Category: Career Opportunities, Internships & Volunteering

Flagship Pioneering Summer Fellowship (deadline: 15 Dec)

Flagship Pioneering is a scientific venture creation company based in Kendall Square, a world-renowned biotech hub in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Flagship isn’t a venture capital firm. Instead, it creates entirely new companies based on ideas developed by its own in-house scientists. Over the years, Flagship has founded more than 130 companies, including Moderna, Generate Biomedicines, Inari, Indigo Agriculture, and Lila Sciences. Flagship also has a growing presence in the UK through its London office. Its work begins with curious, creative, and rigorous scientists and technologists who are excited by the opportunity to explore bold ideas beyond the boundaries of what is currently possible.

The Summer Fellowship

Flagship’s Summer Fellowship, which takes place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, offers exceptional PhD students and postdoctoral researchers the chance to spend three months embedded within company-creation teams, learning a unique approach to scientific innovation and venture creation. The Fellowship is a paid, in-person opportunity, and many successful Fellows go on to receive offers to return to Flagship full-time after completing their PhD or postdoctoral training. We welcome applicants from a wide range of scientific and technical backgrounds, including biology, chemistry, biomedical sciences, plant sciences, computer science, engineering, artificial intelligence, and related disciplines.

Information sessions:

We are hosting a number of information sessions to meet members of the Flagship team and learn more about the Fellowship:

Oxford city centre – November 3, 2026 5-7:30pm GMT
Wellcome Genome Campus – November 4, 2026 12-1:30pm GMT
Cambridge West Campus – November 4, 2026 3-4:30pm GMT
London Euston – November 4, 2026 6:30-9pm GMT
SLCU (Plant Sciences focus) – November 5, 2026 3:30-5pm GMT
Cambridge Biomedical Campus – November 5, 2026 6:30-9pm GMT

ČVUT Starting Grant 2027 – Deadline 30 November

Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU) have recently opened the CTU Starting Grant 2027, offering up to €480,000 over three years for outstanding early-career researchers ready to establish their own independent research group in Prague. No prior agreement with a CTU host department is needed to apply.

Application deadline: 30 November 2026

Become a mentor – Confronting Inequality in Education

Help make STEM accessible for all and inspire the next generation of scientists! The Confronting Inequality in Education (CIE) programme is seeking Imperial researchers to mentor Year 12 students interested in science and engineering. Just a few hours a month can make a huge difference in helping students from underrepresented backgrounds see themselves in STEM.

The programme has been running at Imperial for five years – you can read about the programmes impact, and last years Poster Showcase.

What’s involved?

As a mentor, you’ll:

  • Be paired with a Year 12 student based on shared research interests (STEM fields including maths, physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and medicine).
  • Meet regularly through 1:1 online sessions (approx. 4 hours/month), including three in-person events at Imperial and partner school (either in Barnet or Wembley).
  • Guide your mentee through creating a scientific poster on a topic of their choice, to be presented at Imperial’s final showcase.
  • Support university applications, including personal statement writing and interview preparation.

You don’t need to be based in London – but attending the face-to-face sessions listed below is strongly encouraged to strengthen mentor-mentee relationships.

Provisional Event Dates 2026/2027

  • Late November/ early December (late afternoon/ early evening): Career Speed-Meeting & Mentor-Mentee Introduction Location: Ark Academy, Wembley or Ark Pioneer, Barnet depending on your allocated mentee.
  • Late January: Poster-Making Crash Course (optional for mentors, Location: Imperial College, South Kensington or White City)
  • Late April (after Easter half term): Poster Showcase at Imperial
  • Summer onwards: UCAS personal statement support and interview preparation sessions

Who Can Apply

We welcome mentors from all levels: Master’s students, PhD researchers, postdocs, and PIs – across all departments at Imperial!

You can express your interest in becoming a mentor here.

For any questions about the programme, please contact the CIE Organising Committee at ciementoring@imperial.ac.uk

 

Become an ECRI Programme Partner (Deadline 30 October)

The Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI) is pleased to introduce the Early Career Researchers as Partners initiative, which gives Doctoral students, Postdocs and Fellows from across Imperial the opportunity to engage with our Learning and Development provision and shape its design and delivery.

What is in it for you?

As an EPP, you can:

  • Develop leadership, communication and influencing skills
  • Gain experience in programme development and delivery
  • Build your network with researchers and colleagues across Imperial
  • Shape development opportunities for your peers and have your voice heard
  • Build evidence of your wider contributions and impact that you can use to give concrete examples for future lectureship, fellowship and other academic applications, including narrative CVs

You don’t need to be an expert in learning and development. Your experience as an ECR is what makes your perspective valuable.

If there is a programme that particularly interests you, we would love to hear from you.

For more information on the application, please see our Eligibility & How to Apply page. The deadline to submit applications is Friday 30th October at 5pm.

