Kew Research Fellowships in Plant and Fungal Science
Be one of our annual cohort of early-career researchers as they develop the skills needed to become the future leaders in plant and fungal science
The Kew Research Fellowship in Plant and Fungal Science provides a unique opportunity for early-career researchers to develop their scientific portfolio and skills in a vibrant research environment, working with colleagues in Kew Science to make substantial contributions to challenges facing humanity and the earth.
Fellowships are awarded by Kew annually to talented early-career researchers with innovative and viable research ideas.
Through the Fellowship, researchers will gain an internationally outstanding level of educational and professional development and will be empowered to establish themselves as independent researchers in their discipline.
Kew Research Fellowships at a glance:
- Five Fellowships awarded annually
- Four years in duration, with the opportunity for contract extensions
- An individual fund for research expenses
- Access to a mobility fund for research visits and conferences
- Training and development programme
- Mentoring programme
Each Kew Research Fellow is line-managed by a senior researcher and is fully integrated into one of our research teams and Kew Science as a whole, while still working on their own independent research.
The Fellows are part of a stimulating research environment with access to state-of-the-art facilities, world-class collections, unique public engagement opportunities and several hundred plant and fungal experts to collaborate with.
Fellows are encouraged to use their time at RBG Kew as an opportunity to build their track record through publishing high-quality academic papers and securing research funding.
They are also given support to develop their research networks, both at RBG Kew and externally, supervise MSc and PhD students, contribute to science communication and public engagement activities, and a variety of other career development opportunities.
Central to the Fellowship is an excellent development programme, including group and individual training and a mentoring scheme. This enables Fellows to gain skills to establish themselves as independent researchers.
Group training includes topics such as grant writing, research impact, teaching skills, talking to the media, and research integrity. There are also opportunities for fellows to lead their own development, such as by organising symposia, discussion groups or writing retreats.
The Kew Research Fellowship in Plant and Fungal Science aims to provide early-career researchers with the time and resources to build their track record so they can move on to an independent research role following completion of the Fellowship.
How to apply
Five research Fellowships, aligned to Kew’s Scientific Priorities, as outlined in the Kew Science Strategy, are available each year spread across Kew's two sites: Kew Gardens and Wakehurst. Look out for roles on the Kew jobs portal.
Applications are currently closed. Please come back soon for updates.
If you have any questions on any aspect of the programme, please email fellowships@kew.org.
Our departments
We have three main departments: Research, Partnerships and Operations.
