BioFAIR Fellowship Programme

Why you should apply

As one of the first cohort of BioFAIR Fellows, you will help shape the strategy and future direction of BioFAIR’s People Commons. As part of our mission, BioFAIR seeks to drive adoption of the FAIR principles and open data, and build excellent research data management capabilities across the UK life sciences. This change starts with the people who can lead it, so if you are excited about the chance to embed FAIR best practices amongst diverse communities of front-line life sciences researchers and directly support them with their data management and data analysis needs, then you are the type of person we are looking for.

The benefits of becoming a BioFAIR Fellow include: 

Shape the future: Help us establish research data and analysis workflow management as vital capabilities for organisations engaged in modern, data-intensive life sciences research, professionalise data stewardship and data analysis skills across the UK, and help develop the vision for BioFAIR services and infrastructure for years to come. Provide input that will shape the emerging  Data and Methods commons, so that they provide the capabilities that researchers really need.

Be a role model: Stand amongst your peers, advocate for FAIR data, software and workflow good practices, as well as embodying a practical, hands on, supporting role for data managers in the UK.

Support a FAIR transformation: Many research organisations around the UK struggle to reuse research outputs – including analysis workflows, tools, software and data – and to adopt the FAIR principles themselves. As a BioFAIR ambassador you can make use of your expertise to create a step change in data-driven research.

Create dedicated specialist time: Use BioFAIR funding to take back some of your time to prioritise outreach, engagement, and your own learning and development. Make space for the specialist activities – such as developing data analysis and workflow best practices, data management, and peer support – that you don’t have time for in research projects.

Engage at key events: Deliver training, attend conferences and events, and speak to a range of researchers to gain breadth in your understanding of typical data analysis and data management problems. Attend training courses for your own development. Gain access to a BioFAIR travel and training fund to support you with the budget to represent BioFAIR at key events.

Form a new team: Be part of the first cohort of BioFAIR ambassadors who will come together to form the BioFAIR People Commons. Help set the direction for this team as well as build a positive culture within BioFAIR. Exchange ideas and expertise, and learn from your peers and colleagues working on similar research data management, and computational workflow challenges.

Join at the start: BioFAIR Fellows will retain their fellow status even once their funding, and their ambassadorial activities, end. Fellows can use their experience and expertise to provide input to the BioFAIR BioCommons, other digital infrastructures, and will have the chance to act as role models and mentors to future fellows.

What we are looking for

We are seeking applicants with the capability, capacity, and institutional support to act as BioFAIR Ambassadors – embedded research data analysis and data management experts who can work within their research communities to promote FAIR and open science practices, and can support the development and adoption of reproducible, open workflows. We are looking for individuals who can come together as part of a wider BioFAIR team and get hands-on, driving upwards the reuse of shared workflows across UK research performing organisations, and tackling the workflow challenges faced by researchers through the transfer and adoption of established solutions. We are hoping to bring together an amazing team that can lead the culture change BioFAIR aims to deliver.

Ambassadors should be individuals who are:

• Recognised or emerging experts in data stewardship, bioinformatics, or research data management within the life sciences
• Experienced in developing collaborative computational workflows, especially in the context of open, reproducible science. You might, for example, have helped develop a Nextflow pipeline, authored a workflow in CWL or Galaxy, or shared R scripts in bioconductor.
• Passionate about supporting others, including early-career researchers, technicians, and project teams
• Experienced in working across disciplinary or institutional boundaries and able to identify and respond to diverse community needs
• Committed to open science and FAIR principles and enthusiastic about shaping the future of research infrastructure in the UK

We particularly welcome applications from individuals with strong domain knowledge in areas such as:

• Genomics and transcriptomics
• Proteomics and metabolomics
• Environmental and ecological sciences
• Biodiversity and taxonomic research
• Synthetic biology and biotechnology
• Health data research (within ethical and regulatory limits)

We aim to appoint a diverse cohort in terms of geographic location, institutional setting, scientific focus, and career stage.

Key attributes we are looking for in an applicant:

The potential to contribute meaningfully to a shared team mission, including shaping the direction of the People Commons

A demonstrable track record in developing robust, open analysis workflows and/or enabling FAIR data

Practical experience supporting researchers through training, consultation, or helpdesk-type services

Evidence of ability to engage and influence peers, including in interdisciplinary and cross-sector settings

Strong collaborative mindset, with examples of participation in cross-institutional or national initiatives

Scope of the Ambassador Role

Each BioFAIR Ambassador will work part-time (0.2 FTE) over 12 months to deliver activities aligned with the following areas of focus. Applicants should describe how they intend to contribute to these, including how they will allocate their time and prioritise activities based on local community needs.

