2024 Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship: Advancing Innovation

The Academy invites applications from early-career researchers worldwide who have obtained their PhD within the past four years. The program is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) and provides funding for a duration of five years. Each submission is limited to the Academy’s maximum contribution of £625,000 over five years, which covers 80% of total economic costs. Research Fellowships must be undertaken at a UK higher education institution/university or at a UK research organization eligible to receive funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The Royal Academy of Engineering offers Research Fellowships annually to exceptional early-career researchers, aiming to nurture them into future leaders in engineering research. The scheme aims to:

Assist early-career academics with building their independence and worldwide reputation.
Provide long-term funding for ambitious engineering research and impact initiatives.
Cultivate ambassadors for the Academy and advocate for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines.

Benefits:

Each submission is limited to the Academy’s maximum contribution of £625,000 over five years, which covers 80% of total economic costs.
Besides direct financial support, additional benefits of the scheme include:
- Mentorship from an Academy Fellow, offering guidance on research and career development.
- Reduction in teaching and administrative responsibilities to allocate more time to research.
- Training opportunities and access to additional funding.
- Networking prospects with other Research Fellows and Academy Fellows.
- Opportunity to establish a robust research track record, enhancing chances of securing further funding and expanding research teams.
- Membership in the RAEng Awardee Excellence Community.

Requirements:

Early-career researchers worldwide holding a PhD, which was conferred (or unconditionally approved) no more than four years before the submission deadline.
There are no restrictions based on nationality or age for applicants. However, Research Fellowships must be conducted at a UK higher education institution/university or a UK research organization eligible to receive funding from UKRI. The research project and researcher must be fully supported by a department capable of facilitating engineering-focused research. Moreover, the host institution must commit to providing the Research Fellow with all the support typically afforded to a permanent employee.
The host institution is responsible for obtaining all necessary work permits for Research Fellows, along with associated costs. Applications will be evaluated under the assumption that applicants have secured the required work permit in the UK.Top of Form

Selection Process

The selection process for the scheme consists of three stages:

Stage one:

Initial Review Each eligible application undergoes evaluation by three non-expert reviewers, who may be Academy Fellows or former Research Fellows. A sift panel comprising Academy Fellows then determines which applications proceed to the next stage.

Stage two:

Expert Review Selected applications are assessed by three expert reviewers with relevant expertise in the proposed research area. A shortlist panel then identifies the most competitive applications to advance to the final stage.

Stage three:

Interviews: Candidates participate in interviews conducted either online or at the Academy’s premises in London. Each interview, lasting 30 minutes, is conducted by a panel of four Academy Fellows and includes a five-minute presentation by the candidate. Following the interviews, the panel ranks the applications and selects the top candidates for awards.

The assessment criteria encompass the following areas: