Flexible research careers

You can apply to any of our funding opportunities if you have spent time away from research (for example, a career break, parental leave or long-term sick leave). We will allow for this when we consider your application.  Each funding opportunity has its own eligibility criteria, and you should read this when applying.

If you need to take sick leave, we'll supplement your grant to cover your salary and contribute towards your research costs.

We cover the costs of maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave for our researchers.

You can claim costs to cover caring responsibilities if you or any staff employed on your grant attend a conference. This includes childcare and any other caring responsibility you have, provided:

• Wellcome is paying your salary
• the conference is directly related to your grant
• the costs are over and above what you’d normally pay for care
• the conference organiser and your employing organisation are unable to cover the costs.

You can claim up to £1,000 per person funded on the grant for each conference to cover caring costs.

If you’re funded by us, you can request flexible and part-time working. We will always try to agree to a request, as long as it fits in with the needs of employing organisations.

• We expect Wellcome-funded researchers to adopt the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers.
• As part of our policy work, we’re often involved in high-level conversations about issues facing the research workforce, and how to support diversity.

• The Wellcome Sanger Institute’s Janet Thornton Fellowships help scientists to return to research after a career break of a year or more. 
• Vitae is a UK organisation championing the personal, professional and career development of doctoral researchers and research staff in higher education organisations and research institutes. 
• Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowships, administered by the Royal Society, are for outstanding UK scientists at an early stage of their research career who need a flexible working pattern because of personal circumstances such as parenting or health issues.
• The Athena SWAN Charter recognises and celebrates good employment practice for women working in science, engineering and technology.
• AcademiaNet is a database of women researchers across all disciplines in Europe and beyond which aims to make it easier for scientific bodies to find women members for committees and commissions.
• Stay Connected Bursaries, administered by the Biochemical Society, help people keep up-to-date with the latest scientific developments while on a career break.
• Women Returners supports women returning to work after an extended career break.