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Schemes for Engineers in Research and Development
RAEng Research Fellowships
Frequently asked questions
In the case of uncertainty,
and in the absence of an existing contract, the
Terms and Conditions of the Award are to take
precedence over the following answers which are
meant only as a guide:
1. What is the aim of the
RAEng Research Fellowship scheme?
These are aimed at enabling outstanding researchers
from all branches of engineering to establish an
independent research career.
2. How many applications
are typically received?
We expect to receive approximately 75 applications
this round.
3. In which areas must the
proposed research lie?
Research Fellowships can be held in any engineering
discipline within the remit of the Academy. If you
are unsure whether your research is engineering then
please contact the Research Programmes team.
4. Are there age/experience
limits?
Applicants should be about to complete their PhD or
have up to, but not more than, three (3) years
Post-Doctoral research experience at the closing
date of the application round. There are no age
limits but applicants should have a substantial
academic career ahead of them. PhD students must
complete their PhD and have it awarded prior to
commencing a Research Fellowship.
5. Are there nationality or
other eligibility restrictions?
There are no nationality restrictions and where an
applicant applies from outside the EU, the Host
Institution will be responsible for securing the
necessary work permits. Applications will be
assessed on the assumption that you have obtained
the necessary permit.
6. I am a member of a
multi-disciplinary research group - can I apply?
Applications are encouraged from members of
multi-disciplinary research groups, provided that
the research undertaken can be readily classified as
engineering by an engineering institution (such as
the Institute of Mechanical Engineers) and The
Research Fellowship is held in an engineering
Department, School or Institute that carries out
substantial engineering activity.
7. Will you help me find a
Host Institution in the UK so that I can apply?
It is the responsibility of the applicant to make
contact with a Host Institution and gain approval to
apply from the relevant Head of Department prior to
applying. A list of UK universities can be found at
www.ucas.com/students/choosingcourses/choosinguni/instguide/ and
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_the_United_Kingdom. It is
highly recommended that all potential applicants
contact their intended Host Institution as soon as
possible due to the application limit.
8. Can Research Fellowships
be held at an industrial institution?
Research Fellowships cannot be held at industrial
institutions. However research may be carried out
with an industrial collaborator, providing the
research is
relevant to the programme of the Research
Fellowship.
9. What is the duration of
the Research Fellowship?
The duration of a Research Fellowship is sixty (60)
months full time (pro-rata for part-time awards).
10. What does the Research
Fellowship provide for?
The RAEng Research Fellowships are designed to
support successful candidates for a five (5) year
period (or pro-rata for part-time equivalent) by
providing 80% of the Full Economic Costs of the
research programme. The Host Institution is to
provide the remaining 20%.
11. How many Research
Fellowship are available this round?
It is anticipated that seven (7) Research Fellowships
will be awarded.
12. What is the application
process?
The application processes involves three (3) stages.
Stage One requires the
submission of the Stage One application form - containing a
Case for Support, CV and letter of support from the
Head of Department at the Host Institution. This
documentation will be submitted to a Sift
Panel who will assess and rank-order the
applications and select those applicants that will
be invited to submit a Stage Two application.
Stage Two is by invite only
and requires the submission of a Stage Two application form
- containing the full financial details - and letters
of support from collaborators. This documentation
will be submitted to reviewers together with the
Stage One application documents. All documentation including reviewers’ comments will then be
forwarded to the Stage Two Sift Panel who will rank-order the
applications and select the candidates to be invited
to interview.
Stage Three will be a 30
minute interview, held at the Academy in May/June.
13. What is the closing
date for submitting a stage one application?
5pm on Monday 12 November 2012. Note: there is a
limit of two (2) applications for most Host
Institutions, please see the ‘Application Limits’
webpage for further information. All applicants will
need to consult with the Head of Department at the
intended Host Institution before applying as their
endorsement is required.
14. Where can I get copies
of the application forms and guidance notes?
The application forms and guidance notes can be
downloaded from
the
research page.
Applicants will need
to liaise with their Research Support Office of
their intended Host Institution for advice on the
allowable costs that are required on the Stage Two
application form if they are invited to submit a
Stage Two application.
15. How can I tell if the
letters of support from my collaborators are
relevant?
If you have a collaborator who will be contributing
financially or in kind to the Research Fellowship,
then a
letter of support from the collaborator detailing
their contribution
will be required at Stage Two of the application
process. Stage Two applications that include letters
of support that do not clearly state the nature of
the contribution to be made may be rejected or returned for
amendment.
16. The company that is
providing me with a letter of support cannot provide
me with one until after the closing date. Can I
submit this afterwards?
No, letters of support need to be submitted by the
closing date. You cannot add these to your
application once it has been submitted.
