Entries open for Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship Programme (UK)

Deadline: 29-Oct-2026

The Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship provides long-term support for early career scientists who require flexible working arrangements while developing an independent research career in the natural sciences. The fellowship offers an eight-year term and up to £1,907,400 in funding, enabling talented researchers to pursue independent research, develop innovative ideas and establish themselves as leaders in their fields. Alongside substantial research funding, fellows receive tailored career development, mentoring and engagement opportunities and become part of a supportive community of research fellows.

About the Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship

The Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship is designed for talented early career scientists who are ready to take an important step towards research independence but require a flexible working pattern. The scheme recognizes that researchers may need flexibility while establishing their careers and provides a long-term fellowship structure to support independent research. The fellowship enables successful candidates to: - Develop an independent research programme. - Pursue innovative research questions. - Build research leadership skills. - Develop as leaders in their field. - Access tailored career development. - Receive mentoring. - Participate in engagement opportunities. - Become part of a supportive research-fellow community. Fellowship Duration and Funding The Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship provides support for: Eight years

The maximum available funding is:

£1,907,400 The long fellowship period is designed to provide researchers with sufficient time and stability to establish an independent research career and develop their research programme. Research Focus Research proposed under the fellowship must fall within the Royal Society’s remit of natural sciences. Applicants should therefore ensure that their proposed research fits within the relevant natural science disciplines covered by the Royal Society. The fellowship gives researchers the freedom to pursue innovative research questions while developing their own independent research direction. Who Can Apply? The fellowship is intended for scientists at an early stage of their postdoctoral research career.

Applicants must have:

- Completed a PhD, or equivalent qualification. - No more than six years of actual research experience since completing their PhD by the closing date, taking career breaks into account. - An appropriate research programme within the Royal Society’s natural sciences remit. The six-year research experience requirement is designed to account for genuine career interruptions and breaks. Career Breaks Are Taken Into Account The eligibility rules recognize that researchers may have taken career breaks. The relevant research experience calculation therefore takes career breaks into account rather than simply relying on the number of calendar years since the PhD. Applicants should carefully consider their actual research experience when determining whether they meet the early-career requirement. Employment and Fellowship Restrictions

Applicants must not already hold:

- A permanent post, or - An equivalent fellowship that allows them to act as an independent group leader. The fellowship is intended to provide an opportunity for researchers who are still progressing towards research independence. Applicants who already have a permanent independent research position or equivalent independent group-leader fellowship are therefore outside the intended eligibility requirements. Independent Research Career A central objective of the Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship is to help researchers take the first step towards an independent research career. The fellowship provides researchers with the opportunity to develop their own research questions and establish themselves as independent scientific leaders. This can be particularly valuable for talented scientists who require a flexible working pattern while progressing towards research independence. Career Development and Mentoring Financial support is only one part of the fellowship.

Successful fellows also benefit from:

- Tailored career development. - Mentoring. - Engagement opportunities. - A supportive community of research fellows. These additional opportunities are intended to help fellows develop both their research capabilities and broader leadership skills. Supportive Research Community Dorothy Hodgkin Fellows become part of a wider community of research fellows. This community provides an environment where researchers can connect with peers, share experiences and benefit from a broader research network. The fellowship therefore combines independent research with opportunities for professional development and engagement. Innovative Research Opportunities The fellowship gives recipients the freedom to pursue innovative research questions within the Royal Society’s natural sciences remit. Applicants should demonstrate a clear research direction and explain the significance of the questions they intend to investigate. The long-term nature of the fellowship allows successful researchers to develop their programme over an extended period. Flexible Working Flexibility is a defining feature of the Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship. The scheme is specifically designed for early career scientists who require flexible working patterns. This makes the fellowship particularly relevant to researchers whose career development requires flexibility while they establish independent research programmes. Application and Selection Process Applications go through several stages of assessment.

The process includes:

- Eligibility checks. - Panel assessment. - Independent peer review. - Interviews for shortlisted candidates. Candidates should therefore prepare both a strong research proposal and a clear case for their potential to develop an independent research career.

Eligibility Checks

Applications are first assessed to determine whether applicants meet the fellowship’s