Fellowship placement opportunities
Fellowship policy placements are organised by NERC in collaboration with a policy-making body, for example a government department, devolved administration or agency. The applicant applies for the position, which will be for a fixed term and on a specified topic. The placement is jointly funded by NERC and the partner organisation on a 50:50 basis, with the exception of NGOs, who are asked to provide 25% of the funding.
Eligibility
Normally the fellowship will be taken up by those in early to mid-career, that is, those researchers having been involved in research for 5-10 years after completing their PhD, or policy makers with at least 2 years experience. In exceptional circumstances, we may appoint a more experienced applicant.
Sabbatical arrangements available to the applicant will not count towards the fellowship period, but could add value to it, before or after.
Duration
The minimum period for a fellowship will be three months and the maximum a year. Some flexibility may be negotiated on the proportion of time devoted to the award. Shorter awards are expected to be full-time.
Location
Placement fellows will normally be expected to spend at least 50 per cent of the placement in the partner organisation's offices, although some work might require time to be spent at other locations in the UK or abroad.
Conditions of work
All placement fellows must adhere to their employer's and the host organisation's requirements of independence from political or commercial interest through the placement. Fellows will need to give undertakings to respect a confidentiality agreement, specifying that data on policy advice and internal debate will not be disclosed without prior written agreement of the partner organisation.
Funding arrangements
During the placement, the fellow will remain employed by her/his institution. All agreed costs for the fellows will be shared equally by NERC and the partner organisation.
Management and supervision
The partner organisation will nominate a supervisor to whom the fellow will report. NERC will nominate a contact person (within the Knowledge Exchange (KE) group at Swindon) who should be actively informed about the progress of the placement.
Fellowship placement - current opportunities
Details of a new policy placement secondment opportunity based within Defra's Atmosphere & Local Environment (ALE) programme are available below. The fellowship will provide a technical lead for air quality modelling. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 8 February 2012.
Ecosystem services and flood and coastal risk management (84KB)Technical lead for Defra's atmospheric modelling
Posted 17 January 2012
Fellowship placement - previous opportunities
Details of two new policy placement secondment opportunities, to be based with the Environment Agency in its Bristol offices, are available below. The project areas are 1) Ecosystem services and flood and coastal risk management and 2) Understanding the impacts of water abstraction and river flows on aquatic ecology. The closing date for applications has now passed.
Ecosystem services and flood and coastal risk management (32KB)Ecosystem services and flood and coastal risk management
Posted 28 September 2011
Understanding the impacts of water abstraction and river flows on aquatic ecology
Posted 28 September 2011
Details of a new policy placement secondment opportunity based within the SEPA Science & Strategy Directorate in the area of Environment & Human Health are available below. The closing date for applications has now passed.
SEPA policy placement fellowship opportunity (32KB)SEPA policy placement fellowship opportunity
Posted 25 January 2011
Details of a policy placement secondment opportunity based within Defra, Environment & Rural Group in the area of sustainability of bio-energy in the UK, are available below. The deadline for applications has now passed.
Defra policy placement fellowship opportunity (38KB)Defra policy placement fellowship opportunity
Posted 3 November 2010
Details of a policy placement secondment opportunity based within the Defra, Atmosphere & Local Environment Programme (ALE) are available below. The deadline for applications has now passed.
Defra policy placement opportunity (42KB)Defra (ALE) policy placement opportunity
Posted 6 August 2010
Details of a policy placement secondment opportunity based within Climate and Energy: Science and Analysis group of the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) are available below. The deadline for applications has now passed.
DECC CESA policy placement opportunity (32KB)DECC CESA policy placement opportunity
Posted 17 June 2010
Details of a new policy placement secondment opportunity to be based within the Horizon Scanning Team of the Environment Agency are available below. The deadline for applications has now passed.
EA policy placement opportunity (27KB)EA policy placement opportunity
Posted 26 January 2009
If further information is required, please contact Faith Culshaw.
Fellowship placement guidance notes
Fellowship placement guidance notes (12KB)Fellowship placement guidance notes
Updated 17 January 2012
Fellowship placement application form
Fellowship placement application form (27KB) Fellowship placement application form (87KB)Fellowship placement application form Posted 20 April 2009
Policy placement fellowships - Award details
NERC policy placement fellowships - Award details (52KB)Policy placement fellowships - Award details
Posted 2 December 2011
Contacts
For further details please contact Faith Culshaw.