In 2024, CoSeC welcomed its first cohort of CoSeC Fellows. Each will become an ambassador for the Centre, highlighting the benefits of CoSeC and the CCP model, and making scientists and researchers aware of the world leading activities undertaken through the Centre’s work.

Applications are now open for the 2025 Cohort of CoSeC Fellows! You can access the application form here.

CoSeC Fellows help to highlight the work of CoSeC in supporting the advancement of computational research by developing and strengthening software to analyse and solve increasingly complex problems in multiple disciplines across UKRI – arts, humanities, physical sciences, engineering and more. In return, CoSeC Fellows gain access to, and learn from, interactions across a wide range of research areas. Fellows gain experience of working in a world-leading scientific environment, increasing their skills and knowledge. They have the opportunity to raise their own personal profile and have the prospect of creating future educational and employment openings as they develop their careers.   

2025 Timeline 

1 July 2025: Applications open for the 2025 CoSeC Fellow cohort. 

5 September 2025: Deadline for applications – application process closes. 

1 October 2025: 2025 CoSeC Fellows confirmed – 15-month term begins. 

31 December 2026: 2025 CoSeC Fellows cohort term ends. 

What the Fellowship involves:  

CoSeC Fellows will each be awarded funding of up to £3000 and be able to access, and learn from, interactions across a wide range of research areas. Fellows will gain experience of working in a world-leading scientific environment, increasing their skills and knowledge. They will have the opportunity to raise their own personal profile and have the prospect of creating future educational and employment openings as they develop their careers.   

Eligibility: 

This process is open to all, with eligibility being determined at the panel review stage in accordance with UKRI rules. We particularly encourage applications from those from under-represented groups as well as early career researchers in academia, industry or other eligible settings. Proposals should make it clear why the applicant feels their work will impact CoSeC and its communities, they should also make clear in what professional capacity they are applying, highlighting as much detail as possible to ensure the panel is able to accurately determine personal eligibility. 

We are passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from women and minority groups to help increase their representation across computational research.  

To Apply: 

Applicants will need to complete an online form which outlines the specific goals and outcomes they would like to achieve as a CoSeC Fellow, as guided by one or more of CoSeC’s high-level goals: 

• Ensure the UK has the right codes to take advantage of accelerator-based systems. The UKRI Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) federated computing infrastructure landscape is heterogeneous. To maximise potential, the UK’s research codes must effectively work across as much of this as possible, while making the best use of specialist hardware where appropriate. A key aspect of this are GPU accelerators which form a key aspect of all upcoming DRI investments in the UK.  

• Expand the user base of computational services to all UKRI’s communities. CoSeC will use its funding, combined with its widespread influence to ensure that the CCP model is spread across UKRI. Alongside this, the Centre will develop its own internal capabilities around delivery of training, and centralised skills and knowledge for key topics like AI, Quantum Computing and Data Curation to provide wide access and knowledge exchange across UKRI. 

• Implement relevant aspects from the DSIT Future of Compute Review to create a long-term coordinated and coherent computational capability for the UK. CoSeC to be a focal point and hub for CCP and HEC activity, sustaining, guiding and creating new communities. This builds on the activities of existing communities, encouraging them to explore the wide spectrum of UKRI’s research domains beyond their own. At the same time, it allows for the creation of new communities centred around research software. The outputs of these communities are integral within CoSeC through its collaborative technical work and in the way that they are integrated back into the Centre’s cross-cutting capabilities. 

Applicants will be selected by a panel of experts and researchers within the Centre, based on submissions through an online application form that will request the following information: 

• Personal information about you (such as name and contact information) and demographic information. 

• Information about where you work and your domain, field, and/or area of work. 

• Information about your research/work. 

• Information about financial support for your research/work. 

• Information about your plans for the Fellowship if selected. 

Award 

Fellows may utilise their funding in several ways. Examples include:  

• Attendance at relevant events such as the CoSeC Communities Forum or specific community meetings, with the expectation being that a Fellow would be actively engaged in some form of knowledge exchange or dissemination. 

• Organising or attending wider events that develop good working practices and highlight the goals and input of CoSeC.  

• Running idea factory events to identify important cross-cutting topics or explore new ideas and set roadmaps.  

Each Fellow will be given a presence on CoSeC’s website and visibility through STFC’s impact generation platforms such as CoSeC blog posts and CoSeC and UKRI/STFC social media. 

Following selection, each Fellow will be awarded a package of financial support up to the value of £3000 over a 15-month period alongside excellent networking opportunities, professional support and advice. This funding will be provided on demand to support each Fellow’s proposed activities and in each case will agree an output to be provided back to CoSeC. 

The end of the 15-month term does not mean the end of the Fellowship, CoSeC intends to operate a “Once a Fellow, always a Fellow” approach, building a supportive and engaging environment to encourage future growth and interaction with our Fellows and opportunities to engage and network with future cohorts.  

 

Please Note: successful applicants will be required to invoice CoSeC for their funding as required throughout the 15-month term of the fellowship. CoSeC will not transfer the funding in one lump sum at the start of the fellowship term.   

We expect successful Fellows to be able to actively engage within CoSeC’s research communities. This is likely to include virtual and in-person interactions with communities or with CoSeC itself.