Our NIHR Senior Investigator award recognises the most prominent and prestigious researchers of applied health and social care. Senior Investigators help shape the direction of health, social care and public health research in the UK.
Applications for our NIHR Senior Investigator award are open to researchers from England and Northern Ireland. In addition, Senior researchers in England and Northern Ireland are brought together as a community of Senior Investigators.
As part of the Senior Investigator community, they:
- influence national research plans
- act as mentors and role models for early-career researchers
- lead impactful health, and social care and public health research
- act as ambassadors across health, social care and public health systems
- help develop research capacity and talent in underrepresented groups, specialities and areas of geography
Webinar
Register for our webinar to get tips on how to write an excellent application.
Funding available
Senior Investigators will receive a discretionary award of £15,000 per year for 4 years to fund activities that support their research.
Eligibility
We welcome applicants from diverse professional backgrounds. This includes, but is not limited to, those with an interest in:
- social care research
- nurses
- midwives
- allied health professionals
- pharmacists
- healthcare scientists
- methodologies
Applying if you are based in England
To be eligible, you must:
- have made a substantial contribution to the NIHR with ongoing contribution planned
- be employed by an organisation based in England
- be leading high quality applied health, public health or social care research funded by NIHR, or have done so within the last 2 years
Applying if you are based in Northern Ireland
To be eligible, you must:
- have made, and continue to make, a meaningful contribution to the delivery of Northern Ireland’s strategy for Research and Development in Health and Social Care Research.
- be employed by an organisation based in Northern Ireland
- be leading high-quality applied health, public health or social care research funded by at least in part, by the Health and Social Care Research and Development Division, the Research Councils, NIHR, or another body that funds high-quality research, or have done so within the last 2 years
If you are based in Northern Ireland, please contact Dr Sorcha Finnegan before starting an application: Sorcha.Finnegan@hscni.net.
Submitted applications and applicant details will be shared with the HSCNI office following the submission deadline to confirm eligibility and throughout the review and award period.
Applying for a second term
If you are a current NIHR Senior Investigator, you can serve up to 2 terms, which is a maximum of 8 years in total.
If your first term ends on 31 March 2027, you are eligible to apply for a second term, as long as you still meet the eligibility criteria. You should only apply for a second term during the final year of your first term.
Your application will be assessed through the same process as new applicants. However, we will specifically consider the contributions and activities you have made as a Senior Investigator so far, including how you have supported our work and priorities.
Visit funding web page
(https://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/senior-investigators-cohort-20/2026464)
