MRC Neurosciences and Mental Health Board (NMHB) member vacancies

• Closing date: 14 September 2025 at 11:59pm (UK time)
• Number of positions: Six
• Length of term: Two years, plus additional two years after review
• Time commitment: Two days per month
• Remuneration: £160 per day, transport and subsistence as appropriate
• Outcomes communicated: By mid-December 2025

The Medical Research Council (MRC) is inviting applications from talented researchers and research technical professionals, with relevant expertise and experience to become members of the Neurosciences and Mental Health Board (NMHB) from 1 April 2026.

It is essential you are an experienced researcher and reviewer with appropriate expertise related to the vacancy that you are applying for.

MRC’s research boards and panels play a key role in delivering MRC objectives across our portfolio of research. They make funding recommendations and contribute to the development and delivery of MRC strategy.

Who we're looking for

We are seeking applications from talented and committed non-clinical and clinical researchers and research technical professionals, with relevant expertise and experience to join the infections and immunity board. You can be based in research institutes or universities, or in companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life, or digital sciences sectors.

It is essential you are an experienced researcher and reviewer with appropriate expertise related to the vacancy that you are applying for.

You must also be:

• able to commit the time expected, around two days per month on average
• able to exercise judgement across a range of research and policy issues, within and beyond your areas of core expertise
• a team player with a commitment to the mission of MRC and supporting objective and fair approaches to funding research, developing careers and positive research culture
• able to work effectively within the public sector requirements for accountability and openness, and managing public money

We particularly encourage applications from currently under-represented groups, including women, minority ethnic and disabled researchers, and those with long-term health conditions.  We welcome applications from people based in all regions and nations of the UK.

What you'll be doing

As a board or panel member you will use your expertise and experience to help MRC invest in high-quality and impactful research, innovation and training as well as providing input into our strategy, including through interactions with other boards and panels and MRC’s advisory structures.

As it is not possible for individuals to provide in-depth expertise across all specialties, members will work collectively through open and objective discussions to provide advice across the board and panel remit, sharing responsibility for judgments and recommendations.

NMHB is responsible for MRC’s investments in disorders of the human nervous system. This includes fundamental research into the human nervous system which informs our understanding of the mechanism of disease and supporting early translation of knowledge towards new diagnosis and treatment.

We have particular interest in:

• addressing the challenges of mental illness and neurodegenerative diseases
• exploring what we can learn from the direct study of human brain tissue to gain insight into the function or dysfunction of the human brain

For further information refer to the remit of the NMHB.

We invite applications from clinical and non-clinical researchers and from industry. Industry applicants should have broad expertise in therapeutic development with a focus on research needs in early translation.

We have up to six vacancies in the following areas.

Computational and systems neuroscience

With expertise in the modelling of brain circuits and neuroinformatics, in any area of relevance to the board’s activities.

Pain

With expertise in relevant experimental techniques including electrophysiology. Applicants with clinical expertise in a field related to pain are particularly encouraged.

Genetics or genomics

With expertise in genetics, genomics, epigenetics or epigenomics across any area of the board’s activities.

Cellular and molecular neurobiology

With expertise in one or more areas of neural circuits, synaptic transmission, neuronal plasticity and sensory neurobiology.

Auditory neuroscience

With expertise in hearing loss including inner ear physiology and central auditory pathways, or speech perception and language

Addiction

With expertise in neuropharmacology or behavioural neuroscience. This could include expertise in learning, memory and attention.

We are especially interested in applicants with expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as those with a background in translational and experimental medicine, or experimental approaches in mammalian, invertebrate or non-animal models. Knowledge of circadian biology, sleep science or epidemiology would be considered advantageous.

How to apply

To apply, complete and submit the online form. All applications must be submitted by 11:59 (UK time) on 14 September 2025.

There is one online form for all our current board and panel vacancies, you may indicate interest in becoming a member of up to three MRC boards or panels that are currently recruiting new members.

In addition to the information provided in the application, we may also use publicly available information, in line with the Declaration on Research Assessment, to assist with membership decisions.

Decisions on membership will be made by mid-December 2025. Applicants will be notified of the recruitment decisions shortly thereafter.

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make our recruitment processes as well as participation on our boards and panels accessible to all, and this includes making reasonable adjustments for individuals who identify as disabled, neurodiverse or as having a long-term condition.

