1. Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures
  2. School of Music
  3. Postdoctoral opportunities

Postdoctoral opportunities

The School of Music currently supports applications to the schemes listed below.  However, we are open to supporting applications to other appropriate schemes too.  If you have enquiries about other schemes the School might support, please contact the Director of Research and Innovation, Professor Alinka Greasley: a.e.greasley@leeds.ac.uk.

British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowships 

British Academy Fellowship, School of Music, University of Leeds, Expressions of Interest 

The School of Music at Leeds invites expressions of interest from postdoctoral researchers considering making an application for the 2025/26 British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme. This is a three-year, full time postdoctoral fellowship starting from 1 September 2026. The British Academy call page can be found here, with full details from 2 July.

The School of Music at Leeds represents one of the largest collections of music researchers in the UK. Our primary research aim is to explore the interaction of music with people, cultures and technologies, and disseminate knowledge created through this work to advocate for the historic and continued significance of music in society. Our research expertise includes the cultural and historical study of music, music analysis, aesthetics, composition, music technology, music psychology, music and wellbeing, and music pedagogy. In the REF, 93% of our research activity was rated as 'world leading' or internationally excellent', and 100% of our research impact was rated as 'world leading' or internationally excellent'. 

Within the University we are one of nine schools in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, through which we participate in the Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute. The Institute provides opportunities for collaborative, inclusive, interdisciplinary working for researchers at every career stage. 

The remit of the BA Fellowship scheme covers the fields of musicology, music psychology and music education. Practice-based projects in composition and performance are not supported by this particular scheme. The proposed research should align closely with the research expertise of a member of staff and ideally with one of the research clusters within the School.

Candidates must normally be within three years of the award of their doctorate, and must be a UK or EEA National or demonstrate a strong prior association with the UK academic community. 

General enquiries may be made to Professor Alinka Greasley, Director of Research and Innovation. Those considering applying are encouraged to contact potential research mentors in Music to discuss their proposal directly. 

How to apply

Make sure you meet the British Academy's eligibility criteria for the scheme before you start to prepare your application. Please send your academic CV and a detailed project proposal directly to your prospective mentor, copying in the Director of Research. 

Applicants who would like to be hosted by Leeds should submit an outline proposal and CV by 5pm on Friday 15 August 2025. 

The outline proposal should contain the following information: 

  • Title of Proposed Project 
  • Project Summary (max. 500 words) 
  • Research Outline (max 2,000 words including Aims and Objectives, Research Context, Research Methods, Research Timetable, Proposed Research Outcome(s) Note: refs not included in word count). 

Applicants are strongly advised to take advantage of the rigorous School peer review process. 

For those who submit an outline proposal, please note that Music operates an internal closing date for this scheme of Wednesday 17 September 2025. Applications received after this date will not be supported. 

Leverhulme Early Career Fellowships 

The School of Music at the University of Leeds invites expressions of interest for the 2025 Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship scheme. These awards offer opportunities for outstanding early career researchers to strengthen their experience of research and teaching in a university environment. Full details of the scheme, including eligibility criteria, can be found on the Leverhulme Trust website.   

The School of Music at Leeds represents one of the largest collections of music researchers in the UK. Our primary research aim is to explore the interaction of music with people, cultures and technologies, and disseminate knowledge created through this work to advocate for the historic and continued significance of music in society. Our expertise includes the cultural and historical study of Western and popular music, music analysis, aesthetics, composition, music technology, music psychology, music and wellbeing, and music pedagogy. 

Research in the School of Music is organised into four clusters: Music as Culture; Music, Science and Technology; Making Music, and Pedagogic Research in Music. In the REF, 93% of our research activity was rated as 'world leading' or internationally excellent', and 100% of our research impact was rated as 'world leading' or internationally excellent'. 

Within the University we are one of nine schools in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, through which we participate in the Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute. The Institute provides creates opportunities for collaborative, inclusive, interdisciplinary working for researchers at every career stage. 

