Royal Academy of Engineering RAENG Research Chairs and Senior Research Fellowships. Now open. Apply below.
When is Application Deadline:
12th September 2024
Table of Contents
Tell Me About Award:
This scheme aims to strengthen the links between industry and academia. The scheme supports exceptional academics at UK higher education institutions/universities to undertake use-inspired research that meets the needs of the industrial sponsors.
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Funded by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), over the last 35 years, the Academy’s Research Chairs and Senior Fellowships scheme has successfully supported over 200 academic appointments and enhanced internationally renowned centres of excellence.
Awardees are expected to:
- establish or enhance a world leading engineering research group
- deliver ‘use-inspired’ research that meets the needs of their industrial sponsors
- disseminate the outcomes of their research for appropriate academic use
- become a self-sustaining research group by the end of the award (by securing substantial external grant income).
The Royal Academy of Engineering is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all under-represented groups across engineering. It is the Academy’s policy to ensure that no applicant is disadvantaged or receives less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We would like to support you to achieve a balance between your personal and work demands. We are happy to discuss individual requirements and consider part time and other flexible working arrangements.
Which Fields are Eligible?
The programme is designed to provide part of the funding for a collaboration between the applicant, their industrial sponsor, and their host institution. The Academy contribution’s is towards the applicant’s salary, indirect costs and estates. The host institution’s contribution could, or perhaps should, involve new academic staff positions, investment in facilities as well as PhD studentship support. The industry funding can be used flexibly to support the collaborative research project.
Awardees are expected to:
- establish or enhance a world-leading engineering research groupdeliver ‘use-inspired’ research that meets the needs of their industrial sponsorsdisseminate the outcomes of their research for appropriate academic usebecome a self-sustaining research group by the end of the award (by securing substantial external grant income).
Type:
Research, Grants (Fellowship)
Who can Apply?
Research Chairs are professorial appointments, so applicants should already be a professor or equivalent.
Senior Research Fellowships are senior academic appointments, so applicants should already be a Reader or Lecturer level or equivalent.
The applicant must have a permanent academic position or an unconditional offer of such a position. The host institution’s letter of support must make clear that they have offered a permanent position to the applicant stating the starting date. The permanent position must start before the award.
How are Applicants Selected?
Stage 1: expert review
The full application will be assessed by a minimum of three expert reviews (usually Academy Fellows). Expert reviewers will provide comments and score against each of the following assessment criteria, the overall quality of the application and a recommendation on whether they should proceed to interview.
- Quality of the applicant
- Quality of the collaborative research programme
- Strength of the strategic partnership
- Beneficiaries and impact
- Financial costing of the proposal
Sift panel:
The Academy staff will collate all reviewers’ comments and scores into a summary table, and rank the applications by overall score and the Yes/No recommendations. These are presented to the sift panel for a final decision on which applications should proceed to interview stage. Those applicants not asked to attend an interview will be informed of this decision as soon as possible following the sift panel’s decision.
Stage 2: interview
The interview will be conducted by a generalist panel consisting of at least three Academy Fellows. Each interview will take about 50 minutes. Panellists will provide comments against the assessment criteria outlined above.
The ranking of candidates during the preceding sift panels will have no bearing at interview. All interview candidates are considered to have equal standing. Following the interviews, the panel will rank the applications and select the top ranked candidates for awards.
Full details of the selection process are outlined in the Reviewer Guidance for Research Chairs and Senior Research Fellowships.
If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process, please contact the Research Team at [email protected] to discuss options.
Post-Award Guidance
The scheme provides funding for five years. Each application is capped at a maximum contribution from the Academy of £225,000 over the five-year period.
In addition to the direct financial support, the scheme benefits include:
- mentoring support from an Academy Fellow to offer independent expert advice and guidance on research related matters throughout the duration of the award
- training, events and additional funding opportunities
- reduction of teaching and administrative duties to enable the awardees to focus on delivering use-inspired research, that creates impact for their industrial sponsors
- networking opportunities with other awardees and Academy Fellows.
The awardee must submit an annual progress report to the Academy, which will be reviewed and evaluated by the assigned mentor. At the annual review meeting, the awardee, the host institution’s head of department/school, a representative of the industrial sponsor, the mentor, and a member of Academy staff will discuss progress and agree future plans.
Full details of the RAEng mentoring and reporting requirements are outlined in the Mentoring and Reporting Guidance for Research Chairs and Senior Research Fellowships.
Which Countries are Eligible?
International
How Many Awards?
Not specified
What is the Benefit of Award?
The scheme provides funding for five years. Each application is capped at a maximum contribution from the Academy of £225,000 over the five-year period.
In addition to the direct financial support, the scheme benefits include:
- mentoring support from an Academy Fellow to offer independent expert advice and guidance on research related matters throughout the duration of the award
- training, events and additional funding opportunities
- reduction of teaching and administrative duties to enable the awardees to focus on delivering use-inspired research, that creates impact for their industrial sponsors
- networking opportunities with other awardees and Academy Fellows.
How Long will Award Last?
The duration of an award is five years, on a full-time basis. Applications for shorter time periods will not be accepted.
The Academy wants to support applicants to achieve a balance between their personal and work demands and will consider individual requirements and part-time and other flexible working arrangements.
Extensions to the appointment are permitted. For eligibility and further details please contact the Research team.
How to Apply:
Visit Award Webpage for Details