In cases
where an application refers to a collaborator who is
contributing to the grant but does not have a letter
of support to corroborate the collaboration, the
Sift Panel will be instructed to consider the
collaboration as ‘sought after’ rather than agreed.
17. I've had a paper
published since submitting my Stage One application,
can i update it?
Once submitted an application is considered final and cannot
be updated or amended. The Stage 2 application allows you to
update us on any recent publications. Should you
reach the interview stage you can raise any
developments directly with the interviewers.
18. I am having problems
completing the application form, who should I
contact?
First, contact the Research Office at the Host
Institution as they should be able to help with most
aspects of the application, particularly the
financial details. Alternatively you can contact
RAEng’s Research Programmes at
Research team.
19. What is the estimated
timescale?
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Nov 2012 |
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Stage One Applications submitted
Receipt of application sent |
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Dec 2013 |
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Stage Two applicants selected by Sift Panel
All applicants informed of decision |
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| Feb
2013 |
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Stage Two Applications submitted
Applications peer-reviewed |
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Apr 2013 |
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Candidates selected for interview by Sift
Panel
All applicants informed of decision |
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May 2013 |
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Interviews held
Fellowships awarded |
20. What is the employment
status of a RAEng Research Fellow?
The Research Fellow must be employed solely by the
Host Institution during the period of The
Fellowship. The Host Institution must accept all the
normal responsibilities of an employer, and ensure
that adequate facilities are made available for the
research programme. The applicant may already hold a
permanent position at the Host Institution at the
time of application. Any duties held under this
position must comply with the terms of The
Fellowship.
21. When can The Research
Fellowship commence?
All Research Fellowships that are awarded in 2013
must start no earlier than 1 June 2012 and no later
than 31 December 2013.
22. Can a RAEng Research
Fellow move during the course of the Fellowship?
A degree of mobility during The Fellowship may be
beneficial. This would include plans to engage in
collaborative research at Centres of Excellence
overseas, but in such cases the Research Fellow will
still be employed by the UK Host Institution. Any proposal to transfer the Fellowship to a different Host Institution within
the UK would need to be discussed with the existing
and proposed Host Institutions. If the new Host
Institution agrees to host The Research Fellowship,
the Academy will normally be agreeable to a transfer
should it be justifiable and beneficial for The
Research Fellowship. In such cases the original
Research Fellowship would be closed and a new one
issued for the balance of the funding period. Such a
transfer would rarely be approved within the first
or last years. Research Fellowships cannot be
transferred to non-UK institutions.
23. Can the RAEng Research
Fellowship be interrupted?
Research Fellows may interrupt their Fellowship not
more than twice to spend time on activities
unsupported by the Fellowship but directly related to
their research programme. Such periods of abeyance
must not exceed two (2) years in total. Prior
agreement must be sought from The Academy.
Interruptions are not permitted in the first of last
years of The Fellowship. Where periods of abeyance
are agreed, the Fellowship will be extended by a
period of time equal to the length of the break.
24. Can RAEng Research
Fellows pursue other work during the course of their
Research Fellowship?
RAEng Research Fellows are expected to devote 100%
of their working time to research related to their
Fellowship. Up to four (4) hours a week may be spent
on teaching and demonstrating, averaged over a year.
25. Can a Research
Fellowship be held part-time?
In certain circumstances a Research Fellowship may
be held part-time, at no less than 50%
full-time-equivalent. Requests for the
Fellowship to be held part-time should be made at
the time of application. Alternatively, it can be
converted to part-time or back to full-time during
the course of the Fellowship.
The Fellowship should be
your only form of employment and requests to go
part-time in order to pursue other employment
opportunities will only be accepted in exceptional
circumstances.
26. Can I take maternity or
paternity leave?
As employees of the Host Institution, RAEng Research
Fellows are entitled to maternity or paternity leave
following the Host Institution’s guidelines. The
Fellowship will be suspended for the
duration of the leave period and the extended by a
period of time equal to the length of the leave.
27. Will I be appointed a
Mentor?
A Mentor will be appointed by the Academy to offer advice and
facilitate industrial links as the research
progresses. The Mentor will be a Fellow of The
Academy and will be available to provide formal and
informal advice on matters relating to the research
programme.
28. How will The Academy
monitor my progress?
The Host Institution will establish a Steering Group
comprising the Head of Department, the Incumbent,
The Academy Mentor and a representative from The
Academy's Research Programmes team. The group will meet
formally on an annual basis to review the progress
made by the Incumbent. Prior to this meeting the
Incumbent is required to submit an annual progress
report that will be reviewed at the meeting.
29. Can the Research
Fellowship be extended?
Extensions beyond sixty (60) months are not
permitted (see 23, 25 and 26 above for exceptions).
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