Darwin College is keen to hear from candidates looking to become part of our community. Our current vacancies can be viewed below. Please contact bursary@darwin.cam.ac.uk if you have any questions about these posts, or about working at Darwin in general.
up to £85,000 pa plus benefits
Are you passionate about driving change and making a lasting impact? Darwin College, renowned for its intellectual rigor and vibrant community, is seeking a talented and visionary Development Director to help shape its future by delivering an exciting and innovative campaign.
If you are a talented major gifts fundraiser working in the not-for-profit sector, we’d love to hear from you! Experience of fundraising for the higher education sector is not a prerequisite.
At Darwin College, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and society. As the Development Director, you will play a pivotal role in advancing our mission by fostering philanthropic partnerships. With your expertise and passion, you will help us secure the funds needed to support groundbreaking research, enhance student experiences, and provide scholarships to talented individuals from all walks of life.
Darwin has always been a pioneering Cambridge College – we were the first postgraduate-only College and the first to admit both men and women. The College is named after Charles Darwin’s family, who owned some of the land and buildings that now form part of the college, and we continue to maintain strong relationships with the Darwin family.
In the heart of the historic city of Cambridge, Darwin is a vibrant and intellectually stimulating environment where cutting-edge ideas flourish. We pride ourselves on fostering an inclusive and diverse community that encourages collaboration, curiosity and innovation – and are known for being egalitarian, inclusive, informal and welcoming.
This is an opportunity to lead the Development Office at an exciting time. We are looking to launch our first ever campaign and as our new Development Director, you will be responsible for shaping the strategy for this new campaign, working closely with the Master, Dr Michael Rands.
As our Development Director, you will play a pivotal role in forging lasting partnerships, cultivating influential networks, and enhancing our global reach, ensuring that Darwin's impact continues to extend far beyond Cambridge.
Further details are in the attached brochure.
Please apply by submitting a copy of your Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a Covering Letter highlighting your suitability for the position, by midnight on Sunday 25 June 2023 by email to: recruitment@darwin.cam.ac.uk
If you would like to have a confidential discussion about the position or discuss the role in any way, please email joanna.logan@admin.cam.ac.uk
First round interviews will be held on 7 or 10 July 2023. Panel interviews will be held week commencing 17 July. These interviews will all be in person at Darwin College. There will be a final Zoom interview following the panel interview at a date to be confirmed. Please confirm your availability for the above dates as part of your application.
Darwin College intends to appoint a number of College Research Associates from 1 October 2023. These positions are tenable for one year with an annual possibility of renewal for a further year to a maximum term of three years.
The scheme aims to provide researchers with a substantial association with the College but such association will not include membership of the Governing Body.
Candidates must be of postdoctoral standing, and may be graduates of any university. They will normally hold a funded position requiring them to conduct research in the University of Cambridge or in a directly associated research institution and the appointment will be co-terminous with that position.
Successful candidates will normally be within six years (full-time equivalent) of having completed the requirements for the PhD (or equivalent) degree. Career breaks and/ or full-time-equivalent working will be taken into account. Candidates will be selected with reference to their ability to communicate their research to a non-specialist audience.
The panel will also consider candidates’ willingness to contribute to the intellectual, sporting, or cultural life of the College. This could be evidenced through regular engagement with extra-curricular activities in a wider academic community. At Darwin College, involvement can take many forms. For example, members can assist in organising the lunchtime seminar series and the annual Darwin College Lecture Series, as well as taking on leadership roles in College clubs and societies.
Postdoctoral Research Associates will:
be entitled to meals at Guest rates
have use of sporting/social facilities
be entitled to membership of the Darwin College Students Association
after completion of a period of one year become members of the Darwin College Society
Applications should be submitted at https://app.casc.cam.ac.uk/fas_live/darwinra/
by 5 pm on 10 June 2023 and include;
A curriculum vitae
A 400 word statement of current and future research plans comprehensible to lay readers
A short statement (200 words maximum) providing the reasons for desiring a College membership and the ways in which the applicant will contribute to College life, alongside their research
In the questionnaire section please supply contact details of 2 referees who may be contacted if the College decides to offer you a postdoctoral research associate membership
Referees should be senior members of the University of Cambridge or other academic institutions.
Appointments to these positions will be subject to a selection committee and may include an interview.
The College reserves the right not to make an appointment
Darwin College and Cambridge Zero intend to appoint up to three non-stipendiary College Research Associates from July 2023. These positions are tenable for one year.
The purpose of these non-stipendiary Research Associates is to provide the opportunity for early-career postdoctoral students at the University of Cambridge, who are working on a topic related to Cambridge Zero’s research agenda*, the opportunity to engage with, and benefit from, the Cambridge Zero Policy Forum. The Cambridge Zero Policy Forum is a multidisciplinary community of academics contributing evidence and expertise to public policies for the transition to a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient net zero society. The Forum is Co-Chaired by Dr Emily Shuckburgh (Director, Cambridge Zero) Dr Rob Doubleday (Executive Director, Centre for Science and Policy) and Emily Farnworth (Director, Centre for Climate Engagement at Hughes Hall). The secretariat to the Policy Forum is provided by CSaP.
* Cambridge Zero’s research themes:
Zero-carbon energy transformation
Health and society
Resources and production
Resilient futures
Transport, cities and infrastructure
Carbon drawdown and climate repair
Research Associates will:
Plan and run a public event as part of the Cambridge Zero Climate Festival (Friday 13 to Sunday 15 October 2023) and prepare a blog piece about the event.
Work with the other MacKay Research Associates in their cohort to deliver a project / event with the Sustainability Engagement Coordinator at Darwin College.
Present their research to the Darwin College Community.
Research Associates will have membership of the Cambridge Zero Policy Forum, which will allow them to join Policy Forum events for the year. These include monthly in-person seminars with policy stakeholders.
The scheme aims to provide researchers with a substantial association with Darwin College, including opportunities to engage with Fellows and students, contribute to and participate in research seminars and workshops, and to dine in College and participate in social activities organised by the Darwin College Student Association. Such an association will not include membership of the College’s Governing Body.
Candidates must be of postdoctoral standing and may be graduates of any university. They will normally hold a funded position requiring them to conduct research in the University of Cambridge or in a directly associated research institution and the appointment will be co-terminus with that position.
Postdoctoral Research Associates will be entitled to:
Seven meals a week at Darwin College
Use College sporting / social facilities
Membership of the Darwin College Students Association
Applications should be submitted at https://app.casc.cam.ac.uk/fas_live/darzero/ by 12pm on Wednesday 7 June, 2023 and include:
A curriculum vitae
A 500 word description of a topic you believe could be usefully addressed by the Policy Forum (see the Policy Forum website for details of some of the topics that the Forum have considered to-date: https://www.csap.cam.ac.uk/Research-Policy-Engagement/cambridge-zero/)
A short statement providing the reasons for desiring a College association and the ways in which the applicant will contribute to College life
Note that 2 references will also be required by 8 June 2023
Referees should be senior members of the University of Cambridge or other academic institutions. Appointments to these positions will be subject to a selection committee and may include an interview.
Interviews will take place on Thursday 15 June between 13.00 and 16.00.
The College reserves the right not to make an appointment.