Role: OLS Research Fellow - Research Funding Ecosystem

OLS is offering an exciting opportunity for a one-year, fixed-term Research Fellowship position titled OLS Research Fellow - Research Funding Ecosystem.

• Location: Remote
• Total budget:
  • UK Salary: GBP 23,500 per annum for a 60% role.
  • Contractors (outside the UK): USD 33,400.
• Deadline for application: 15 April 2025
• Email your CV and Cover Letter to jobs@we-are-ols.org

About the Opportunity

This fellowship is embedded within a newly funded project focused on research and curriculum development aimed at improving the current understanding of the global research funding landscape. The OLS Research Fellow will play a crucial role in contributing to this project by joining the project delivery team.

About OLS

OLS (Open Life Science) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to fostering open science practices in research. Through training and mentoring of researchers, community building and research-based improvement in open science, we aim to foster a more equitable and accessible research ecosystem.

This research fellowship position offers a unique opportunity to work with the OLS team while engaging in impactful research and contributing to the development of resources within the research ecosystem.

Eligibility

This fellowship is open to individuals within the OLS community, encompassing Open Seeds and Nebula fellows, mentors, and experts. A strong understanding and existing familiarity with the OLS community’s values, workflows, and network will benefit candidates and the OLS team, leading to a more efficient and impactful fellowship experience.

Key responsibilities and qualifications required for the role are described below.

The deadline for submitting your CV and a cover letter is 15 April 2025.

Key Responsibilities:

• Map the needs and assets associated with research funding and project sustainability, with a focus on the global research community and access for groups underrepresented in research, including researchers in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
• Collect information on funding mechanisms and grant opportunities aligned with our project goals.
• Conduct short-term quantitative and qualitative work to gather insights into the specific challenges and opportunities for researchers in different geographical contexts.
• Identify and engage with successful open science leaders, funders and initiatives that can contribute to our project goals.
• Design and facilitate participatory workshops and surveys to collect expertise and insights related to the research funding ecosystem.
• Track their progress, maintain resources developed in this project and create reports to share insights with the team regularly.
• Work with another Research Fellow for Curriculum Development regularly to share knowledge, practices and general feedback on each other’s work.
• Collaborate with the Finance Manager to design and iterate on the Fiscally Sponsored Community processes and requirements.
• Most importantly, find opportunities for collaboration and aligning their work, avoiding duplication of efforts and improving the use of shared opportunities.

General expectations:

• Integrate open science practices and community engagement practices (FAIR principles, open collaboration, open-source software) into training resources.
• Attend selected conferences (in person or online) to connect with key stakeholders and build collaboration through their work
• Develop assessment criteria, tools and mechanisms for their project to keep information up to date.
• Collaborate with the OLS team to translate outputs from their work to inform other project activities.
• Openly communicate their work and engage OLS community members where possible and appropriate.

General and Role-Specific Qualifications

General Qualifications:

• Master’s or PhD in any discipline involving research data analysis, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Active open science advocacy to promote open science/source practices, including reproducibility, FAIR principles and research best practices.
• Experience in community organising and social engagement, and understanding of participatory research methodologies.
• Understanding of mixed method approach and some experience working with quantitative and/or qualitative research data.

Role-Specific Qualification:

• Understanding of the needs, opportunities, and considerations when working with underrepresented communities, especially in LMICs.
• Background working in research administration, project/grant management and/or international collaborative projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Knowledge of funding mechanisms and grant opportunities in research. Knowledge of funding systems in health and biological sciences will be a plus.

How to Apply

Application should be submitted by emailing a CV and a cover letter to jobs@we-are-ols.org by 15 April, midnight anywhere in the world.

1. A short resume or CV should highlight “General Qualifications” listed above
2. A cover letter (1-2 pages max) that addresses your relevant background and experience highlighting “Role-Specific Qualification”
   • Please include examples from 1-2 projects you have worked on
   • Make sure to include your approaches to open working and resource-sharing
   • Provide links to projects and/or openly published resources that you have developed either on your own or in collaboration with other contributors
   • Also state personal strengths/skills that you’d like to build in this role

Benefits and salary

This role has been allocated an overall budget of USD 33,400 for 12 months. Contractors (outside the UK) will receive the full amount, which includes a 15% uplift for independently managed taxes, pensions, and benefits. UK-based applicants’ tax, NI, and benefits are handled as part of our PAYE system and will receive approximately GBP 23,500 per annum.

In addition to the stipend, the fellow will have access to the organisation’s infrastructure, leadership coaching, and our global community of individuals and organisations promoting open science in research.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to discuss their availability, weekly hours in this role and preferences with the OLS team after the selection process.

If the successful candidate has the right to work in the UK and is based in the UK (where OLS is registered as a company), we will offer:

• Employment status currently calculated for 60% Full-Time Equivalent in OLS
• 30 days of annual leave, plus Bank Holidays or a local cultural/national equivalent.
• 5% employer pension contributions.
• Private healthcare plan

If the successful candidate is based outside the UK, we will work to offer the best equivalent options available in compliance with local and international labour laws, or equivalent pay as a contractor to allow these benefits to be purchased locally.

Flexible working location and hours: OLS is committed to providing a nurturing and flexible work environment. This position offers fully remote work. While we maintain flexibility, we request that your working hours include an overlap of at least 2 hours with the UK/Europe-based OLS leadership team. Please be advised that non-UK applicants will be hired as contractors and will be responsible for their own tax and benefits arrangements.

Evaluation and selection process:

Stage 1: CV and cover letter review

The first stage review and selection of the applicants based on their CV and cover letter reflecting their potential to fill this role

Each application will be scored for meeting general and role-specific qualifications

The project team will review applications to determine which ones meet the criteria.

Scoring System: 0: Criteria not met, 1: Criteria partly met, 2: Criteria fully met

Stage 2: Written follow-up

The second stage will require shortlisted applicants to describe their approach to delivering on responsibilities, with this description reflecting their understanding of the role’s opportunities and challenges.

Stage 3: Interview conducted in English

The third stage will consist of a short interview (30-40 minutes) with the OLS team, followed by informal discussions to select the most suitable candidate for this role.

The earliest start for the successful candidate in this role will be in June 2025. Exceptions can be discussed at the appointment stage.

Contact:

For any further information or inquiries, please contact jobs@we-are-ols.org.

OLS celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all employees. If you feel that the description of this role does not match up to the commitment to these ideals, please let us know via jobs@we-are-ols.org, or contact the OLS directors directly directors@we-are-ols.org. The OLS Code of Conduct can be found here: https://we-are-ols.org/code-of-conduct.