Early Career Research Fellowships at the University of Birmingham, UK (Fully Funded)

Applications are now open for the Centre-UB Early Career Research Fellowships at the University of Birmingham, UK. These 12-month fellowships (full-time, with part-time options up to 24 months) are designed for early-career researchers to advance their training and expertise in behavioural research focused on understanding human behaviour. Projects must align with the ESRC remit (Economic and Social Research Council – social sciences, including interdisciplinary work with at least 50% social science focus on behaviour, society, policy, economy, and related areas).

The fellowships are fully funded in terms of salary (appointed at University of Birmingham Grade 7 level or equivalent, with ESRC covering 80% of full economic costs) plus up to £10,000 for research expenses. There is no application fee. This is a competitive programme awarding 8 fellowships per cohort. A key requirement is co-developing your proposal with a non-academic partner organisation (e.g., government departments, regulators) for real-world impact. You can check out BS, MS, PhD and postdoc positions here.

Key Details:

• Degree Level: Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Host Institution: University of Birmingham, United Kingdom
• Fellowship Duration: 12 months full-time (or up to 24 months part-time)
• Open to All Nationalities
• No Application Fee
• Research Focus: Understanding human behaviour within ESRC social sciences remit
• Application Deadlines: Expression of Interest: 26 March 2026, 4:00 PM | Full Application: 6 May 2026, 4:00 PM

What This Fellowship Offers:

• Full salary coverage at a competitive postdoctoral level (Grade 7 equivalent at University of Birmingham)
• Up to £10,000 dedicated funding for research costs, travel, conferences, participant incentives, or project materials
• Opportunities to produce publications, build professional networks, and gain skills for future roles in academia, policy, government, or industry

Also Check: Postdoctoral Researcher Positions at University of Luxembourg

Eligible Research Areas:

• Psychology
• Behavioural Economics
• Sociology
• Social Policy
• Anthropology
• Political Science
• Criminology
• Law (behaviour-related)
• Education
• Environmental Behaviour / Climate Studies
• Health & Wellbeing Behaviour
• Management / Organisational Behaviour
• Public Administration & Policy
• Data Science / Computational Social Science (behavioural focus)
• Interdisciplinary Behavioural Studies

Also Check: Western Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Canada 2026 (Fully Funded)

Available Projects / Partner Focus Areas

All proposals must be co-developed with a non-academic partner. Here are the partners who have expressed interest (grouped by category; contact details on the Centre-UB website):

Government Policy & Public Services

• Cabinet Office — Migration and climate change
• Department for Business and Trade — Behavioural drivers of consumer markets, compliance, online choice architecture, smart data
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero — Behavioural insights for net-zero transitions and green technology adoption
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government — Behavioural research on abuse, migration, Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2, construction product reform
• Home Office (Digital Harms and Goods) — Digital surveillance, ‘honour’-based abuse, stalking
• Home Office (Systems Thinking) — Topics including ‘honour’-based abuse, criminalising FGM, migrant motivations
• Ministry of Justice — Designing for trust, clarity, and better decision-making in justice services

Also Check: Postdoctoral Researchers at SGC Toronto, Canada – Target 2035 Fellows

Regulation, Safety & Public Trust

• Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) — Environmental claims, digital tools, AI, psychological harms in products/services
• Office for Statistics Regulation — Trust in, use of, and misuse of statistics
• Food Standards Agency — Behavioural interventions to reduce foodborne illness

Also Check: HIAS Postdoc Fellowships in Germany 2027-2028 (Fully Funded)

Environment, Climate & Land Use

• Environment Agency — Business responses to environmental regulation, flood preparedness
• Met Office — Effective weather and climate warnings/communications
• The James Hutton Institute — Pro-environmental behaviour (interdisciplinary)
• Forest Research — Land management, forestry, climate resilience behaviours

Safety, Justice & Security

• National Police Chiefs’ Council — Violence against women/girls, technology-facilitated harm; trauma-informed training for domestic violence responders
• QinetiQ — Human behaviour, resilience, influence in defence/security

Health, Wellbeing & Innovation

• Youmi — AI-enabled behavioural/digital mental-health support for carers
• Curium Solutions — Leadership and trust in AI-enabled workplaces
• Therapeutic Productions CIC — Arts-based mental-health interventions (especially ethnic minority communities)

These partner ideas give concrete starting points—reach out to discuss and co-develop your proposal!

Also Check: Newton International Fellowship 2026 (Fully Funded)

Eligibility Criteria:

• Recent PhD award (or near completion)
• PhD from a UK research organisation. International PhD holders may qualify if aligned with rules (check ESRC guidelines for details)
• Early-career stage (limited prior postdoctoral experience as PI on major grants)
• Proposal must fit ESRC remit and be co-developed with a listed or suitable non-academic partner
• Strong preference for behavioural research background

Also Check: KWI International Fellowships 2026 – Fully Funded

How to Apply

1. Visit the Centre-UB fellowships page (Check the link Below)
2. Review partners and contact one (details at Here) to co-develop your idea
3. Submit Expression of Interest by 26 March 2026, 4:00 PM (online form)
4. If invited, submit full application by 6 May 2026, 4:00 PM
5. Successful applicants join as fellows at the University of Birmingham

Also Check: HIAS Postdoc Fellowships in Germany 2027-2028 (Fully Funded)