Royal Society Funding Opportunities – Autumn 2026

Royal Society funding opportunities

The Faraday Discovery Fellowships (mid-career research leaders) – Stage 1 are prestigious long-term awards that will support the most talented mid-career research leaders to undertake high-quality, original research. The programme is aimed at outstanding mid-career STEM researchers and will provide grants of up to £8m over a ten-year period to support the development of world-leading research groups in the UK. Closing 22 September 2026.

International Exchanges are for scientists based in the UK who want to stimulate new research collaborations with leading scientists overseas through either a one-off visit or bilateral travel. Closing 24 September 2026.

Short Industry Fellowships are part of the Royal Society’s Industry programme, enabling scientists employed in industry or academia and/or their postdoctoral researcher to have shorter, more dynamic engagements between academia and industry, working on a mutually beneficial and collaborative project. Closing 7 October 2026.

The Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship scheme offers a recognised first step into an independent research career for outstanding early career scientists who require a flexible working pattern due to personal circumstances, such as caring responsibilities and/or health-related conditions. Closing 29 October 2026.

Opening soon 

The Career Development Fellowship scheme provides the most talented early career scientists from underrepresented groups in STEM with research funding and high-quality training opportunities to build a strong base for a successful research career. Join the applicant webinar on 6 October, details available on the webpage. Opening 22 September 2026.

Become a Sustainable Imperial Student Ambassador 

Get recognised for the extra-curricular sustainability-related activities you get involved in!

  • Boost your sustainability knowledge and network with peers
  • Develop practical skills that support your employability
  • Help make a positive change at Imperial and beyond
  • Celebrate at the end of year awards ceremony

Learn more and register via the Sustainable Imperial Student Ambassadors webpage.

Join the online information session on Monday 5 October, 17:00-18:00 to discover more about the scheme.

Harvard Innovation Labs Stealth Startup Internship & Full Time Opportunities

Harvard Innovation Labs Stealth Startup
Internships & Full-Time Opportunities

Overview:
A Harvard Innovation Labs stealth startup is offering paid (1) Research, (2) Business Development, (3) Computational Biology, (4) Software Engineering, (5) Operations, (6) Campus Ambassador, (7) Executive Assistant, and (8) Chief of Staff internship and full-time opportunities to PhD, MD, MS and exceptional undergraduate students, clinical trainees and recent graduates.

Further Information:
(1) Researchers will focus on experimental design and execution, patent drafting, scientific assessment of proteins and pathways of interest, conducting literature reviews and prioritizing targets and assets. (2) Business Development team members will partake in activities related to funding and partnerships, including preparing materials and analyses for government, academic, philanthropic and venture-based grants as well as due diligence. (3) Computational Biologists will design and implement efficient algorithms to analyze high-dimensional biological datasets and advance data curation efforts. (4) Software Engineers will develop, maintain, and optimize applications and tools to advance research and business objectives. (5) Operations team members will support various functional aspects of the company, executing core business objectives, streamlining processes and supporting organizational efficiency. (6) Campus Ambassadors will spearhead campus engagement efforts and support recruiting initiatives through strategic outreach, relationship building and promotion. (7) Executive Assistants will provide administrative assistance to the CEO and senior executives, managing appointments and maintaining accurate records and documentation. A (8) Chief of Staff will work closely with the CEO to drive strategic priorities, coordinate cross-functional initiatives, manage key projects and communications, and ensure organisational alignment and execution across the company.

The positions offer a great opportunity to get hands-on experience in biotech company building and drug discovery. Interns and full-time hires will be provided with a highly competitive salary, equity and the option to work remotely. Full-time hires will be provided with a generous benefits package, including healthcare and paid time off. Internship positions will require approximately 5-10 hours of work per week for a duration of 3 months, with an option for extension and promotion for exceptional performers.

Qualifications/Requirements:
• Must be a graduate student (PhD, MD, MS), outstanding undergraduate student, clinical trainee or recent graduate at or from a top institution; prior work or research experience is preferred.
• Strong scientific or business acumen and curiosity, with the ability to navigate or support the advancement of biomedical fields including gene therapy and molecular and cell biology. A basic understanding of the drug discovery process is helpful, but not required.
• Excellent communication and writing skills, with proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel. Resourceful, proactive, independent and able to function at a high level with intermittent supervision, possessing meticulous attention to detail and organisation.
• For Computational Biologists: Proficiency with algorithm development and statistical analysis.
• For Software Engineers: Facility in developing and deploying complex software applications.

About the Company:
The company is developing a novel therapeutics platform for an array of monogenic and common diseases. Work to date has been funded by the Harvard Innovation Labs, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Francis Crick Institute, Innovate UK, the European Partnership for Personalised Medicine and a number of U.S. venture capital funds, including Pillar VC, BlueYard Capital and Harvard’s Allston Venture Fund, a venture collective of Bain Capital, General Catalyst, Polaris Partners, Highland Capital, Underscore VC and GETTYLAB.

