The Early Cancer Institute, Department of Oncology, invites applications from internal candidates for the Bjorn Saven Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship in Early Cancer Research, tenable from April 2026, to pursue research within the remit of the goals of the Early Cancer Institute to undertake discovery or translational research focused on predicting cancer risk, understanding how cancer develops and finding new methods to detect and intercept cancer.
The Fellowship is intended to enable an outstanding and highly motivated scholar who has demonstrated a capacity for individual research to focus exclusively on research at an early stage in their career, to develop academic potential, and to produce work of an international standard within the field.
The Fellow will work in collaboration with an established research group in the Early Cancer Institute but will be expected to exhibit a significant degree of independence. Applicants must hold a PhD in a relevant subject (biological or biomedical sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics, medicine and physics) and should be able to provide evidence of: outstanding academic excellence; a high-quality and original research proposal; and evidence of their potential as an independent researcher.
Applications should include
- A cover letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Project description - A detailed description of your proposed project. It is advised that you consult the Early Cancer Institute website www.earlycancer.cam.ac.uk and similar resources to ensure that your proposal is appropriately related to the research interests of the Institute.
- Project summary - A one-page summary of your proposed project, clearly indicating your research area(s) of interest in the opening paragraphs.
- Publications list: A list of your top publications (maximum five) with hyperlinks to the papers
The cover letter should indicate which research group in the Early Cancer Institute the applicant would be interested in joining. Applicants are recommended to contact potential research supervisors before submitting their application. Information about the Early Cancer Institute is given at: www.earlycancer.cam.ac.uk
Deadline for applications: Sunday 4th January 2026.
We anticipate holding interviews towards the end of January 2026.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Please provide contact details, including an email address of two referees. At least one of your referees should be someone who is familiar with your work in your primary research field. Referees will only be contacted for those candidates invited to interview.
To ensure your application can be fully considered, please make sure that both of your referees are aware of your application, have been provided with your Project Description, and understand that their reference must be received BEFORE the 15th January 2026. We encourage you to contact them in advance to confirm they will be able to respond promptly once contacted.
Please quote reference RD48167 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