If you have any queries regarding the application process or if you would like this application in a different format, for example accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille, email MRC.EventsandCommitteesTeam@mrc.ukri.org.

If you apply and ‘opt in’ on your application, you will be considered following our disability inclusion assurance process. More information may be found in the ‘Further information’ section on this page.

Should your application be successful, we will work to fulfil your requirements to enable you to fully participate. Let us know in advance if you would like to discuss in confidence how we can support you, either through providing information in the diversity monitoring section of your application or through contacting MRC.EventsandCommitteesTeam@mrc.ukri.org.

How we'll assess your application

Applicants will be shortlisted based on the evidence they provide of meeting the following criteria.

Research expertise

This includes:

• expertise related to a vacancy (essential)
• other expertise that could contribute to the activities of MRC boards and panels, such as clinical training and practice, ethics and regulations, experimental design and reproducibility, industry expertise, quantitative skills or technical skills (desirable)

Experience as a researcher

This includes:

• experience leading or conducting respected research (essential)
• a successful track record of applying for research funding (essential, this may be as a co-applicant or key contributor to team science)
• leadership positions within a company and other indicators that demonstrate research leadership (essential, for people from industry)
• other indicators of research recognition, such as prizes or awards (desirable)

Experience as a reviewer

This includes:

• experience of peer review, which could include reviewing applications for funding in the UK or internationally and reviewing research publications (essential)
• experience of funding panels, which could include major funders, charity, philanthropic or government and public sector funding panels, or panels within your organisation (essential)

Experience equivalent to membership of a funding panel will also be considered.

Other considerations

When making the final selection we aim for between 18 and 24 members on each board and panel, including representation from a diversity of organisations, backgrounds, characteristics and perspectives.

Through our recruitment to the boards and panels we strive to:

• broaden the diversity of membership
• steadily increase the number of women, disabled and minority ethnic members
• increase the ratio of mid-career to later-career members
• ensure a strong representation for basic research across all boards and panels
• include industry researchers, representatives from MRC’s major investments and international members as appropriate
• include expertise to evaluate translational research applications, including applications involving early phase clinical trials

We expect the membership to meet MRC policies on equality.

We strive for representation from research organisations across the UK and may limit the number of members from one organisation. We will also consider applicants from other countries if their full participation is practical, meaning they are able to travel to attend meetings in the UK or participate virtually during UK business hours.

While we will take the preferences indicated in your application into account, you may be offered a role on any MRC board or panel that is currently recruiting.

Further information

Disability inclusion assurance process

We are committed to increasing the representation of disabled people on our boards and panels. In line with this, we offer an enhanced assessment process for disabled applicants. If you opt in to this scheme and meet the criteria for the role, your application will receive an additional layer of consideration to ensure it has been assessed fairly and in line with our inclusion values. To do this, you will need to select ‘opt in’ under ‘disability’ in the diversity monitoring section of the application survey.

This approach is inspired by the Disability Confident Offer to Interview scheme but adapted for non-employment roles where no formal interview stage exists. The process does not guarantee appointment or preferential treatment but aims to ensure that all applicants are assessed equitably.

Induction for successful applicants

As part of the preparation for their tenure, all new members will participate in an induction meeting. This is currently planned for late February or early March 2026, further details to follow.

The meeting will be an opportunity for you to meet the MRC Executive Chair, other senior MRC staff, and your board or panel chair and support teams. The induction enables us to provide guidance on your role and an overview of the MRC, its strategic ambitions, functions and methods of operation where these relate to the work of the research boards and panels.

New members are expected to attend a board or panel meeting as an observer prior to starting their new role.

Relevant board meeting dates are:

• Infections and Immunity Board: 18 to 19 March 2026
• Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board: 25 to 26 March 2026
• Neurosciences and Mental Health Board: 17 to 18 March 2026
• Population and System Medicine Board: 24 to 25 March 2026

Relevant panel meeting dates are:

• Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme Panel: 20 to 21 January 2026
• Experimental Medicine Panel: 24 to 25 June 2026
• Equipment Panel: To be confirmed
• Clinical Training and Career Development Panel: 18 to 19 March 2026
• Non-Clinical Training and Career Development Panel: 24 to 25 March 2026
• Centres of Research Excellence Panel:  to be confirmed

Last updated: 18 July 2025