Applications for the Norman Lockyer and RAS Research Fellowships

Applications for the Norman Lockyer and RAS Research Fellowships

The RAS funds several schemes for promising young scientists to be employed as Research Fellows at UK universities. This page holds details for the Norman Lockyer and RAS Research Fellowships, which are similar in many respects. There is also a separate RAS-Daphne Jackson Fellowship scheme.

Not every fellowship is available every year. If more than one fellowship is available at the same time, it is possible to apply for them separately or several simultaneously. A call for applications is issued each time a vacancy arises, including the deadline for receipt of applications.

Applications for this year are currently closed. Please check back here in early autumn for details of how to apply for next year's Fellowships.

Conditions for both Fellowships

Applicants may be of any nationality, however, employment will be through the host institution. The applicant is therefore asked to indicate their UK residency status so it can be confirmed that they will be able to work at the institution concerned.

The fellowships are awarded for a period of up to three years beginning on 1 October in the year of the award (or within 6 months thereafter).

The award is in the form of a grant to the institution at which the fellow is based. The RAS will fund only directly incurred costs, and not overheads (including bench fees or 'full economic costs'). Applications must be certified by an authorised person at the host institution, confirming acceptance of this condition.

An additional £2,000 per annum may be claimed for costs incurred in attending meetings and conferences or for other items related to the research. The RAS will also meet the cost of Employers National Insurance contributions and make an additional payment, where appropriate, to a Fellow's personal pension plan.

Norman Lockyer Fellowships

The Norman Lockyer Fellowship is awarded to enable an outstanding researcher to devote the majority of their time to research on an astronomical topic, including solar system and planetary science. They are named after Sir Norman Lockyer (1836-1920), pioneering solar astronomer and discoverer of helium.

The fellowship is available every three years, with applications sought in the years 2016, 2019, 2022 etc. for fellowships starting in the following year.

The fellowship is open to those who hold a doctorate from a recognized institution of higher education at the time of taking up the award. Applicants must normally be 30 years of age or younger on 1 October of the year of appointment. Exceptions to the age limit may be made only in cases of e.g. maternity leave, career breaks, serious illness etc. Please enquire before applying.

The RAS pays fellowship salaries on the UCU single pay spine from points 30 to 36 inclusive. In addition to the salary we will accept claims for National Insurance at normal rates and the employer pension contribution at 16% of the salary. We will also reimburse sums up to £2000 per year for travel and incidental expenses , if claimed with justification. If the host university, as employer, wishes to pay at spine points above 36, that extra expenditure must be found from their own funds.

RAS Research Fellowships

The purpose of the RAS Research Fellowships is to enable outstanding candidates to pursue research in the UK in the disciplines advanced by the RAS i.e. astronomy, solar system science, geophysics and closely related branches of these sciences.

The RAS has funded at least one RAS Research Fellowship each year since 2010. Applications are generally due each autumn for positions starting in the following year.

Applicants must either:

• Hold a recognized PhD degree or equivalent obtained after 1 October five years before the start of the fellowship (e.g. 1 October 2012 if applying in 2016 for a fellowship begining in 2017), or
• have taken the PhD viva voce examination by the application deadline and expect to be awarded the PhD degree before the Fellowship start date.

Exceptions to these limits may be made only in cases of e.g. maternity leave, career breaks, serious illness etc. Please enquire before applying.

Only one RAS Research Fellowship may be held in the same university (as listed by UCAS) at any one time. See below for details of current RAS Research Fellows.

The RAS pays fellowship salaries on the UCU single pay spine from points 30 to 36 inclusive. In addition to the salary we will accept claims for National Insurance at normal rates and the employer pension contribution at 16% of the salary. We will also reimburse sums up to £2000 per year for travel and incidental expenses , if claimed with justification. If the host university, as employer, wishes to pay at spine points above 36, that extra expenditure must be found from their own funds.

Current and Past RAS Research Fellows

Current and Past Norman Lockyer Fellows