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English and Comparative Literary Studies

Postdoctoral Fellowships

Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship Scheme-2024 Campaign Now Open

The Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies at the University of Warwick encourages outstanding postdoctoral scholars to apply to The Leverhulme Trust’s Early Career Fellowships scheme, for Fellowships starting in the 2024/25 academic year. The three-year Fellowship contributes 100% of the Fellow’s salary in the first year, and thereafter 50% of the salary, with the balance being paid by the University. Appointments at the University of Warwick are dependent on the award of the Fellowship.

About the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies

English and Comparative Literary Studies was founded in 1965. Its research and teaching are interdisciplinary and we work closely with departments in both the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Social Sciences, in particular Philosophy, History, Film and Television Studies, and the School of Creative Arts, Performance and Visual Cultures. We were ranked 1st in the UK in the 2014 Research Exercise Framework, having received the highest research ratings in previous Research Assessment Exercises (2001; 2008); and 22nd in the world in the 2021 QS World Rankings. The current Head of Department is Professor Paulo de Medeiros. Our research is interdisciplinary, comparative, and dynamic. We have particular strengths in American studies, eighteenth and nineteenth-century studies, environmentalism and ecocriticism, gender studies, the literary and cultural history of the medieval and early modern period, performance studies, poetry and poetics, and World Literature. Our major research centres include Critical Environments, Poetry at Warwick, and the Warwick Research Collective (WReC). We were also involved in establishing the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance in 1993, which brings together staff from five departments engaged in the study of Renaissance Europe, and which enjoys formal academic links with several institutions including the Warburg Institute, the Sorbonne, and with the University of Venice. We have close links with the Centre for Research into Philosophy, Literature, and the Arts, the Early Modern and Eighteenth-Century Centre, and the Yesu Persaud Centre for Caribbean Studies.

How to Apply

Expressions of Interest must be submitted to the University by 5.00 pm on November 30, 2023. These files should be sent to:

Alan Ashton-Smith, Research Strategy and Development Manager for the Faculty of the Arts: Alan.Ashton-Smith@warwick.ac.uk

For full instructions and guidelines, please click hereLink opens in a new window.

The Department will carry out an internal selection stage to identify the candidates that it wishes to put forward. We strongly advise potential candidates to make initial contact with the Director of Research, Professor Daniel Katz (D.Katz@warwick.ac.uk) as soon as possible. Candidates should also identify and make contact with potential mentors among the Department's permanent academic staff. Any applications from candidates who have not contacted their mentor prior to submission will not be considered.

Expressions of Interest must include:

  • A short description of their project (maximum 2 A4 pages)
  • A copy of their CV (maximum 2 A4 pages)
  • The name of an academic in their proposed host Department whose research is relevant to their project and who would be willing to endorse their application. Although the Leverhulme Trust do not insist upon a formal mentoring arrangement, this is a requirement for the University of Warwick. Candidates should contact this member of staff at the earliest opportunity, and in advance of submitting the Expression of Interest.
  • The names of three referees. Please note that referees will not be asked to provide a statement at the internal selection stage.

See the Instructions and Guidelines link above for further details on the submission process.

Eligibility and Guidance

Candidates should consult the Guidance for Applicants on the Leverhulme Trust’s website prior to submitting an Expression of Interest. In particular, they should note that applicants must:

  • hold a doctoral degree by the time they take up the Fellowship. If currently registered for a doctorate, they must have submitted their thesis by 4pm on 22 February 2024;

  • not yet have held a permanent academic appointment, although the Trust will consider applications from candidates with permanent posts that do not include any research;

  • not have held or currently hold a comparable funded post-doctoral position of three years’ duration or longer to pursue their own research;

  • have submitted their doctoral thesis for viva voce examination no more than four years prior to the closing date. Those who submitted their thesis earlier than 22 February 2020 are not eligible to apply, unless they have since had a career break. Exceptionally, the Leverhulme Trust will accept applications from candidates who submitted their thesis up to five years prior to the closing date (i.e. no earlier than 22 February 2019) if they can make a case in their application that their work having been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • either hold a degree from a UK higher education institution at the time of taking up the Fellowship or at the time of the application deadline hold a non-permanent academic position in the UK (e.g. fixed-term lectureship, fellowship) which commenced no less than 4 months prior to 22 February 2024.

The Trust strongly encourages mobility between institutions and therefore asks that applicants who have not already moved institutions in the course of their academic career nominate a new host institution unless they can demonstrate a strong reason for remaining at the same institution.

The Leverhulme Trust has provided a list of common reasons why previous applications to the ECF scheme were not successful on the scheme webpage, and prospective applicants are encouraged to refer to this when developing proposals.

The University will support successful candidates in the development of full applications, the deadline for which is 22 February 2024. For any queries about the scheme or internal process, please contact Alan Ashton-Smith (Alan.Ashton-Smith@warwick.ac.uk).

Please note that in our experience, early contact with the department is key to developing a competitive application.

For the Leverhulme Trust's Guidance Page, please click here.Link opens in a new window

 

For information about pursuing postdoctoral work in the Department of English and Comparative Literary Studies, please contact our Director of Research: Professor Daniel Katz (D.Katz@warwick.ac.uk)