STFC Projects Peer Review Panel: member vacancies

• Closing date: 18 May 2025
• Number of positions: 10
• Length of term: Appointments will be for an initial two years from January 2026.
• Time commitment: Members are expected to be able to attend a minimum of two PPRP meetings per year.

  All meetings take place physically in the UK or via video conference, and members are not expected to attend every meeting.

• Remuneration: Attendance fees and expenses are remunerated.; £170 per day
• Outcomes communicated: 31 August 2025

The Projects Peer Review Panel (PPRP) assesses large or complex, or both, construction and operation projects from across STFC’s remit:

• particle physics
• nuclear physics
• accelerator physics
• computing
• astronomy
• particle astrophysics

The PPRP currently has 33 members, a subset of whom attend each PPRP meeting. It employs a diverse membership across these areas and seeks to achieve a balance of expertise across disciplines, institutions and experiments.

PPRP meetings are held relative to demand, around five times a year. In addition, visiting panel meetings, to provide additional scrutiny, are held for most proposals with a subset of PPRP members.

Who we’re looking for

PPRP welcomes applications which meet the requirements from individuals with any of the following expertise:

• particle physics
• nuclear physics
• accelerator physics
• computing
• astronomy, including solar and space science
• particle astrophysics
• project management

We encourage applications in these areas which meet the following criteria.

Essential:

• disciplinary expertise within PPRP’s remit
• in-depth technical understanding or significant project management experience on high-end technology projects
• ability to attend two or more PPRP meetings a year
• ability to understand national and international physics contexts or science project management
• minimum position level of senior lecturer or equivalent

Desirable:

• experience of working on development, construction or operation of large instrumentation or computing projects in physics
• previous experience of peer reviewing proposals in STFC’s remit
• experience of delivering economic and societal impact from physics or computing projects
• experience of collaborating with or working in industry
• experience of managing development, construction and operations projects in instrumentation or computing for physics
• experience of project managing scientific projects
• experience of serving on STFC panels, boards or oversight committees or equivalent

PPRP will recruit new members based on the strength of the applications received, rather than quotas within these areas. High-quality applications are therefore encouraged in any of the above areas.

In particular, PPRP anticipates having vacancies in the areas of space science, nuclear physics, computing and project management.

Applications are also particularly welcomed from individuals based at non-Russell Group institutions who meet the criteria above, in order to balance out representation on the panel.

Early career researchers and theorists need not apply.

What you’ll be doing

PPRP members are expected to contribute to the assessment of proposals across STFC’s remit, not just their core discipline.

Our handbook for members of STFC’s advisory bodies will help you to understand our expectations of a panel member. The handbook also includes useful information on other topics, such as:

• equality and diversity
• conflicts of interest
• confidentiality
• our policy on travel, subsistence, and remunerated meeting fees

How to apply

Read the application guidance documents, which include:

• a preview of the application form
• questions and answers from a webinar we held in 2021
• testimonies from members of STFC panels, boards and committees

Apply using the online form on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Engagement Hub.

How we’ll assess your application

All applications will be assessed based on STFC panel recruitment guidelines:

• relevant scientific or technical expertise within the PPAN (particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics) science areas
• an understanding of national and international PPAN or facility science contexts
• in-depth technical understanding or significant project management experience on projects
• participation or experience of large national and international projects
• involvement in conducting, leading, or directing research in an academic or other research institution

Experience in the following is advantageous but not essential:

• previous experience of peer reviewing proposals in STFC’s remit
• experience of serving on STFC panels, boards or oversight committees or equivalent

All applicants are assessed on the information provided in their application by the current PPRP Chair and Deputy Chair, along with support from STFC staff.

Further information

For questions about the panel contact Malcolm Booy by email: malcolm.booy@stfc.ukri.org

See details of the current membership.

We are committed to the principles of fair and transparent decision-making, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). In addition to UKRI principles on EDI, STFC continues to develop a range of measures and objectives around EDI. We have undertaken an equality, diversity and inclusion impact assessment for this opportunity, see application guidance documents.

Appointments to the advisory panel are made on merit. However, we are keen to maintain diversity in its membership. Applications from women, those with a disability or members of minority ethnic groups are therefore especially welcome.

Last updated: 11 April 2025