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Rutherford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship

Rutherford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship provide funding to undertake two years of postdoctoral research in New Zealand.

The Fellowships aim to build human capability in research, science and technology by supporting the career development of promising early career researchers with the potential to excel in a research environment. The Fellowship supports early career researchers who demonstrate a passion for research, science and technology, and have a strong sense of the purpose and benefits of research to New Zealand. Receipt of a Fellowship is expected to have a significant value in the future career development of the supported Fellows and help them to establish a foundation on which to embark on an independent research career.

The Fellowship will enable recipients to undertake full-time research programmes within New Zealand for two years in all areas of research, science, and technology, including social sciences and the humanities. The Fellowship is administered by Royal Society Te Apārangi and supported by the New Zealand Government with funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Additional funding for the 2023 funding round from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has enabled the total value of the Fellowship to be increased to $400,000 (GST exclusive) of which $80,000 per annum contributes to the Fellow’s salary, $80,000 per annum contributes to organisational overheads, and $40,000 per annum for research-related expenses.

For 2023, researchers whose doctoral degrees were conferred on or after 01 January 2019 are eligible to apply. Up to five Fellowships can be awarded.