Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge
Salary:
Competitive
Starting Date:
1 October 2027
Tenure:
4 - 7 Years
The Institute of Astronomy invites expressions of interest from highly qualified researchers seeking to apply for a Horizon Europe ERC Plus Grant to be hosted within the Institute.
The ERC Plus Grant supports highly ambitious frontier research projects with the potential for significant scientific breakthrough. Projects are expected to be high-risk and high-gain, and may open new directions of research or substantially advance existing fields. The ERC Plus scheme is highly competitive, with only a limited number of grants awarded annually across all disciplines.
ERC funding is awarded solely on the basis of scientific excellence. Applicants are expected to demonstrate both the originality and ambition of their proposed research programme, as well as a record of intellectual leadership commensurate with their career stage.
Eligibility
- ERC grant schemes are open to researchers of any age and nationality, residing anywhere in the world at the time of application, and wishing to carry out their research in Host Institutions based in the EU or associated country.
- Scholars at all career stages can apply for an ERC Plus Grant if they have an outstanding record of scientific achievement at the forefront of their field. Their intellectual leadership will be evaluated in accordance with their career stage.
- A researcher will be allowed to hold only one ERC Plus Grant in their lifetime.
Full details of eligibility and call documentation can be found on the European Commission website
How to apply
In the first instance applicants should make contact with a member of the Institute’s Academic Staff who has related research interests to discuss the possibility of hosting the ERC Plus Grant within the Institute.
Once applicants have engaged with a member of the Institute's Academic staff, a pre-application may be made by submitting:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Statement of proposed research, clearly outlining scientific objectives and providing detail on the project's scope and resource requirements.
- Cover letter outlining the anticipated contribution to the research culture and strategic vision of the department.
Materials should be sent to hodpa@ast.cam.ac.uk as a single PDF format file.
Deadlines
To be considered, pre-application materials must be received by the Institute of Astronomy no later than 09:00 BST 6th July. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by 21st July.
Final applications must be submitted through the European Commission’s EPSS system by 16:00 GMT on 2 September 2026.
Pre-Application Deadline Date:
6th July 2026