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Two stipendiary Research Fellowship positions on the theme of Replication
King’s College Cambridge invites applications for two Research Fellowships from scholars in the arts, humanities and social sciences who – whatever their current or previous research – are intrigued by the theme of Replication. What can and should be replicated and how are foundational questions in humanities and social sciences. In philosophy and the social sciences it came to the fore recently with the rise of attempts to replicate quantitative research findings and controversies about what counts as a replication, what institutional practices enable replication, and how it relates to credibility and trustworthiness of science. Replication is an issue across art and literature: Roman sculpture ‘replicates’ Greek sculpture (old literature talked of copies, modern scholars talk of versions); but Roman literature similarly replicates Greek literature. In the study of subsequent and contemporary literature and representational art the theme of replication emerges in motifs of doubling, copying, Doppelgänger, simulacra, simulation and intertextuality. Replication and more generally reproduction is a central concept in history of art, conservation, museology, music, and performance art. What does replication mean for qualitative social science? It is traditionally understood that qualitative social science (based on ethnographic or archival work, interviews and observations) is not replicable in the same way quantitative work is, because of the role of the researcher in interpreting and making sense of the data. But the questions of dependability and transferability are first steps towards better understanding what replication can mean for qualitative research. Last but most topically, the theme of replication raises a host of questions in relation to machine learning and artificial intelligence, including for cultural appropriation, copyright, information and misinvention.
Applications are welcome from all those who wish to undertake a major project on this topic within any area of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, over the four years of this Fellowship. The brief is deliberately wide to encompass innovative thinking about the topic which has distinctive conceptualisations in different research traditions. Creative and innovative thinking is encouraged. While applications are welcome from within specific academic disciplines, proposals that link or combine different disciplines are also strongly encouraged. Applicants should not feel obliged to focus on a traditionally identified paradigm.
The ideal candidates for this Research Fellowship will have a strong background in a relevant area of work and be completing or have completed recently an outstanding doctoral thesis. It is not a requirement that the candidate’s doctoral studies or the work that they submit in support of their application should have concerned this topic specifically, but candidates will be expected to show in their applications how their plans for their future work relate to the work that they have already done. The successful candidate will be expected to engage broadly with the whole college community.
It is the aim of King’s Research Fellowships to develop important fields of study that are currently too narrowly restricted in their practitioners and/or their objects of analysis. For this reason, candidates are encouraged to propose creative and innovative projects which will not only make an important contribution to the specific area of interest but also strengthen the intellectual framework of the humanities as a whole.
The successful candidates will join a lively research community which includes Research Fellows and College Research Associates as well as Fellows who hold University or College posts. This includes a number of Fellows working in Economics, Art, History of Art, Politics, History, Anthropology, Linguistics, Literature, Music, Philosophy and Psychology which will potentially align with the successful candidate’s project, and a wide range of other subjects which will provide both challenge to and stimulus for novel ways of approaching it. Research Fellows also engage with colleagues from the Collegiate University as a whole in the pursuit of their project.
A Research Fellowship is a postdoctoral position tenable for up to four years. Applications are welcome from graduates of any university. Candidates will usually have completed their PhD or equivalent qualification but must not have undertaken more than 2 years postdoctoral work or work outside academia by 1 October 2027 (i.e., an applicant’s PhD cannot have been granted by 30 September 2025). Candidates who do not fulfil these criteria are unlikely to be considered.
Research Fellows are members of the Governing Body, with the full privileges of all Fellows. These include all meals and the possibility of an office and accommodation in College properties. Currently, the stipend of a Research Fellow is £34,800 (to be revised). An additional living-out allowance of up to £4,180, depending on income, is available to those Fellows not living in college-owned accommodation. Research Fellows may claim research expenses of up to £2,000 in any academic year.
In addition to pursuing research, a Research Fellow is required to live in Cambridge or close by and to participate in College life and activity. Although these are research posts, Research Fellows are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to undertake a small amount of University or College teaching, or tutorial duties. Such activity is remunerated separately and can make an important contribution to the development of an academic career. During the course of the Fellowship, a Research Fellow may be granted an intermission for one or two years to take up a temporary position either in Cambridge or elsewhere provided that doing so would be consistent with the Research Fellow’s career development.
