Timeline:
EOI deadline: 5th May 2026, 10:00 BST
Internal selection outcome: mid-May 2026
Submission to funder: 21 July 2026, 15:00 BST
The School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography (SAME) invites expressions of interest (EOIs) for an internal selection process for the Wellcome Trust Early-Career Award scheme. This scheme supports early-career researchers from any discipline to develop their research identity through innovative projects that advance understanding of human life, health and wellbeing.
Scheme overview: The Wellcome Early-Career Award aims to support researchers to establish an independent research identity, develop innovative and high-quality research programmes, and build towards leading their own research programme.
Duration: usually up to 5 years
Funding: salary + up to £400,000 research expenses
Scope: open to all disciplines, provided research has potential to improve human life, health and wellbeing
The award is flexible and may be held on a part-time basis where appropriate.
SAME internal selection – EOI stage – deadline 10:00 am on 5th May 2026
EOIs should be submitted by email to: research@anthro.ox.ac.uk. For informal enquiries, please contact the same address. Given the competitive nature of this scheme, SAME will run an internal selection process. We expect to support up to one application to ensure high-quality submissions.
Eligibility (please confirm you meet these criteria in your cover email):
Applicants should:
• hold a PhD or equivalent research experience
• have typically no more than 3 years of postdoctoral experience (allowing for career breaks) from date of viva voce
• be ready to lead an independent research project
Expression of Interest:
Please submit a Word document (font size 11, Arial) by the deadline. EOIs should consist of the following:
- Project summary (max. 200 words)
(summary of proposed research, key aims, and significance for an expert audience)
- Research vision (max. 2–3 pages or maximum 3,000 words)
(research questions and aims; significance and originality; background; approach and methods; feasibility; key stages, milestones, and locations of activity)
- Applicant profile (max. 2 pages)
(career history; key achievements; research outputs; funding to date)
- Research contributions (max. 1 page)
(key contributions to knowledge; up to 10 outputs with brief statements of significance and your role)
- Wider contributions to the research community (max. 250 words)
(teaching, collaboration, peer review, knowledge exchange, or community engagement)
- Research environment and support (max. 300 words)
(fit with host environment; how this will support development of research identity and independence)
- Sponsor and mentor (max 200 words)
(identify proposed sponsor and mentor, and outline their role in supporting your development)
- Outputs management and sharing (max. 500 words)
(how research outputs, data, and intellectual property will be managed, shared, and used to maximise benefit)
- Resources and indicative budget (max. 500 words)
(overview of research costs and justification based on available research expenses; no detailed costing required at this stage)
