St John’s College intends to appoint up to eight College Research Associates from
1 September 2025. 

Candidates must be of postdoctoral standing and may be graduates of any University. Preference will be given to those without a prior Oxbridge affiliation. There are no conditions of subject attached to these positions, but the successful applicants will be within five years of having completed the requirements for a PhD (or equivalent) degree (excluding any statutory leave).  

Successful candidates are likely to have demonstrated an outstanding track-record of research, commensurate with their career stage. The scheme is open to applicants who hold, or are expecting to hold from 1 September 2025, a postdoctoral position for the purpose of conducting research in the University of Cambridge (or at an associated research institution), including those who have already secured awards/early career fellowships in a national or international competition.  

Candidates will be selected by reference to their ability to make a positive and dynamic contribution to the intellectual, educational and social life of the College.

The College Research Associate scheme provides an affiliation to St John’s College and will normally be coterminous with the postdoctoral award in the University of Cambridge, up to a maximum of 3 years.

Membership of the College and various benefits including College dining are offered.  No stipend or honorarium will be payable and no room or accommodation will be provided. The position does not carry any teaching obligations, but involvement in College life is welcomed. 

The application site will open on Wednesday 12 February 2025. Applications must be received by 14:00 GMT on Wednesday 26 March 2025. Applications must be submitted online.

References must be submitted by the deadline of 14:00 GMT on Wednesday 26 March 2025.

Whilst you can submit an application before obtaining both references, your application will be considered incomplete if the references are not added by the deadline. Candidates are strongly encouraged to contact their referees without delay. It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure that referees submit their references by the deadline.

Shortlisted candidates who accept an equivalent postdoctoral affiliation from another Cambridge College will be deemed to have withdrawn from the St John’s College Research Associates Competition.

In applying for this competition, you will provide personal data which St John’s College will process in accordance with its data protection obligations and its Data Protection Policy. Further information is available on the College website