The closing date for applications, including references, is 9 a.m. on Thursday 1st October 2026. Further information about the College may be obtained from the College website.
Eligibility
Graduates of any university are eligible. Candidates will usually have completed their PhD but must not have undertaken more than 2 years of postdoctoral work by 1 October 2027 (i.e. your PhD cannot have been granted before 30 September 2025). Candidates who do not fulfil these criteria are unlikely to be considered.
The College has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you do not have the right to work in the UK already, any offer we make will be conditional upon you gaining it. The College will give informal advice and assistance but ultimately it will be the responsibility of the candidate to fulfil the necessary visa requirements and obtain a visa.
Dates:
- The closing date for application is 9 a.m. on Thursday 1st October 2026. Applications received after this date and time will not be considered.
- Long-listed candidates will be notified in late-October and will be expected to provide within 5-days a writing sample which they believe best represent their talents. This should be no more than 20,000 words and may include and can include thesis chapters or publications.
- Short-listed candidates will be notified mid-December and will be invited for interview on either Thursday 14th or Friday 15th January 2027. Please keep these dates free and ensure that you are able to attend this interview in person.
- The Fellowship will begin on 1 October 2027.
Application:
To apply use the following link to go to the FAS website and create an application: https://app.casc.cam.ac.uk/fas_live/kcsrfrep/
Before the closing date, applicants must complete all sections of the online Fellowship Application and upload onto the website (PDF only) the following:
- A curriculum vitae (of no more than three A4 sides) including details of higher education, degrees awarded, positions held and publications.
- A document of no more than 1,200 words in length, excluding bibliography, references, footnotes, endnotes, describing your current research and the research you propose to undertake during the Fellowship.
Applicants must also arrange for three letters of recommendation to be uploaded onto the site in PDF format by the closing date of the competition, 9 a.m. on Thursday 1st October 2026.
- In the letter of recommendation, suggestions for impartial expert readers, to whom work might be sent if the candidate is long listed, would be very welcome. Please make your referees aware of this.
- It is the duty of the candidate to ensure that the referees submit the references before the closing date.
Your referees will need to provide their references through the FAS website. They will be sent an email containing a link to do this. Referees unable to submit references electronically via the FAS website may e-mail reserach@kings.cam.ac.uk the competition administrator.
Please note that all application materials must be in English.
The application will not be considered in the competition until it has been submitted, and all references have been received. An email will be sent once this has occurred.
Further questions:
If you have any further questions, please e-mail research@kings.cam.ac.uk
King’s College follows an equal opportunities policy.
One stipendiary Research Fellowship in Mathematics and Computer Science
The Governing Body of King's College invites applications for a Research Fellowship in the Natural Sciences. Applications are invited from candidates with a strong record in any field of Mathematics and Computer Science.
The Fellowship is intended to provide the successful candidate with the opportunity to pursue their own research programme while benefiting from the range of expertise in Cambridge, and King’s College in particular. The project could be based entirely within the college, or could involve a base in one of the University departments.
Applications are welcome from all those working in the areas of Mathematics and Computer Science and who wish to undertake a major project over the course of the four years of this Fellowship.
The ideal candidate for this Research Fellowship will have a strong background in a relevant area of work and be completing or have completed recently an outstanding doctoral thesis. The successful candidate will be expected to engage broadly with the whole college community.
The successful candidate will join a lively research community which includes Research Fellows and College Research Associates as well as Fellows who hold University posts. This includes a number of Fellows working in the Sciences, which will potentially align with the successful candidate’s project, and a wide range of other subjects which will provide both challenge to and stimulus for novel ways of approaching it. Research Fellows also engage with colleagues from the Collegiate University as a whole in the pursuit of their project.
In addition to pursuing research, a Research Fellow is required to live in Cambridge or close by and to participate in College life and activity. Although these are research posts, Research Fellows are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to undertake a small amount of University or College teaching, or tutorial duties. Such activity is remunerated separately and can make an important contribution to the development of an academic career.
