Herchel Smith Research Fellow (Fixed Term)

The Managers of the Herchel Smith Postdoctoral Research Fellowships Fund appoint a postdoctoral research fellow to pursue research in the general field of pure mathematics, full time in Cambridge. The fellowship lets an outstanding, highly motivated early-career scholar with a demonstrated capacity for individual research focus exclusively on research, develop academic potential and produce work of international standard; holders usually work in close collaboration with an established research group in the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics.

The fellowship is held from 1 October 2027 (or by agreement) for up to three years, with a stipend on the postdoctoral research associate scale (Grade 7, £38,448 per annum) and an annual research allowance of up to £13,000. Online interviews are expected in mid-January 2027.

Under the terms of Dr Smith's will, candidates must have obtained a PhD or equivalent within the last three years at any university, normally excluding Cambridge and Harvard, and have less than three years of postdoctoral experience when the fellowship starts. Evidence of outstanding academic excellence, a high-quality original research proposal and independent research capability is required. Applications include a two-page CV, a one-page project summary, a detailed project description, a publication list linking up to four strongest works, and two referees whose references must be received before 14 December 2026.