Activities in scope

• Community engagement and needs identification
  • Connecting with research groups and facilities in your region or scientific domain
  • Surfacing community-specific requirements for FAIR data, tools, workflows and services
• Development and stewardship of analysis workflows
  • Co-developing or adapting FAIR-aligned workflows for research use
  • Preparing FAIR-aligned workflows for sharing and reuse
  • Supporting researchers (both inside and outside your own institution) in workflow use and best practices
• Training and skills development
  • Designing and delivering training sessions
  • Supporting BioFAIR learning pathways and national training resources
• Promotion of FAIR principles and open research
  • Advocating for good data practices at institutional and national level
• Contribution to BioFAIR coordination and infrastructure
  • Collaborating with other Ambassadors and the BioFAIR Hub
  • Contribution to design and feedback on the BioFAIR Data and Methods Commons.
  • Participating in evaluation and reporting activities
• Collaboration with aligned national initiatives
  • Engaging with ELIXIR-UK, Professional Research Investment & Strategy Manager (PRISM) Network, the Software Sustainability Institute (SSI), Hidden REF, The Carpentries, and others

Activities out of scope

Generic outreach activities not focused on data management or analysis workflows

Standalone research projects or RA posts

Development of entirely new software tools

Infrastructure procurement (outside of coordinated BioFAIR plans)

Roles with no community-facing activity

Capacity building that is purely focused within your own institution, and without a component for sharing lessons learned

Who can apply

To be eligible for a BioFAIR Ambassador award, you must be an individual based at a UK research organisation that is eligible to receive UKRI funding. The funding will be awarded to your host institution, which must confirm:

• The institution will host and administer the funding
• Funding will not be used to cover purchase of equipment
• You are able to dedicate 0.2 FTE of your time to the role (or pro-rata part-time equivalent) for the next 12 months, and that your institution is aware this is not a permanent role
• You will be supported in delivering outreach and engagement activities

Eligible organisations

• UK higher education institutions (HEIs)
• UKRI-recognised independent research organisations (IROs)
• NHS bodies or relevant government-funded research entities
• Eligible third-sector research organisations

For further guidance, see the UKRI’s full list of research organisations eligible for UKRI funding.

Eligible applicants

You may be in roles including:

• Research software engineer
• Data steward or data manager
• Bioinformatician
• Technical specialist
• Researcher focused on workflows or data
• Platform or core facility staff
• Technician with data management responsibilities

You must:

• Be employed by an eligible UK research organisation
• Have relevant experience in FAIR data, research software, or workflows, including for example teaching, using and developing resources that promote FAIR principles, especially as applied to the use and reuse of workflows
• Be able to commit around 1 day per week for 12 months (or pro-rata part-time equivalent)
• Have institutional support for active participation

Career stage

This opportunity is open to early-career, mid-career, and established professionals. It is suitable for those pursuing both academic and non-academic technical careers.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to ensuring that our committees, panels and boards are inclusive, diverse and representative of the UK Life Science Research community.

We are committed to the principle of providing equal opportunities for all.

We strongly encourage applications from:

• Underrepresented groups in research infrastructure roles
• Applicants with non-linear careers or career breaks
• Those based in under-resourced regions or institutions
• Applicants with part-time contracts or caring responsibilities
• We recognise that diverse ideas, experiences, backgrounds and perspectives are fundamental to successful research and technical development.

In this application process, we collect information about your age, gender (including previous gender identity if applicable), disability, ethnic origin and sexual orientation as part of our equality monitoring procedures. Data collected from your application form is used to assess your suitability for the role and, as appropriate, make arrangements for appointment. Special category data collected as part of our equality monitoring procedures is used to provide anonymised data and reports to ensure we maintain and promote equality of opportunity across our recruitment practices. As appropriate, it may also be used to ensure reasonable adjustments are made to recruitment processes in relation to any disability, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. Our full privacy statement can be found here https://biofair.uk/privacy-policy/

If you require reasonable adjustments to apply, please contact: contact@biofair.uk

Funding available

• Each Fellow will receive funding equivalent to 0.2 FTE over 12 months (direct costs: salary plus on-costs, maximum claimable £20,000)
• Contribution to Indirect costs at 25% of direct salary costs (maximum claimable £5,000) 
• A shared travel and training fund will be available to support attendance at key events and learning opportunities.

