their PhD study. ‘Recently completed’ applies to anyone whose university registration ended within the 12 months prior to the publication of this call for applications. The scheme is not open to those in the first year of their PhD. 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.

Download the application guidance

Applicants should submit:

  • A completed online application form.
  • 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 but should not be on 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. We want you to use the briefing template and ensure your work is not identifiable in order to make the process as fair and unbiased as possible. Please see the application pack for the two-page briefing assessment and some tips for writing it.

Download the approval form

Download the two-page briefing template

Please email your two-page briefing and completed approval form to postfellowships@parliament.uk.

Applications will undergo an initial sift on the basis of two-page briefing.

The deadline for applications is 23:59, 20 October 2024. Interviews will be held in November 2024.

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 (download the application guidance).

You should speak directly to your university finance office if you have any questions about how the £8,000 grant may impact your personal finances.

Frequently asked questions

What is a POST fellowship? Who can apply for it? Who pays for it? We have put together a page with answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we get about POST fellowships.

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.

Photo by: Jessie Hsu via Unsplash

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