Research Fellows are members of the Governing Body, with the full privileges of all Fellows. These include all meals and the possibility of an office and accommodation in College properties. Currently, the stipend of a Research Fellow is £34,800 (to be revised). An additional living-out allowance of up to £4,180, depending on income, is available to those Fellows not living in college-owned accommodation. Research Fellows may claim research expenses of up to £2,000 in any academic year.
The closing date for applications, including references, is 9 a.m. on Thursday 1st October 2026. Further information about the College may be obtained from the College website.
Eligibility:
A Research Fellowship is a postdoctoral position tenable for up to 4-years. Graduates of any university are eligible. Candidates will usually have completed their PhD but must not have undertaken more than 2 years of postdoctoral work by 1 October 2027 (i.e. your PhD cannot have been granted before 30 September 2025). Candidates who do not fulfil these criteria are unlikely to be considered.
The College has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you do not have the right to work in the UK already, any offer we make will be conditional upon you gaining it. The College will give informal advice and assistance but ultimately it will be the responsibility of the candidate to fulfil the necessary visa requirements and obtain a visa.
Dates:
- The closing date for application is 9 a.m. (UK time) on Thursday 1st October 2026. Applications received after this date and time will not be considered.
- Short-listed candidates will be notified in early December and will be invited for an interview either on Thursday 14th or Friday 15th January 2027. Please keep these dates free and ensure that you are able to attend this interview in person.
- The Fellowship will begin on 1 October 2027 and will run until 30 September 2031.
Application:
To apply use the following link to go to the FAS website and create an application:
https://app.casc.cam.ac.uk/fas_live/kcsrfmcs/
Before the closing date, applicants must complete all sections of the online Fellowship Application and upload onto the website (PDF only) the following:
- A curriculum vitae (of no more than three A4 sides) including details of higher education, degrees awarded, positions held and a list of publications.
- A document (of no more than 1,200 words in length, excluding bibliography, references, footnotes, endnotes) containing descriptions of your current research and of the research you propose to undertake during the Fellowship
- A document with a writing sample of your work (e.g. a short thesis chapter (<4,000 words) or up to 3 published papers.) *
*=You will need to include a covering written statement, which explains your precise contribution, of your work samples include multi-author paper(s). - Applicants must also arrange for three letters of recommendation to be uploaded onto the site in PDF format by the closing date of the competition, 9 a.m. (UK time) on Thursday 1st October 2026. As soon as a referee is nominated, an email can be sent through the FAS website requesting a reference. You can request references individually before submitting your application. It is wise to nominate referees well before the closing date so they have sufficient time to submit a reference.
In the letter of recommendation, suggestions for impartial expert readers, to whom work might be sent if the candidate is long-listed, would be very welcome. Please make your referees aware of this.
It is the duty of the candidate to ensure that the referees submit the references before the closing date.
Your referees will need to provide their references through the FAS website. They will be sent an email containing a link to do this. Referees unable to submit references electronically via the FAS website may e-mail research@kings.cam.ac.uk, the competition administrator.
Please note that all application materials must be in the English language.
The application will not be considered in the competition until it has been submitted and all references have been received. An email will be sent once this has occurred.
Further questions:
If you have any further questions regarding any aspect of the competition, please e-mail research@kings.cam.ac.uk, the competition administrator.
King’s College follows an equal opportunities policy.
Why King’s?
A Shared Community of Research Excellence
We know that innovative and groundbreaking research happens when scholars are given the intellectual freedom to pursue their work and a vibrant, interdisciplinary community to support and inspire them.
While the funding mechanisms for our Research Fellowships (Stipendiary and Non-Stipendiary) and our College Research Associateships (CRAs) differ, every researcher elected to King’s becomes a member of a 500-year-old academic tradition.
The Collegiate Advantage
The faculties and laboratories at the University of Cambridge provide world-class specialist facilities, but colleges provide the broader intellectual context, acting as an academic home for our scholars. Our community at King’s College deliberately bridges disciplinary divides. Whether in the Senior Combination Room (SCR), over lunch in our beautiful hall or during High Table, researchers from a broad variety of disciplines share ideas daily, often sparking collaborations that reshape research trajectories.
Finding Your Pathway at King's
To suit the differing career stages and funding structures of early-career researchers, we offer three distinct avenues of affiliation with King’s College.
