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The Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships provide career development opportunities for researchers with a proven record of research. The Fellowships are intended to assist those at a relatively early stage of their academic careers, and it is hoped that the appointment would lead to a more permanent position for the individual, either within the same or another institution. The objective is for Fellows to undertake a significant piece of publishable research during the tenure of the award, and the project put forward should therefore not be a reworking or a mere extension of the candidate’s doctoral research project.

Duration and expenses

The Trust will contribute 100% of each Fellow’s total salary costs in year one, up to a maximum of £50,000, and will then contribute 50% of the Fellow’s total salary costs, up to a maximum of £25,000, in years two and three, with the balance to be paid by the host institution. Annual research expenses of up to £6,000 will also be paid through this scheme. Fellowships are expected to last for three years on a full-time basis and should commence between 1 September 2022 and 1 May 2023.

Please see theÌýÌýfor more information.

Areas of research

Potential candidates should identify an academic who would support their application and agree to act as a mentor. The Constitution Unit Director and Deputy Director welcome approaches in the research areas indicated below (candidates are encouraged to explore their webpages for more detailed indications of their own previous research):

Professor Meg Russell

Professor Russell is Director of the Constitution Unit. She welcomes applicants wishing to conduct research in areas including British and comparative politics, in particularÌýparliaments and legislaturesÌý(organisation, policy impact, member behaviour, bicameralism, reform), political party organisation, andÌýconstitutions and constitutional reform.

Dr Alan Renwick

Dr Renwick is Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit. He welcomes applicants wishing to conduct research in areas includingÌýelectoral systems, electoral reform, referendums,Ìýdeliberative democratic institutions, democratic reforms and innovations, andÌýconstitutions and constitutional reform.

ResearchÌýat the Constitution Unit

The Constitution Unit is a politically neutral research centre based at University College London. We have over 25 years’ experience producing rigorous, timely and independent research on British political institutions, and have a close working relationship with policymakers, including representatives of all political parties. Our work has been influential in shaping various reforms.

In the last couple of years we have run major research projects such as theÌýCitizens’ Assembly on Brexit,ÌýOptions for an English Parliament, theÌýIndependent Commission on Referendums, andÌýWorking Group on Unification Referendums on the Island of Ireland, as well as projects onÌýimproving information and discourse in election and referendum campaigns in the UKÌý²¹²Ô»å theÌýimpact of the UK parliament on government legislation. Current research projects includeÌýBrexit, Parliament and the ConstitutionÌý²¹²Ô»å Democracy in the UK after Brexit.

The Constitution Unit is housed in the Department of Political Science at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø. The department's status as one of Britain's leading centres for research in Political Science was confirmed by theÌý2014 Research Excellence Framework exercise.ÌýThe department acts as the bridge between Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖÐÌØÍø's world-class research and the policy-making community in Britain and internationally. We have weekly seminars featuring distinguished external speakers and hold regular high-profile events for policy makers and others. Visit the department's website for details of other potential mentors covering a broader range of political science topics.

Application guidelines & eligibility

Applying is a multi-stage process.

First, you must find a prospective mentor who is willing in principle to support your application, and who can give feedback on a draft.

¶Ù±ð²¹»å±ô¾±²Ô±ð:ÌýPlease contact your preferred mentorÌýas soon as possible, briefly indicating your project topic and broad proposed approach, and providing details of your previous qualifications (with grades) and any relevant publications.ÌýIf your proposed mentor indicates support in principle for your project, you should then complete a full outline (see below). Your proposed mentor will be able to provide feedback on this if it is receivedÌýby 1 October 2021.

The Leverhulme Trust has a range of .ÌýYou should check whether you are eligible to apply before contacting your potential mentor – and confirm to them that you have done so.ÌýTo be eligible, candidates must have had (or expect to have) a successful PhD viva between 24ÌýFebruary 2018Ìý²¹²Ô»å 24ÌýFebruary 2022, with some allowances for career breaks.

Second, you apply to the department. You are required toÌýcomplete the online Leverhulme application form for this call, which means firstly creating a profile via theÌý. Until the online application form is open you can request from us a Word document of the application. You must then submit your application to the department byÌý25ÌýOctober 2021.

Third, if you are successful at the department level you will be invited to submit your application to the faculty for consideration.

Finally, if successful at the faculty level you will be invited to submit your proposal to the Leverhulme Trust by 24ÌýFebruary 2022.

If you are invited by your proposed mentor to submit aÌýdraft proposal, please do this in the format set out inÌýtheÌý.