Independent Research Fellowships in Biochemistry

The Department of Biochemistry at the University of Cambridge invites applications to a programme supporting early career researchers who aspire to establish their own independent research groups through externally funded fellowships. The programme provides dedicated support throughout the Fellowship application process. Applicants whose Fellowship proposals are successful in receiving external funding will receive laboratory/office space and a competitive start-up package, enabling them to build an independent research group and progress to the next stage of their career beyond the Fellowship.

The Department has more than 30 research groups and our mission is to decipher the molecular principles of life using a broad set of technologies applied across evolution.

We are particularly interested in receiving applications from junior researchers with an interest in:

Chemical biology and drug design
Disease biology
DNA and chromatin biology
Molecular microbiology
Plant biochemistry and bioenergy
RNA biology
Signalling and trafficking
Systems biology

We offer a dynamic environment where our research programmes benefit from state-of-the-art facilities in structural biology, bioinformatics, biophysics, cryo-EM, protein analysis, and biological mass spectrometry, with complementary facilities housed in neighbouring departments and institutes within the School of Biological Sciences.

If you are interested in obtaining more specific advice about the Department and our fellows, please email fellows@bioc.cam.ac.uk and we will put you in touch with a faculty member in a similar field.

To Apply

To make an application, please email fellows@bioc.cam.ac.uk by 5 pm on Friday 25th September 2026 with the following:

• A CV including a list of publications (highlighting the three publications that you consider to be most significant)
• Two references sent directly to fellows@bioc.cam.ac.uk
• A two-page outline of your intended research programme
• A statement of why you would like to work in the Department
• A brief outline of the facilities you would need if your Fellowship application was successful

Informal enquiries can also be sent to: fellows@bioc.cam.ac.uk

Shortlisted applicants will be informed by mid-October and will be invited to the Department to give a seminar in early December.

Successful candidates will be offered comprehensive mentoring support for the preparation of their Fellowship application.

The University of Cambridge is committed, in its pursuit of academic excellence, to equality of opportunity and to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality, which supports and encourages all under-represented groups, promotes an inclusive culture, and values diversity.

Target fellowship schemes include:
Royal Society University Research Fellowships
Wellcome Trust Career Development Awards
MRC Career Development Award
Daphne Jackson Fellowship (career re-entry scheme)