Those interested in applying for a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship are invited to submit expressions of interest in the form of an outline proposal to the Director of Research and Innovation, Professor Alinka Greasley, by 1 December 2025. Proposals should include the following elements: 

  1. A summary of the planned project specifying research questions, context, methods and outcomes (maximum one page)
  2. A CV including relevant publications (maximum two pages)
  3. Evidence of agreement from a School researcher who will act as your mentor with an indication of the way in which the project intersects with research at the School of Music (maximum one page). 

Outline proposals will be subject to an internal competition within the School of Music. Applicants who are successful at this stage will receive support from the Faculty Research Office to complete the full application process to the Leverhulme Trust before the application deadline in February 2026. 

Marie-Curie EU Postdoctoral Fellowships 

The School of Music at the University of Leeds welcomes expressions of interest from scholars wanting to pursue a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship. Prospective candidates should identify and work with a potential mentor within the School and submit an EOI by 4 July 2025 5pm.  

The aim of Fellowship is to support researchers’ careers and foster excellence in research. The scheme targets researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. Postdoctoral Fellows help researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors. 

Postdoctoral Fellowships either can take place in Europe (i.e. in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country) or in a Third Country not associated to Horizon Europe, and there are two types: 

  • European Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to researchers of any nationality who wish to engage in R&I projects by either coming to Europe from any country in the world or moving within Europe. The standard duration of these fellowships must be between 12 and 24 months. 
  • Global Postdoctoral Fellowships are open to European nationals or long-term residents who wish to engage in R&I projects with organisations outside EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. These fellowships require an outgoing phase of minimum 12 and maximum 24 months in a non-associated Third Country, and a mandatory 12-month return phase to a host organisation based in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe Associated Country. 

We have an internal selection process for prospective candidates to this scheme.

If you are interested, please contact Professor Alinka Greasley, Director of Research and Innovation, by 4 July 2025 5pm, with the following documents: 

A summary of the planned project, indicating research questions, research context, methods and outcomes (maximum two pages) 

  • A CV (maximum two pages); 
  • A short statement detailing fit with research activity and mentor expertise at the University of Leeds (maximum one page); 
  • Confirmation of eligibility criteria (see below).

Candidates who successfully proceed through the internal selection process will then be invited to develop a full application with us, for which the closing date is 11 September 2024. It is advisable to get in touch with your potential mentor as early as possible so there is time to work up the EOI by the end of June. 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA  

You must thoroughly verify your eligibility against the criteria outlined by the European Commission here before submitting an expression of interest or drafting your proposal. The principal eligibility criterion is international mobility, but you must also be within a certain timeframe for award of PhD thesis. 

Mobility criteria

For European Fellowships: The researcher cannot have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately prior to the call deadline 10 September 2025. 

Along with your EOI, please confirm you have not lived and/or worked in the UK for more than 12 months prior to the call deadline on 10th September 2025. 

PhD criteria

Supported fellows must be postdoctoral researchers at the date of the call deadline, i.e. in a possession of a doctoral degree. Applicants who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will also be considered as postdoctoral researchers and will be considered eligible to apply. The successful defence must be unconditional (no further requirements/corrections that need to be addressed) and take place before the call deadline. Please be aware that you will be required to provide evidence of the date of the award of your PhD or unconditional defence to confirm eligibility if your application is successful. 

Along with your EOI, please confirm the date of your PhD award, or date of your unconditional PhD defence if your PhD certificate has not been awarded yet. If you have not yet had your viva/PhD defence, please confirm when your viva/PhD defence take place. 

Research experience criteria

At the call deadline, supported researchers must have a maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research, measured from the date of award of the doctoral degree. Years of experience outside research and career breaks (e.g. due to parental leave), will not count towards the amount of research experience. All applicants that have received their PhD after 11/09/2017 are automatically eligible to apply provided the remaining eligibility criteria are met. 

Please can you confirm you do not have more than 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research? If your PhD was awarded on or before 11/09/2017 and you have any breaks in your career, please let us know so that we can send you further guidance.