Sanger Institute launches return-to-research fellowship

Sanger Institute Fellowship will help scientists who have taken a career gap

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Genome Research Limited
The Sanger Institute Fellowship is designed to help scientists to return to scientific research after a career break of 12 months or more.
The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute has launched the Sanger Institute Fellowship; a postdoctoral fellowship designed to help scientists to return to scientific research after a career break of 12 months or more, for any reason. One fellowship will be awarded each year after a competitive selection process. Successful candidates will join one of the Sanger Institute’s research programmes for three years.

The new fellowship has been launched as part of the Sanger Institute’s commitment to supporting the career development of talented scientists. While the Sanger Institute actively takes into account career breaks when assessing applications for all roles, this fellowship will be open exclusively to those who have taken a career break of 12 months or more.

“Research is a fast-moving environment and a year away can have a big impact on a scientist’s career. We want to provide support for talented researchers and make sure that their career breaks don’t become career set-backs.”

Professor Eleftheria Zeggini Faculty member at the Sanger Institute who leads the Campus Sex in Science Programme

The Sanger Institute Fellowship is open to postdoctoral scientists who have at least one year of postdoctoral experience and it can be taken as a full-time, part-time or flexibly worked position. Successful candidates will receive a fellow’s salary, research expenses, training and Sanger Institute benefits, which include healthcare, an onsite nursery and childcare vouchers.

In 2014, applicants to the fellowship position will be able to choose between seven research projects at the Sanger Institute, covering human genetics, model organisms, single-cell sequencing, stem-cell research and cell-surface signalling.

“It is in the interests of science to ensure that great scientific minds remain within the profession. The Sanger Institute Fellowship helps researchers continue contributing to their field and it is a step towards changing the way we view career breaks.”

Professor Mike Stratton Director of the Sanger Institute

The Sanger Institute Fellowship is just one of the initiatives being launched as part of the Sanger Institute’s commitment to the aims and objectives of the Athena SWAN Charter. Earlier this year the Sanger Institute became one of the first research institutes to be awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze Award recognising its work in highlighting issues traditionally facing women in science, and driving policy and practice changes to redress them.

For more information and to apply, visit the Sanger Institute Fellowship page.

More information

Selected websites

  • Sex in Science

    The Sex in Science programme is a joint initiative of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) that aims to generate discussion and raise awareness about issues traditionally facing women in science, and to drive policy and practice changes to redress them. Last month the Sanger Institute became one of the first research institutes to receive an Athena SWAN Bronze Award.

  • The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute

    The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is one of the world’s leading genome centres. Through its ability to conduct research at scale, it is able to engage in bold and long-term exploratory projects that are designed to influence and empower medical science globally. Institute research findings, generated through its own research programmes and through its leading role in international consortia, are being used to develop new diagnostics and treatments for human disease.

  • The Wellcome Trust

    The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. We support the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. Our breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. We are independent of both political and commercial interests.