Job Description

Applications are invited for the Glasstone Research Fellowship, tenable at the University of Oxford in the Department of Engineering Science and aligned with one of the research themes of the Department. The research activities of the department fall under eight broad headings, though there is much overlap in practice: Information Engineering (Robotics, Computer Vision and Machine Learning); Control Engineering; Thermofluids; Materials and Mechanics; Civil and Offshore; Electrical and Optoelectronic; Chemical and Process Engineering; Biomedical Engineering.

This prestigious post is a three-year postdoctoral fellowship and is supported by the Glasstone Bequest, which was set up to encourage scientists at an early stage of their career to follow their research interests at Oxford, one of the world's leading science universities. Preference will be given to candidates who are at an early stage in their research career and who have not already held an independent fellowship.

Applications are especially welcome from women and minority ethnic candidates, who are underrepresented in academic posts at Oxford.

The fellowship will allow successful applicants the opportunity to conduct original research in the engineering fields listed above. Interdisciplinary applications are welcome, but the main research approach(es) being proposed should fall within the department and the academic sponsor research. Applicants should identify existing faculty in the Department of Engineering Science who can act as internal sponsors. It is expected that the Fellowship would be hosted in the sponsor's research group. Potential applicants wishing to discuss research proposals or the availability of facilities should contact relevant faculty in the department. Informal enquiries of a more general nature can be addressed to the Associate Head of Department for Research, Professor Posner, (head-research@eng.ox.ac.uk).

For more information about working at the Department, see
www.eng.ox.ac.uk/about/work-with-us/

Applicants must hold a PhD/DPhil in Engineering or a cognate discipline, by the start of the fellowship on 1st October 2026.

Only online applications received before midday on 30th January 2026 can be considered. You will be required to upload 4 documents in support of your application:

A

completed cover letter

indicating how you meet the Essential Selection Criteria.

A

CV with publications list

ensuring that it contains any brief description needed to explain your research experience.

A

research proposal

setting out what you aim to achieve during the fellowship: this must not exceed two sides of A4 in length (including any bibliography), and it should start with a short summary written for a non-specialist scientific reader.

A

support letter

from your hosting academic.

As part of the application form, you will also need to provide details of three referees. At least one of your referees should be from your current or most recent employing institution.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a remote interview, expected to take place towards the end of February 2026.

The Department holds an Athena Swan Bronze award, highlighting its commitment to promoting women in Science, Engineering and Technology.