Competitions will appear on this page when they open.
Stipendiary Research Fellowships
Who is it for?
For early careers scholars at the beginning of their independent careers who require full institutional funding. Candidates must not have undertaken more than 2 years postdoctoral work or work outside of academia by the 1 October of the year of their appointment to the Research Fellowship.
The Benefits
This role provides complete research independence and the stability of a four-year contract, giving you time to complete major, definitive projects and to establish a distinct scholarly trajectory. This pathway provides a competitive stipend, a dedicated annual research allowance, and access to College facilities, office space, library and housing. As a Research Fellow you have the opportunity to apply for College funding to host your own academic workshops or small-scale conferences within our historic precincts. You are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to undertake a small amount of University and/or College teaching and to take part in the College's Outreach and Widening Participation activities. Crucially, Research Fellows are full members of the College’s Governing Body, gaining direct experience in institutional governance.
The selection timeline
The selection process usually begins in late July/mid-August when advertisements are published, with applications closing in late September/early October.
Assessment procedures vary by discipline:
- For STEM competitions: All candidates are asked to submit work samples alongside their initial application, though only samples of longlisted candidates are forwarded to expert readers.
- For Arts, Humanities, and Social Science competitions: After longlisting, only those selected for the second stage will be requested to submit work samples.
These materials are then evaluated by expert readers, whose specialist reports help to inform the final shortlisting process. Shortlisted candidates are notified in early December and are invited to attend interviews in person in mid-January. Successful candidates are appointed by the College Research Committee following these interviews, with the Fellowship formally commencing in October of that year.
Non-Stipendiary Research Fellowships
Who is it for?
For early-career scholars who have already secured external funding (e.g., British Academy, Wellcome, or Leverhulme Trusts) and are employed in a post-doctoral role at Cambridge University.
The Benefits
While your salary is covered externally, King's provides the collegiate home base that grants lack. Non-Stipendiary Research Fellows enjoy the same status, rights, and privileges as our Stipendiary Fellows, including a vote on the Governing Body, full dining rights, access to College office spaces and housing, and a research allowance.
The selection timeline
The selection process begins in March or April when advertisements are published, with applications closing in late April or mid-May. Candidates are required to submit work samples alongside their initial application. Following an initial longlisting stage in May, the samples of selected candidates are forwarded to expert readers. These materials are evaluated, and the resulting specialist reports help to inform the shortlisting process. Shortlisted candidates are contacted in early July and invited to attend interviews in mid-July. Successful candidates are appointed by the College Research Committee following these interviews, with the Fellowship formally commencing in October of that year. The College typically appoints one non-stipendiary Research Fellow each year, alternating between the Physical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences & Engineering, and the Biological & Medical Sciences.
Meet our current Research Fellows
College Research Associateships (CRA)
Who is it for?
For researchers employed in post-doctoral research positions within the University of Cambridge. There are no conditions of research age or subject attached to these positions, but candidates would normally be early in their research careers. Applications are welcome from both individual researchers and small collaborative groups of up to three people. To be eligible, applicants must hold secured research funding for at least two years at the time their appointment begins. Appointments are made for an initial two-year term, with the potential for renewal for a further two years.
The Benefits
A CRA provides the essential collegiate connection during your time in Cambridge, offering a supportive and interdisciplinary collegiate home away from the lab or faculty desk. CRAs have access to the Senior Combination Room (SCR), including the right to lunch and dine in College with one High Table dinner and two lunches per week free of charge. This gives you the space for informal collaborations with senior scholars, alongside an allowance for research expenses through the Research Committee. Crucially, CRAs are fully integrated into our academic community, enjoying all the social and intellectual advantages of collegiate life.
The selection timeline
The selection process begins in late April when advertisements are published, with applications closing in early June. Candidates are not required to submit work samples. Instead, applicants must submit a distinct plan for academic activities linked to their research that they intend to undertake within King’s. This could involve collaborating with King’s Fellows or doctoral students, utilizing the College archives or research facilities, or drafting a specific article or publication.
Shortlisted candidates are invited for interview in mid-July, with successful appointments formally commencing in October.
Meet our current CRAs
