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Overview

The (ERF), funded by STFC, enables early-career researchers to establish independent research careers in the STFC core science areas.

The scheme provides funding for up to 5 years to support ambitious scientific research at UK institutions. Funding covers salary, the costs of personal travel and some minor equipment costs. Fellows who have returned from a career break may also use funds applied for retraining and updating their skills where this has been justified in the context of the proposed research project.

All applications must be supported by a participating Imperial department. There is an internal selection process that applicants must follow, with a deadline well before STFC's final application date. 

Eligibility

You must hold a PhD or have relevant experience at the time of applying for an ERF. Ernest Rutherford Fellowships are intended for early career researchers who do not hold a tenured academic position at lecturer level. If you secure an academic position at lecturer level prior to the offer of a fellowship, you will be ineligible to hold the fellowship.

You should not apply if you hold, or have ever held:

• a permanent position at lecturer level (or the equivalent in an institution other than a university) that includes setting up a group and conducting your own research
• an equivalent competitive fellowship that allows you to establish an independent research group, and therefore independent researcher status
• a tenured academic post

Your proposed project must afford scope for original work and align to STFC strategic objectives and core business areas:

• astronomy, solar and planetary science
• particle physics
• particle astrophysics
• nuclear physics
• accelerator science
• computational science
• quantum technologies

If you are unsure if your research falls under STFC’s remit, please email fellowships@stfc.ukri.org

How to apply - deadline 1 June 2026

The Departments of Physics and Earth Science and Engineering are participating in the 2026 ERF cycle and have internal processes that must be followed.

Selected candidates will be ratified centrally by Imperial's Research Advisory Group and supported to develop their application for the funder's deadline.  

Department of Physics

Applicants should complete the department's Expression of Interest (EOI) form, including their CV and publication list, and email it to physics-fellowships@imperial.ac.uk by 1 June 2026, copying in the proposed sponsor. Further details on the department's Fellowships webpage.

Department of Earth Science and Engineering

Prospective applicants are encouraged to begin early discussions with a suitable academic sponsor within ESE to develop a strong proposal.

Applicants should submit a notification of intent (NOI) containing their name, research proposal title and proposed sponsor name to researchfellowships@imperial.ac.uk by 1 June 2026. This is mandatory but will not be assessed. The information will be used to plan the application assessment.

Applicants should then submit a completed , CV and publications list to ese-fellowships@imperial.ac.uk by 1 July 2026 for internal checks and ranking. EOIs submitted without a prior notification of intent will be rejected.