Application Submission:
All applicants should use the following link to apply:
https://form.typeform.com/to/neHqe4I2?r=im

5050 Company Creation Programme for Researchers

Last call: Applications are open for 5050

A free, part-time company-creation programme for researchers, powered by the UK government’s ARIA (the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, allocated £1 billion in the April 2025 spending review), built to help scientists and engineers tackle big problems.

Part-time. Bolts alongside existing research commitments. No idea or existing company required.

Through 5050, 115 scientists and engineers have founded impact-oriented startups, with a 96% seed raise success rate.

Alumni consistently share that it’s the best use of their time. Hear more from them.

Researchers get mentorship from mission-oriented founders like Scott Phoenix (raised $250M for Vicarious, acquired by Alphabet) and Sir Tony Kouzarides (co-founded Storm, Chroma and Abcam, sold for $5.7B).

5050 is run by the team who’ve supported 135 impactful companies to raise $6B.

Designed for scientists and engineers — you’d be a good fit if:

  • You’re exploring how to turn your research into a company
  • You’re ready and excited to build something outside your current work
  • You’re not sure if now’s the right time, but you’re keen to have a real-world impact

Applications are open for the September–December cohort here!

Know someone who could be great? Recommend them here 😊

Get involved at Imperial Lates 2026-27

Imperial Lates are returning this autumn with three exciting new themes. These fun and free post-work events are a great night out, as well as a fantastic opportunity for Imperial staff and students to get experience in public engagement in a laid-back setting.

Whether you’re a seasoned Public Engagement expert or have never taken your work outside the lab, the Lates team wants to hear from you! Fully developed activities or initial ideas are equally welcome, and the team can help you to develop your proposition into a talk, exhibit or workshop.

Please complete the open call Qualtrics form to register your interest, and if you have any questions about the ideas submission process, please get in touch via email (lates@imperial.ac.uk)

This year’s themes are:

  1. Robots (29 October 2026) – we are looking for any research or projects related to robots, tech or automation. We are also open to some ideas about AI and machine learning. To be considered please submit your idea as soon as possible, and definitely by 25 August 2026 (17:00).
  2. African Science (3 December 2026) – This event will celebrate research collaborations across the African continent and showcase how research and innovation projects involving Imperial teams creating impact on the ground. To be considered, please submit your proposal as soon as possible, and no later than 5 October 2026 (17:00).
  3. Staying Connected (28 Jan 2027) – we would be interested in research projects looking at any aspect that helps improve the ability to stay connected in the modern day – anything from satellites, telecommunications, attraction, networks, internet, social media, social isolation, policies around remote working, digital inclusions or activities that support networking and building connections. This event may also have links to Valentines Day and/or LGBTQ+ History Month. Please submit your idea by 17 November 2026 (17:00).

If none of these quite fit with your area of expertise, you can still get involved as a volunteer! Volunteers keep everything running smoothly and can have a go at several roles, such as welcoming guests, supporting researchers or artists taking part in a workshop or talk or capturing social media content for Imperial channels. If you are an Imperial staff member or student interested in volunteering at Imperial Lates, you can sign up to the volunteer portal to be notified when shifts open.

Royal Society Fellowships 2026 Full List

Schemes opening in 2026

Scheme Open date Close date Decision
Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship 7 January 2026 4 March 2026 July 2026
Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowship 7 January 2026 4 March 2026 July 2026
International Exchanges Global Round 1 15 January 2026 18 March 2026 June 2026
JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowship 15 January 2026 18 March 2026 July 2026
Newton International Fellowships 15 January 2026 11 March 2026 August 2026
Research Grants 29 January 2026 26 March 2026 July 2026
Industry Fellowships 4 February 2026 1 April 2026 July 2026
Short Industry Fellowships 2 April 2026 28 May 2026 July 2026
Kan Tong Po Visiting Fellowships 9 April 2026 4 June 2026 October 2026
Royal Society Wolfson Fellowship 6 May 2026 1 July 2026 November 2026
Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowship 6 May 2026 1 July 2026 November 2026
University Research Fellowship 14 July 2026 9 September 2026 May 2027
Industry Fellowships 22 July 2026 16 September 2026 March 2027
Short Industry Fellowships 12 August 2026 7 October 2026 December 2026
Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship 1 September 2026 28 October 2026 July 2027
Faraday Discovery Fellowships – Stage 1 August 2026 September 2026 November 2026
Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellowships September 2026 November 2026 April 2027
Career Development Fellowships 22 September 2026 18 November 2026 June 2027
Faraday Discovery Fellowships – Stage 2 December 2026 February 2027 July 2027