Royal Society Short Industry Fellowships September 2023
This scheme enables scientists employed in industry or academia and/or their postdoctoral researcher to have shorter more dynamic engagements between academia and industry, working on a mutually beneficial and collaborative project.
Opportunity Details
When
Registration Opens
31/08/2023
Registration Closes
26/10/2023
Award
The scheme provides the applicant’s and/or their postdoctoral researcher's basic salary while on secondment. The employing organisation continues to pay national insurance and pension contributions. Research expenses may be claimed up to a value of £1,000. Awards can be for a minimum of three months up to six months full-time, or pro rata (e.g. 12 months at 50%).
Organisation
Royal Society
The Short Industry Fellowship scheme is currently open to applications and will close at 3pm on Thursday 26 October.
- Short Industry and Industry Fellowship Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 137.9kb)
- Royal Society Conditions of Award (PDF, 238.8kb)
- Short_Industry_Fellowships_Scheme_Notes (PDF, 307.6kb)
Collaborations between academia and early-stage companies are particularly encouraged. It is anticipated that the personal and corporate links established by the researcher between the two sectors in the UK will seed longer-term collaborations and contribute to their long-term future development.
Secondments can be held for a period of between three and six months full time, or up to 12 months part time. For longer term collaborative projects between industry and academia, see the Industry Fellowship.
Am I eligible to apply?
Research must be within the Royal Society’s remit of natural sciences, which includes but is not limited to biological research, chemistry, engineering, mathematics and physics. For a full list, please see the breakdown of subject groups and areas supported by the Royal Society. The Royal Society does not cover clinical medicine (such as patient orientated research and clinical trials), social sciences or humanities, other than when working in partnership with organisations.
You can apply for this scheme if you:
- hold a PhD or are of equivalent standing in your profession
- hold a post in either a UK university, a not-for-profit research organisation or UK industry, which is either a permanent or fixed-term position with an end date after the expected end of the Short Industry Fellowship
Note that Royal Society-funded early career researchers, i.e. holders of a University Research Fellowship or a Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship, are not eligible for this scheme as they are encouraged to collaborate with industry partners as per the terms of their fellowships.
The applicant can request their postdoctoral researcher to work on the collaborative project at the partner organisation. Applicants in this instance must ensure their nominated postdoctoral researcher has sufficient tenure in their post to cover the duration of the fellowship. The applicant will be expected to lead the collaborative project.
We encourage applications involving small companies and/or early stage companies provided they have a well-established research team and facilities. Self-employed consultants are not eligible to apply as the industrial partner.
We also actively seek applicants from underrepresented groups to increase the diversity of our grant holders with a focus on improved gender balance, greater representation from BAME groups and wider UK institutional reach.
What is the scheme’s value and tenure?
The scheme provides the applicant’s and/or their postdoctoral researcher’s basic salary while on secondment. The employing organisation continues to pay national insurance and pension contributions.
Research expenses may be claimed up to a value of £1,000.
Awards can be for a minimum of three months or up to six months full-time or pro rata, i.e. could be held at 50% part-time for up to 12 months enabling fellows to maintain links with their employing institution more easily.