This scheme offers holders the opportunity to:
- hold appointments on a part-time basis or convert from full-time to part-time and back again to help match work and other commitments, such as parental or caring responsibilities etc.
- claim back time spent deferring the fellowship and/or working part-time at the end of the fellowship.
- claim some funds for family support where these can be justified on scientific grounds, e.g. the cost of child care during a conference or collaborative visit abroad (those funds can be applied for during the Fellowship).
Eligibility requirements
The scheme covers all areas of the life and physical sciences, including engineering, but excluding clinical medicine.
Applicants must be able to demonstrate a current need for flexible support due to personal circumstances at the time of application. This can include current parenting or caring responsibilities (such as raising children or looking after ageing or seriously ill family members), clinically diagnosed health issues or other personal circumstances that create a need for a flexible working pattern. Please contact the grants team if you would like clarification on whether you meet this eligibility requirement.
The applicant must also:
- be at an early stage of their career (have completed their PhD but have no more than 6 years of research experience post PhD by the closing date of the round, 18 January 2012)
- not hold a permanent post in a university or not-for-profit organisation in the European Economic Area (EEA) or in Switzerland.
- be a citizen of the EEA or a be a Swiss citizen (or have a relevant connection to the EEA or Switzerland)
The European Economic Area (EEA) consists of the European Union (including the UK) plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
Applicants should ensure that they meet all the eligibility requirements, which are explained in the scheme notes (PDF).
Value and tenure
The scheme provides funding to cover the applicant’s salary costs, estates costs and indirect costs for a maximum of 5 years. Under the full economic costing model, 80% of these costs will be met by the Royal Society. Research expenses (up to £13,000 for the first year and up to £11,000 annually thereafter) will also be provided. The basic salary requested should be at a level commensurate with the applicant’s skills, responsibilities, expertise and experience, up to a maximum of £37,555. Please note this only relates to the Society’s contribution. Should the University wish to increase the salary of the researcher above what is outlined below, they are free to do so at their discretion, however any additional costs must be borne by the University.
An annual spine point increase of 3% may be applied to the salary.
No indexation should be applied to the salary; the Society will apply an annual inflationary increase to the salary of successful awards. The level of inflation applied will be determined by HM Treasury’s GDP deflator. This will be reviewed on an annual basis and the value of awards amended in line with increases or decreases in the GDP deflator
Application process
Applications are initially reviewed and then shortlisted by members of Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship Selection Panel . Applicants are notified if they have reached the shortlisting stage by early April.
The shortlisted proposals are reviewed by two independent referees suggested by the panel members The final decision is made at a meeting of the panel in June, and applicants are notified of the result by the end of June.