Introduction and key facts on the opportunity
Advancing the Frontiers of Earth System Prediction (AFESP) are inviting applications from early to mid-career researchers wishing to carry out independent research, with opportunities to apply for Junior or Senior Fellowships, appropriate to career stage, and applications invited from UK and international candidates.
These fellowships will enable outstanding academics to establish themselves as future leaders in the three AFESP research Themes. It is envisioned that up to three fellows will be funded with an expected duration of 3-5 years and full-time salary of up to £57,696 p.a, starting in early 2026.
Advancing the Frontiers of Earth System Prediction (AFESP) in essence
The Research Programme on Advancing the Frontiers of Earth System Prediction is a £30 million 15-year investment by the University of Reading in partnership with the European Centre for Medium-Range Forecasts (ECMWF), the UK Met Office and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science. It delivers sustained investments to tackle some of the far-term (10–15 year) and difficult (high-risk, high-reward) research challenges in Earth System Prediction.
• Theme 1: Predicting the Earth System up to the sub-seasonal range.
• Theme 2: Challenges and opportunities in simulating the Earth System at the kilometre-scale.
• Theme 3: Data assimilation for the Earth system across a range of scales.
• Cross-cutting theme: Maximising the societal benefits of extended-range numerical weather predictions.
These themes have been chosen, via an open consultation process, as areas that require fundamental long-term cutting-edge research (in both physical and computational science), well suited to the skills and interests of the University, while also being of great relevance to operational centres, but also informed by international developments, e.g. the World Weather Research Programme, World Climate Research Programme, and EU research programmes. For more details, please see the AFESP Science Plan.
AFESP in 2023-2025
Initial investments in Advancing the Frontiers of Earth System Prediction (AFESP) programme have focused on investigator-led projects in collaboration with our partners, supporting postdoctoral researchers and fostering mechanisms for long-term partnerships. Notably, the University of Reading is currently funding six five-year research grants. These initial AFESP research projects, alongside a growing cohort of PhD students, are laying the foundation for a dynamic and thriving AFESP research ecosystem.
The new AFESP Fellowship Programme (Spring 2025)
To further advance its mission AFESP is launching the AFESP Fellowship Programme, aiming to push the boundaries of Earth System Prediction and to cultivate a new generation of researchers at the forefront of innovation.
Aligned with the AFESP Science Programme and exploiting multiple collaboration opportunities in the partnership, we anticipate that AFESP fellows should play a transformative role in at least one of these research projects:
• Model development, improving predictive accuracy.
• Enhancing ensemble forecasting, improving reliability.
• Improving the assimilation of high-density data, including observations from new satellite missions and other data types.
• Developing novel data assimilation methodologies to deal with a range of time and space-scales in the coupled Earth System.
• Advancing analysis methods for process discovery and for tailoring forecast products to specific user requirements.
• Democratising environmental impact assessments, making data and tools more accessible and widely applicable.
Recent advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence are rapidly transforming Earth system science. Key developments include: the design of full assimilation and forecast systems, the link between machine learning and physical modelling in hybrid approaches, the ability to create an improved understanding of uncertainty representation and predictability, enhanced model downscaling, and the emulation of expensive model components. Given these advances, we strongly encourage applications that focus on developing, improving, and implementing machine learning within the research project.
Through this programme, AFESP is committed to shaping the next generation of researchers, driving innovation, and deepening our understanding of the Earth System, so that the AFESP Fellowships aim to:
1. Empower early-career researchers to establish their independence and grow into future leaders in Earth System Prediction.
2. Strengthen collaborations with AFESP’s key partners.
3. Expand the University of Reading’s expertise in environmental prediction.
Key facts on the AFESP Fellowships opportunity
The AFESP Independent Researcher fellowships will have an expected duration of 3–5 years1 . It is envisioned that up to three fellows in total will be funded in the period 2026-2031 at junior and senior levels.
To apply you must meet the following criteria and we request you clearly indicate in your covering letter if you intend to apply as a Junior or Senior Fellow:
Note that, if applicants have taken career breaks (e.g., parental leave, caring responsibilities etc.), their circumstances will be taken into consideration, if the relevant dates and details are provided with the application.
• We invite applications from both domestic and international candidates and funding will be available to cover the fellows’ visa expenses and NHS surcharges, if applicable.
• We welcome applications from any area of AFESP’s remit (see the AFESP science plan).
1 Part-time fellowships will be pro rata.
Opportunities within the AFESP partnership and via external collaborations
The AFESP programme is built upon a strong four-institution partnership, as well as on existing, long-term collaborations between individuals and teams at each participating institution. These offer multiple opportunities to individuals who wish to join AFESP.
