Apply for an ESRC Post-doctoral Fellowship

The SWDTP Postdoctoral Fellowship round is now open, please see below for more information.

We are currently inviting applications for postdoctoral fellowships (PDF), funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as part of the South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP).  The SWDTP has five Postdoctoral Fellowships to award for 2026 entry across the eight participating universities.  

Fellowships are aimed at providing a development opportunity for social science researchers in the immediate postdoctoral stage of their career, to consolidate their PhD through developing publications, networks, research and professional skills.

To be eligible applicants must:

• Have completed their PhD at a UK research organisation (RO)

• The fellowship must be held at an RO that is part of a DTP eligible to participate in this scheme, however applicants may come from anywhere in the world

• The fellowship must be aligned to an SWDTP pathway (at Marjon, these are Climate change, sustainability and society; Health, wellbeing and society; and Education)

• Have been awarded a PhD or have passed their viva voce with minor amendments by the 1 June 2026 and have been awarded their PhD by the fellowship start date of 1st October 2026.

• Have no more than 15 months (fulltime equivalent) active postdoctoral experience since passing their viva voce (allowing for career breaks). The period of active post-doctoral experience should be calculated from the viva voce being passed to the application deadline of closing date of 1 June 2026. 

• Must conduct research that is clearly over 50% based in the social sciences

• Applicants requiring a visa to work in UK should check they are eligible to apply for a relevant visa.
• Submit an Expression of Interest to no more than one SWDTP institution
• Submit a full application to no more than one ESRC-funded Doctoral Training Partnership.

The SWDTP will be running an online information event at 1-2 pm Monday 30th March 2026. Register here. (A recording will be available from 1st April 2026)

If you wish to make an application to Marjon, please complete the EOI below and send to rke@marjon.ac.uk by 5pm on Monday 20th April 2026. For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Andreas Walmsley, awalmsley@marjon.ac.uk