The Health Sciences Career Development Programme offers postdoctoral fellowships to outstanding Health Sciences graduates who have recently completed a degree at doctoral level.
These postdoctoral fellowships are usually available each year. In 2023 there will be twoapplication rounds, May and November.
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Help us help our extremely talented and developing scientists by supporting our Flying Postdocs career development programme:
How to apply for a Health Sciences Māori Early Career Fellowship
These fellowships are open to people from any discipline, from those about to graduate with a PhD to people who may have already undertaken some post-doctoral work.
Application are open and close on Tuesday 23rd July 2024.
Guidelines for applicants 2024
How to apply for a Health Sciences Career Development postdoctoral fellowship
This scheme is currently suspended.
Historical 2023 documentation for information only:
- Read the May 2023 guidelines
- Complete the May 2023 Application Form
- Read Appendix C of this document: Terms and Conditions for Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Apply via the Dean of the School, and / or HOD, where you wish to hold the fellowship
Other postdoctoral fellowships
The Rutherford Discovery Fellowship has been discontinued. MBIE has introduced a new suite of Aotearoa New Zealand Tāwhia te Mana Research Fellowships, which will replace the Rutherford Foundation, Rutherford Discovery, and James Cook Research Fellowships from 2024. For more information, please go to:
Other Postdoctoral Fellowships are available from charitable organisations such as:
- The Neurological Foundation
- The Heart Foundation
- Cancer Research Trust New Zealand (John Gavin postdoctoral fellowship, scroll down)
- HRC Career Development Awards
Please contact your Research Adviser for full details.
Flying Postdocs
Researchers describe the impact of a Health Sciences postdoctoral fellowship on their careers.
Dr Rebecca McLean: "For me it is essential that my research has the potential for real change—that it can influence policy and practice for better health outcomes."
Dr Raymond Staals: "I've always been fascinated by how things work, whether it's a TV or a molecular mechanism."
Dr Gabrielle Jenkin: "I was captivated by the BBC series 28 Up. This made me think about how much of life was pre-conditioned..."
Dr Peter Mace: "What excites me about my work is ... making new discoveries that you are the first person to know about, ever."
Associate Professor Tracy Melzer: "Imaging is amazing, it has completely revolutionised medicine."
Dr Joshua Ramsay: "I simply like problem solving and understanding living organisms."