Candidates are encouraged to submit proposals that also include co-Investigators from other institutions where there is significant in-kind aligned resource (0.1 Full-time equivalent, FTE or above). Additionally, it is desirable, albeit not necessary, that AFESP partners contribute significant, in-kind aligned FTE (e.g. at least 0.1 FTE senior scientist or 0.2 FTE PDRA time). The AFESP programme offers a Liaisons Group to assist in the latter aspect of proposal preparation and contact with AFESP partners is managed exclusively via the Liaisons Group (see the FULL proposal stage instructions below).
If you are unsure of your eligibility status, you should email AFESP-Research@reading.ac.uk to confirm before applying.
Additional Opportunities
The fellowship brings the opportunity of aligned PhD studentships, which will be considered in terms of the overall fit with the AFESP science plan, subject to progress and by negotiation once the fellowship has begun.
1. Eligibility
Who is eligible to apply
This funding opportunity is open to early to mid-career researchers wishing to carry out independent research.
• You must be able to evidence scientific and technical skills and competencies, relevant to the overall delivery of the AFESP science strategy, and, more generally, in line with the career-building ambitions of equivalent programmes, e.g. NERC’s Independent Research Fellowship (IRF) scheme, the details of which are available online.
• If you are currently studying for a PhD, you are only eligible if you are expecting to have passed your PhD viva before September 2025.
• Holders of postdoctoral training fellowships such as the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions can apply. Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellows, Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships and Daphne Jackson Trust Fellows who meet all eligibility requirements may also apply.
• If you have been included on grant applications as a project lead or co-lead, then you are still eligible to apply, provided you meet all eligibility criteria. Your application must be different from applications you have been included on.
• You may be employed at a lecturer (assistant professor) level that is clearly a ‘teaching only’ post.
Senior Fellow or Junior Fellow – Which level to apply at
We request you clearly indicate in your application supporting statement if you intend to apply as a Junior or Senior Fellow and justify your reasons for this.
An application at the Junior fellowship level is not encouraged (meaning, please apply at senior level instead) if you hold, or have ever held:
• An equivalent competitive fellowship that allows you to establish an independent research group, and therefore independent researcher status.
• A tenured academic post (unless a teaching intensive post).
• A position at lecturer level (assistant professor, or the equivalent in an institution other than a university) that includes setting up a research group and conducting your own research.
• If you hold a fellowship where you are eligible to supervise PhD students or submit research grants as a project lead, then we consider that equivalent to a lectureship. As a result, you are not eligible to apply at the junior level. Examples of these fellowships include, but are not limited to:
– Wellcome Trust Sir Henry Dale Fellowships
– Medical Research Council Career Development Awards
– BBSRC Discovery fellowships
– UKRI Future Leaders fellowships
– ERC starting grant
Senior Fellows are expected to already demonstrate an existing reputation in their field of research and a record of attracting research funding.
Junior fellows will be appointed within grade 6 upper salary range or grade 7 lower salary range, and Senior fellows will be appointed within grade 7 upper salary range or grade 8 lower salary range (commensurate with career stage and experience).
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.
We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:
- career breaks
- support for people with caring responsibilities
- flexible working
- alternative working patterns
Details of which are available here:
https://www.reading.ac.uk/diversity/policies-and-procedures
https://www.reading.ac.uk/human-resources/working-life/flexible-working
Part-time fellowships
AFESP research fellowships can be held on a part-time basis, down to 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE). In all cases, the length of the fellowship must be extended accordingly, on a pro rata basis. For example, a five-year fellowship on a full-time basis would equate to a 10-year fellowship with the fellow working 0.5 FTE. It is possible to change from part-time to full-time, or full-time to part-time at any point during the lifetime of the award.
Choice of Host Department
The host institution will be the University of Reading. Applicants must declare their intention, as well as rationale, for joining a particular department, or departments, and obtain a support statement from the intended host(s). Please consult the application guidance documents in section 3:How to apply.
2. What we are looking for
Scope
Through the AFESP research fellowship, we will invest in researchers seeking to conduct their own research, within the remit of the AFESP science strategy. You should demonstrate convincing evidence of working towards the goal of becoming an independent research leader of the future.
You must demonstrate that, if awarded an AFESP research fellowship, you will be working independently of senior colleagues with whom you might have previously collaborated or with whom you might currently be working in a supporting role. Assessors must be convinced that you have devised your own research questions.
For examples of how to demonstrate meeting these criteria, see the ‘How we will assess your application’ section.
Duration
The duration of this award is three years, with the possibility of renewal, up to a total maximum of five years.
Projects are expected to start between January and April 2026.
Funding available
Up to three fellowships will be funded in this initial round.
We will fund:
your salary (commensurate with experience; at Junior level £40,521-£49,794, at Senior level £51,283 – £57,696
- Fellows’ visa expenses and NHS surcharges, if applicable (regrettably, we cannot cover expenses for any dependents).
- Visits to one or more of the partner institutions, for up to one month per year.
- Facilities costs, e.g. use of ARCHER2 supercomputing, or use of JASMIN clusters.
- Travel and subsistence costs to annual conferences, up to £5k/year.
