Postdoctoral fellowships at the Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender (CTSG)

The CTSG at the University of Brighton homes welcomes post-doctoral scholars who work in a wide range of fields intersecting with the study of genders, sexualities and positive social change.

We are inviting applications from people within 12 months of completing their PhD. The University of Brighton is part of the South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership (SCDTP), aligned with the UK’s Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC). CTSG is offering to support those within 12 months of completing their PhD in applying for the 2025/2026 ESRC-SCDTP Postdoctoral Fellowship.

The fellowship aims to support people in developing their research career, by undertaking a programme of research activities such as working on publications, networking, research and professional skills. The fellowships offer funding for one year full-time or two years part time. Applications must fit within one of the University of Brighton’s three approved disciplinary pathways: Social Policy, Sport Leisure and Tourism, Education.

The Centre itself has strengths in interdisciplinary research around 3 key areas:

  • LGBTQIA+ lives and communities
  • Health, care, and wellbeing
  • Gendered inequalities

The centre promotes anti-racist and gender-inclusive research practice across all fields.

We are committed to cutting edge local, national, and global research and community engagement that impacts policy and practice. The Centre has a thriving early career researcher community and members of the centre benefit from a rich programme of invited speakers, workshops, reading groups and networking events.

Successful Post-Doctoral Fellows will have the opportunity to work alongside researchers specialising in gender and sexualities research across a broad range of subject areas, and will work closely with a research mentor in the Centre to consolidate and develop their research. You can find out more about the Centre members’ research expertise on our website here.

Eligibility

Applicants must have completed a PhD at an institution that is part of a Doctoral Training Partnership or Centre for Doctoral Training. For more information on the eligibility criteria, please read the guidance on the South Coast Doctoral Training website: ESRC SCDTP Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme.

Application process

Applicants to the Postdoctoral Fellowship must first be internally approved and endorsed by the University of Brighton. CTSG cannot support any late applications made directly to the SCDTP that have not first gone through this process. Three applications in total will be internally approved. These applications will receive guidance prior to final application to the ESRC-SCDTP Fellowship Scheme on 25th March 2025.

Application step 1: internal approval

Those seeking to be supported by CTSG should first submit an outline statement of interest for internal approval. This statement should indicate what they would intend to achieve in a one-year postdoc fellowship. It should not be more than 300 words /one side of A4 paper. Remember, this postdoc scheme is designed to maximise the dissemination and impact from your PhD, rather than to facilitate new research. A CV, maximum two sides of A4 paper, can also be submitted. Ideally, applicants should be able to indicate who their CTSG academic mentor will be. You can see our list of potential staff mentors on our website, and you may wish to contact them in advance. These applications take several weeks of work to develop so please ensure allow plenty of time to identify a mentor and work with the Centre to develop and submit your application.

The University of Brighton will internally approve and support one application in each of the University’s three approved disciplinary pathways: Social Policy, Sport Leisure and Tourism, Education. Your statement of interest must state which of these pathways it fits within.

Statements of interest/CVs should be submitted by e-mail to Thomas Carter (t.f.carter@brighton.ac.uk) by midnight on Monday 7th February 2025.  Interviews for internal approval will take place in February.

Application step 2: final submission

If your application is internally approved and endorsed, it will likely need further time in February and early March to work up their final and full application to the SCDTP. If your final application to the SCDTP is successful, this will result in employment for one year from 1st October 2025

Questions and advice

If you need any advice about applying, please contact Thomas Carter, Deputy Director of the ESRC SCTDP (Brighton).

Enquiries about CTSG specifically can be made to the centre Director (Prof Nigel Sherriff) via email: ctsg@brighton.ac.uk.