Deadline: 15-Nov-2025
The Natural Hazards Research Australia’s Early Career Researcher Development and Industry Fellowships supports the career development of late-stage PhD students, early career researchers and researchers employed in industry.
The Fellowships recognise the value that can be achieved by supporting early career researchers to expand their research networks, create strong local and international collaborations, and to have the opportunity to compare the opportunities and challenges for natural hazards research in different geographic, societal, cultural and climatic settings.
Applications for fellowships must directly contribute to the Centre’s core research themes: communities and workforces of the future, sustainable, safe and healthy natural landscapes, resilient built environments, resilient communities, situational awareness, operational response and innovation, evidence-informed policy, strategy and foresight, learning from disasters.
Applications must also directly contribute to an anticipated career development outcome that will support the Centre’s activities, which can include: building national and international research and/or industry linkages, translating international research findings into an Australian context, research-based work placements with relevant government or industry organisations, sector-relevant approaches to improving the translation of research outcomes into practice, new and more effective approaches to education and training for the sector/industry.
Each fellowship provides up to $15,000 in funding. The funding can be used for travel costs, essential research consumables, publication expenses directly related to the approved purpose of the fellowship, and relevant professional development and training expenses.
However, it cannot be used for equipment purchases, salaries, or expenses unrelated to the fellowship’s approved objectives. Fellowships are designed to support career development and are not intended to fund PhD completion or projects already supported by the Centre or other agencies.
Recipients of the Fellowships will have the opportunity to strengthen their research credentials and pursue new research-based collaborations. The program offers Early Career Researcher Development Fellowships for full-time PhD students who have completed at least two years of full-time study, as well as PhD-qualified researchers employed in Australian research institutions or universities within five years of graduation.
Eligibility requires applicants to be Australian citizens, permanent residents, or international students enrolled at an Australian university, demonstrating active participation in a research-related role within the previous 18 months, with allowances made for parental leave or similar career breaks.
A completed application form, budget, short descriptions of proposed activities, career development benefits, and contributions to the Centre’s activities are required. Applicants must also provide independent referee reports, institutional endorsements, and confirmations from host organisations.
Applications will be assessed by a Selection Panel on the basis of career development benefits, alignment with the Centre’s research themes, feasibility of outcomes, and contribution to reducing disaster risk and strengthening disaster resilience. Successful applicants will be notified in mid-January 2026, and fellowships must be undertaken within 12 months of being awarded.
Fellowship holders will also be required to submit a detailed written project report within three months of completion, and may be invited to participate in public events and conferences organised by the Centre to share their fellowship experience and outcomes.
For more information, visit Natural Hazards Research Australia.