BBSRC applicant-led mode committee chair and deputy chair vacancies

• Closing date: 17 July 2025
• Number of positions: One chair

  Two deputy chairs

• Length of term: Three years

  Committee A chair role commencing 1 July 2026

  Committee A deputy chair role commencing 1 July 2026

  Committee C deputy chair role commencing 1 February 2027

• Time commitment: Approximately 24 days per calendar year (including applicant-led mode meetings, assessment preparation plus committee chairs and other ad hoc activities)
• Remuneration: Attendance fee per meeting, for both in-person and virtual meetings

  Travel and subsistence for in-person meetings

• Interview date: To be confirmed 2025
• Outcomes communicated: October 2025

We are inviting expressions of interest to join the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) applicant-led mode committees A and C as:

• chair
• deputy chair

Who we're looking for

Peer review is a vital part of the decision-making process that supports our investment in bioscience.

Our assessment research committees provide expert knowledge and insight to ensure that we invest in important and high-quality research, innovation and training in the biosciences.

You are expected to be well respected within your field, and knowledge of the UK funding landscape is essential.

For Committee A, we are looking for expertise in one or more of the following remit areas:

• ageing
• animal disease
• animal physiology (invertebrate)
• animal welfare
• behaviour
• diet and health
• immunology
• neuroscience
• systems biology
• technology and methods

For Committee C, we are looking for expertise in one or more of the following remit areas:

• evolutionary biology
• genetics and genomics
• computational biology
• drosophila
• ribonucleic biology
• structural biology
• bioimaging
• artificial intelligence

It is essential that you can provide evidence or markers of leadership and some chairing experience.

What you'll be doing

You will be leading the research committee in:

• undertaking the peer review of applications according to BBSRC processes and best practice, and providing recommendations for awards to the BBSRC Executive
• providing feedback to BBSRC on the operational delivery, emerging areas of bioscience and responsive mode narrative

Key responsibilities

Key responsibilities include:

• attend three applicant-led mode meetings per year
• facilitate the fair and evidence-based assessment of research grant applications and safeguard the decision making of the committee
• ask questions of the introducers and the committee and facilitating a discussion, rather than leading on the detailed assessment of proposals
• summarise the discussion and ensure a consensus decision is reached
• ensure that decisions are robust, credible and made in an evidence-based, objective manner
• represent the committee at the committee chairs meeting following each applicant-led mode round, providing feedback on the operational delivery, emerging areas of bioscience and applicant-led mode narrative

View the details of the recent chairing teams of Research Committee A and Research Committee C.

How to apply

Apply on the UK Research and Innovation Engagement Hub.

The application form contains the following sections:

• personal information, for example name, organisation and contact details
• diversity information
• free text sections, including evidence of how you meet the essential and desirable criteria:
  • why you are interested in joining the chairing team, maximum 300 words
  • what you would bring to the role including experience and knowledge in relation to the research areas covered by the committee, maximum 500 words
  • details of the most relevant memberships and roles, including any previous chairing experience, maximum 500 words

Please ensure you refer to the role profile detailed in the ‘How we’ll assess your application’ section in your answers.

Contact us at research.committees@bbsrc.ukri.org if you have any queries before applying, if you feel reasonable adjustments could be made to support you in your application or potential membership.

How we'll assess your application

Applications will be assessed and shortlisted by BBSRC staff. Shortlisted applicants may be interviewed by the Appointments Panel.

In assessing applications, we will consider scientific expertise, diversity of people, institutional and industry balance as part of the outcome.

Role profile for a candidate for the chairing team should meet the following requirements.

You should:

• have demonstrable leadership and presence in the community
• have experience of a range of areas within BBSRC’s remit
• for academic applicants, have demonstrable history in active research and ability to obtain competitive research funding
• have experience that demonstrates the expected skills of a chair
• be at a research organisation that is not already represented by a committee chair or deputy, across the BBSRC committees
• have previous chairing experience, internally or externally

In addition, experience or knowledge of industrial commercialisation or utilisation of technology would be beneficial.

Expected skills

Chairing skills:

• impartiality
• objectivity
• facilitation skills
• good judgement
• confidence to propose actions or make decisions
• ability to see the bigger picture
• quick thinking
• time management skills
• ability to support evidence-based decisions

Communication skills:

• ability to handle difficult conversations
• ability to ask challenging questions
• listening skills
• ability to provide constructive feedback
• interviewing skills

We expect you to commit the necessary time and attention to your appointment and to have the full support or the necessary permission of your employer.

Further information

Equality and diversity

We recognise that diverse ideas, experiences, backgrounds and perspectives are fundamental to successful science and innovation. We are committed to ensuring that our committees, panels and boards are inclusive, diverse and representative of the research community and are developing diversity targets to support this.

We are committed to the principle of providing equal opportunities for all. Through this appointment activity, we aspire to increase the diversity of our peer review communities and welcome applications from all individuals and sections of the community.

An equality and impact assessment (PDF, 364KB) has been developed to support and inform applicants and ensure that we enable participation and attendance at meetings. We will also contribute towards additional costs for caring responsibilities to enable you to attend.

To support us in assessing how effective our policies and procedures are in eliminating unlawful discrimination and promoting opportunities, we ask that you provide diversity information that will be used anonymously by BBSRC for monitoring purposes.

This information will be treated in confidence by BBSRC and will not be used in the assessment of applicants.

Safeguarding good scientific practice

As a public investor in research, BBSRC aims to facilitate the highest standards for research integrity.

UK Research and Innovation is a signatory to the Concordat to Support Research Integrity.

BBSRC also implements the UKRI policy and guidelines on governance of good research, alongside our guidance on safeguarding good scientific practice.

Appointees to BBSRC committees, panels and pool of experts are expected to be aware of their obligations in regard to these policies.

Learn more about UKRI’s guidance and policies on research integrity and misconduct as part of UKRI’s good research resource hub.

You must declare if you are, or have been, subject to any current or past scientific misconduct investigations. We reserve the right to reject any application where such issues are considered an impediment to the individual holding a public appointment. This information will be treated in confidence.

Last updated: 10 July 2025