Research and Innovation Fellows

Fixed term up to 5 years

35 hours per week

Closing date: 28^th September 2026

About SRUC

SRUC brings together biological, environmental, economic, social and data sciences with education, veterinary and diagnostic services, advisory work, farms and specialist facilities. Our relationships with government, industry, professions and rural communities mean that research can be developed with the people who understand the problem, tested in realistic conditions and connected to decisions, practice and enterprise.

About the opportunity

A chance to lead a research or innovation programme: We are recruiting 8–12 researchers and innovators and giving them the time, support and institutional reach to establish a distinctive programme of work. These Fellowships are a significant investment in people and ideas.

Some Fellows will deepen areas in which SRUC already has real strength. Others will bring new methods, partnerships or fields of enquiry. We are interested in excellent research, intellectual ambition and a clear sense of what you could build here over five years.

Tell us what you want to lead, why it matters and what you would need from us to succeed. We will work with the people we appoint to connect them to the colleagues, facilities, data, partners and support that can make the work possible.

Time, backing and room to build

These are appointments of up to five years for researchers and innovators ready to establish, grow or scale a distinctive programme.

We welcome candidates from academic and non-academic routes, including industry, government, policy, technology and professional practice. What matters is the quality of the idea, the contribution you can make and the opportunity SRUC creates around it.

What could you build here?

We are looking for strong programmes, not narrow answers to a list of themes. The following questions show the breadth of the opportunity.

• Could your work help make livestock, crop or food systems healthier, more resilient and lower emission?
• Could AI, sensing, modelling, robotics or engineering biology change how decisions are made across farms, food, animal health or the environment?
• Could you create better ways to restore nature, use land and water, or support resilient rural and coastal economies?
• Could new controlled, circular or bioresource systems move from scientific possibility to practical and commercial use?
• Could your work explain what builds trust, changes behaviour and supports adoption?

We are equally interested in methods and disciplines that extend SRUC’s existing strengths. The strongest proposals will connect an important question, the contribution you can make and what SRUC would allow you to do differently

In exceptional cases, appointments may be considered for a higher grade.

Please read the ‘RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FELLOWS’ brochure for full details.

Minimum qualifications and experience:

Details of the requirements of the role can be found in the Job Particulars document which you must read prior to applying.

Admin ref: AWP/AS/021/26

Eligibility for Sponsorship:

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker Visa route in certain circumstances. If you are a migrant worker, you will need to ensure you possess the appropriate attributes to be eligible to apply to live and work in the UK.

Salary and benefits?

• Generous annual leave
• Enhanced pension contributions to contributory pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted RAC Membership
• Generous family leave
• We encourage Continuing Professional Development with a tailored investment in an individuals' learning and development

How to Apply:

Please complete an online application form by pressing “apply”.

SRUC Leading the way in Agricultural and Rural Research, Education & Consultancy

SRUC is committed to valuing Diversity, advancing Equality and respecting Human Rights throughout the organisation and encouraging applications from disabled people using the “Disability Confident Employer” symbol. SRUC is a member of the Athena SWAN charter.

SRUC. A Charitable company limited by guarantee, SC003712. Registered in Scotland No SC103046