- A research visit of up to three months at another institution worldwide, if credibly motivated in your application.
What we will not fund:
Requests for equipment of £10,000 and over are not part of this funding opportunity. You should request smaller items of equipment (under £10,000 individually) under ‘Resource Justification’ in your application. This £10,000 funding limit cannot be used to part-fund equipment costing more than the £10,000 limit.
Data management
You must adhere to the University of Reading data policy, as stated here: Data Protection and Research (UoR guidance) & Research Data Management.
If using external data centres, you will additionally adhere to their data policies. We will pay the data centre(s) directly for archival and curation services. You will need to fund the costs of preparation of data for archiving from the grant budget. Outline data management plans are not required at the application stage but will be requested for those projects that are to be funded.
Intended use of Services and Facilities
You can apply to use a facility or resource, e.g. at the University, at a partner institution, at NERC/UKRI, as an aspect of justifying your funding application.
You should clearly state in your full proposal:
- the proposed work in detail
- quantify/estimate the relative costs
High Performance Computing (HPC) facilities such as Archer-2, or STFC-JASMIN, as well as those at partner institutions have their own policies for access and costing. These should be considered at the full application but will be fully assessed and confirmed post awards, please do not contact any of these facilities at the application stage.
Responsible research
The AFESP fellowship programme adheres to the principles stated on the UoR Research integrity web page.
3: How to apply
The AFESP fellowships selection process comprises two stages:
I. Pre-proposal and shortlisting
II. Full proposal and interview
To apply for each stage:
I. Submit an Expression of Interest, in the form of a pre-proposal, via UoR Jobs, by Friday 20 June 2025, comprising of the following attachments:
– Cover letter in which you declare yourself as the intended project lead and clearly indicate if you are applying as a Junior or Senior Fellow.
– Pre-proposal documents (see section Mandatory Application Contents, Pre-proposal” below).
– Please note that all contact with partners will be managed at the next stage, via the “AFESP Liaisons Group”, which will assist and coordinate in this aspect of proposal preparation. Please see the last section (Contact) for further details. Do not contact partners directly.
II. If shortlisted and invited to full submission, submit a full proposal by Friday 30 September, comprising of:
– All pre-proposal documents.
– All i) information and ii) answers to the questions under the section “Mandatory Application contents, Full Proposal”, using the forms provided
– Please e-mail all full proposal documents to this address: AFESP-Research@reading.ac.uk.
Deadline
Your initial application (Expressions of Interest) must be submitted via the university HR portal UoR Jobs by Friday 20th June 2025 at 11:59 UK time. Applications will not be accepted after this time.
We must receive your full application by Friday 30th September 2025 at 11:59 UK time, via e-mail to: AFESP-Research@reading.ac.uk
Personal data
The University of Reading will need to collect some personal information to manage the registration of your funding applications.
We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read the University of Reading privacy notice.
Application Guidance
For full guidance on each stage of the application process please refer to the detailed application guidance documents.
4: How we will assess your application
Assessment process
We will assess your application using the following process.
Expert review and shortlisting panel
We will appoint an AFESP panel of experts, including representatives from the AFESP partner organisations, to review your application, against the specified criteria for this funding opportunity (see below). These experts will provide us with a shortlist of applicants who will be invited to an interview panel. The interview panel will make a funding recommendation to the AFESP Executive Management Group.
Interview panel
The panel will be internal to AFESP, and comprise representatives from all partners, as well as the AFESP director and selected members of UoR academic staff. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to deliver a presentation, followed by interview questions from the panel. These questions will consist of scientific questions raised by panel members about your proposed work and non-scientific questions (on topics such as leadership, career development or impact).
We expect interviews to be held in September 2025, and online.
The AFESP Executive Management Group will make the final funding decision.
Feedback
We will provide panel feedback to all interview candidates by email.
All applicants who attend the interview panel will be provided with panel feedback.
Principles of assessment
We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment (DORA) and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.
We reserve the right to modify the assessment process as needed.
Assessment criteria
The criteria against which your application will be assessed directly relates to the application questions:
For pre-proposals:
• Vision and the fit to the AFESP programme
• Approach
• Applicant’s career progression so far (via CV)
For full proposals:
Core team
• Vision and the fit to the AFESP programme (expanded)
• Approach (expanded)
• Career development
• Applicant capability to deliver
• Partner contributions
• Resources and cost justification
Further detail on what the assessors are looking for is available in the questions in the ‘How to apply’ section.
Contact details
General e-mail: AFESP-Research@reading.ac.uk
For specific queries, the AFESP Liaisons Group, chaired by Professor Pier Luigi Vidale, is available for consultation and will assist in identifying co-investigators at the AFESP partner institutions and defining aligned resources. Please contact AFESP-Research@reading.ac.uk ahead of submission (and no later than one month before the call deadline) to be connected with the Liaison Group.
Process timeline