What the funding will support

BioFAIR funding will support:

• Salary costs for 0.2 FTE of time (buy-out or backfill), including employer on-costs
• Participation in BioFAIR coordination and review meetings
• Development and delivery of community-facing activities, including events, training, and documentation
• Contribution to shared team outputs, including workflow materials, training resources, and evaluation reports
• Travel and subsistence to attend BioFAIR-relevant events and training, available through access to a shared “Ambassadors fund”. Requests for travel and training from this fund will be reviewed against BioFAIR and UKRI policy and subject to prior approval with the BioFAIR hub.

What the funding will not support

Disconnected or purely theoretical work without direct community engagement

Full-time positions or additional FTE beyond 0.2

Equipment or capital purchases

Recruitment of new staff for independent research or technical projects

Institutional overheads or indirect costs beyond what is permitted by UKRI infrastructure rules

Timeline

• 16th June 2025: Call opening date
• 25th July 2025: Application deadline
• 6th August 2025: Invitations to selection and development day sent out following panel review
• 27th August 2025: Selection and development day
• From 1st September 2025: Ambassador cohort appointed and onboarded

How to apply

Applications should be submitted to opportunities@biofair.uk. 

The deadline for submission is 25th July 2025. Applications should include the following supporting documents:

Required documents

Application Form (template to be provided on launch)

• Provide personal, institutional, costing details and additional information required to process your application

Institutional Letter of Support

• Signed by a senior staff member (e.g. Head of Department or Group Leader).
• Must confirm the host institution’s support for hosting the award and enabling the applicant to commit 0.2 FTE to the Ambassador role.

Résumé for Research and Innovation (maximum 4 pages)

• Provide your narrative CV using UKRI’s R4RI template. Guidance is provided here.
• Describe your background and experience relevant to FAIR data, research software, or workflow development.
• Include relevant employment history, qualifications, and project experience.
• Include contributions to open science, community-building, and collaborative infrastructure.
• Highlight previous roles or projects that demonstrate your ability to provide support, training, or community engagement.

Proposed Activities Plan (maximum 2 pages)

• Outline how you plan to allocate the 0.2 FTE time across the duration of the programme.
• Identify the scientific domains, regional communities, or research groups you will focus on.
• Describe the types of activities you propose to deliver (e.g. training, workflow support, events).
• Explain how you will collaborate with the wider BioFAIR network and align with national programmes.
• Indicate how the success of your proposed activities will be evaluated along with those of the wider ambassador team  and how outputs – including, for example, documentation, lessons learned and roadblocks encountered – will be shared.

Optional documents

Supporting testimonials (up to 3; maximum 1 page per testimonial)

From researchers or collaborators familiar with your contributions to data management or workflow support.

Assessment process

Applications will be reviewed by a panel comprising:

• BioFAIR Hub representatives
• Independent domain and technical experts
• External advisors from aligned initiatives (e.g. ELIXIR-UK, PRISM)

All applications will be assessed using the following criteria:

Expertise and track record (40%)

• Contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies or knowledge; including demonstration of knowledge and experience in FAIR data, workflow development, and researcher support.
• Contributions to the wider research and innovation community; including quality and relevance of previous contributions to open science or community infrastructure.

Collaboration and impact (30%)

• Evidence of the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships; through collaborative working and demonstrated potential to contribute to a national, distributed team.
• Contributions to broader research/innovation-users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit; for example through evidence of sharing of past learnings, and demonstration of impact across the life sciences sector.

Relevance and alignment (20%)

• Alignment of the proposed activities with the objectives of the People Commons and BioFAIR.
• Vision for how skills and proposed activities will contribute to the direction of the wider team and BioFAIR in general.
• Fit with the scope and focus of the Ambassador role.

Proposed delivery (10%)

• Clarity and feasibility of the activity plan.
• Appropriateness of focus areas, engagement strategy, and outcomes.

Team-first approach

The final recommendation aims to create a cohesive team made up of a balanced, inclusive cohort of the best applications, bringing the potential to add value across the breadth of BioFAIR strategy and emerging activity. As part of this approach, and where applicants are of comparable quality within the above assessment criteria, the following measures will be considered:

• Diversity of research performing organisations and institutional settings
• Scientific focus, to ensure coverage of the opportunity remit
• Geographic coverage, to ensure that as far as possible, resultant ambassadors are distributed evenly across the UK

Final Selection

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a development and selection day in August. This day will present applicants with a chance to engage with their peers, share knowledge and experience, and compare their proposed activities. Participants in the selection day will also be assessed using the above criteria, and this event will be used to finalise the first cohort of BioFAIR ambassadors. Applicants will be notified of outcomes by September 2025, with onboarding activities commencing immediately after selection.