Natural Hazards Research Australia’s Early Career Researcher Development and Industry Fellowships are designed to support the career development of late-stage PhD students, early career researchers and researchers employed in industry.
Natural Hazards Early Career Researcher Development and Industry Fellowships
The Fellowships recognise the value that can be achieved by supporting early career researchers to expand their research networks, create strong local and international collaborations, and to have the opportunity to compare the opportunities and challenges for natural hazards research in different geographic, societal, cultural and climatic settings.
Recipients will have the opportunity to further build their research credentials, and to pursue new research-based collaborations.
Early Career Researcher Development Fellowships are available to full-time PhD students who have successfully completed two years of full-time study (or equivalent), and PhD-qualified researchers employed in research positions in research institutions or universities within Australia, for up to five years after their PhD graduation.
Early Career Researcher Industry Fellowships are available to PhD-qualified researchers employed in industry (where their employer is a Participant of the Centre), for up to five years after their PhD graduation.
Fellowships are available for:
- up to $15,000 for Early Career Researcher Development Fellowships
- up to $7,500 for Early Career Researcher Industry Fellowships.
Fellowship holders will benefit from a range of additional opportunities, including networking opportunities, mentoring, promotion of research and connection into the Centre’s knowledge network.
We particularly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, culturally and linguistically diverse people, people with disability, LGBTIQ+ people, and people with family and caring responsibilities.
For more information about study areas, eligibility criteria, applications, funding, assessment and expectations of fellows, see the buttons at top right corner of this page.
Key dates
Applications for fellowships open on 30 September 2024.
Applications close at 5:00pm AEDT, 15 November 2024.
Successful applicants will be notified in mid-January 2025.
Fellowships must be undertaken within 12 months of being awarded.
How to apply
When a round is open, an application form will be available for download and completion. The form, along with all supporting information, as PDF files should be submitted via email to research@naturalhazards.com.au. If you have any questions or need support completing your application, please email research@naturalhazards.com.au.
For more information about study areas, eligibility criteria, applications, funding, assessment and expectations of fellows, see the buttons at top right corner of this page.
Frequently asked questions
Q) Will it cause you any administrative issues if my independent referees submit their reports before I have submitted my application?
A) No, your referees are welcome to send in their statements of support prior to your submission.
Q) Could you please advise whether a PhD student whose thesis is currently 'under examination' is considered a PhD student for the purpose of applying for an Early Career Researcher Development Fellowship?
A) If a PhD student is undertaking research relevant to the Centre’s published research themes and research priorities and has satisfactorily completed at least two full-time years (or equivalent) towards their PhD, then they would be eligible to apply for the Early Career Researcher Development Fellowship. Therefore, if the student’s thesis is currently under examination, they would qualify.
Q) Would a PhD-qualified person who holds an unpaid adjunct appointment with the university be considered as 'employed in a research position'?
A) Unfortunately not. The criteria state that the applicant must be currently employed and be actively involved in research or research translation. An unpaid adjunct appointment does not guarantee that the applicant is undertaking this research/research translation as an adjunct not employed by a university to undertake research.
Q) Are applicants required to seek any formal approval from their university to submit, or do they submit directly to the Centre?
A) Applicants are required to obtain a written endorsement of the fellowship from a university, research organisation or industry employer.
Q) What type of university endorsement document is needed for this application?
A) University endorsement should come from Head of Department, Dean or Associate Dean Research (or equivalent).
Q) Who can I have as independent referees? If they are my collaborators, can they still be my referees?
A) The independent referees cannot be from within your current research team. They could, for example, be collaborators from another university.
Q) If funding was awarded, would the funds go directly to the Fellow or is it intended to go through the University?
A) We generally provide the funds to the university in question, after which the distribution of funding is up to the university’s discretion.
Q) How strict is the assessment criteria and how clearly does my application need to demonstrate that I meet these criteria?
A) Prior to writing your application, all applicants for an NHRA ECR Development and Industry Fellowship must read the applications, funding, assessment and expectations guidelines on the Centre’s website and take note of the following application assessment criteria:
- the benefit of the fellowship to the applicant’s career development
- strong linkages between the fellowship and the Centre’s core research themes
- the feasibility of achieving the outcomes proposed for the fellowship
- how the outcomes of the fellowship could be used to support the Centre’s objectives of reducing disaster risk and strengthening disaster resilience.
The applicant will only be deemed eligible for consideration if these assessment criteria are met. If the application fails to demonstrate how the applicant meets the assessment criteria, they will be considered ineligible for further assessment.
Q) Should I provide a detailed budget? Is there a list of what the funds can/cannot be used for e.g. salary, teaching buyout, project costs etc?
A) Please provide a detailed, approximate budget estimate.
Fellowship funds can be used for:
- travel costs
- essential research consumables
- publication expenses (where this is directly related to the approved purpose of the fellowship)
- relevant professional development and training expenses.
Fellowship funds cannot be used for:
- purchasing any equipment (including computers or laboratory equipment)
- paying salary
- any other expenses not directly related to the approved purpose of the fellowship.