TRACC Programme CRTF-PhD

Clinical Research Training Fellowships with PhD

Salary: £43,504 - £64,461 per annum (at appropriate point on Clinical Lecturer payscale)

Training and mentoring future academic leaders in cancer research: August 2025 intake

The Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh, the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute and the Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre are seeking to jointly appoint our sixth cohort of highly ambitious individuals who aspire to become the next generation of clinical academic leaders in cancer-focused disciplines. The TRACC Programme is funded by Cancer Research UK and NHS Education for Scotland and commenced in 2019. Vacancies are available for trainees seeking doctoral training and mentorship, and are open to medically qualified trainees in any UK-based cancer-oriented clinical discipline. All candidates must demonstrate a clear commitment to a future career in cancer research and in clinical academia, and have a track record appropriate to their career stage in basic and/or translational and/or clinical research.

CRUK TRACC Clinical Lectureships:

The TRACC Programme has up to 4 posts available starting on 7th August 2024. All posts provide funding for a full-time, 3-year Clinical Research Training Fellowship (CRTF) leading to a PhD in one of the internationally competitive, multidisciplinary research centres in the Universities of Glasgow or Edinburgh. Funding is also provided as a TRACC Clinical Lecturer for a preparatory 'run-in' period of up to 12 months prior to beginning the 3-year PhD project, when clinical training (80%) is combined with protected research time (20%) for planning the PhD project and selecting supervisors, all with the support and mentorship of the TRACC leadership.

The TRACC CRTF involves an 'Out Of Programme for Research' period (OOPR) for 3 years, or longer if working less than full time, during which the PhD project is completed. During the CRTF, up to 10% of time can be used for clinical training as appropriate for the candidate's clinical speciality, and as agreed with the TRACC leadership team and relevant NHS Training Programme Director. Following their CRTF period, trainees continue as a TRACC Clinical Lecturer and complete clinical training in their chosen speciality, again with 20% protected research time included, and with ongoing support and mentorship through the TRACC programme. This period runs until the date of CCT (plus up to 6 months period of grace). TRACC Clinical Lecturers may become eligible for an alternate post-doctoral academic training post (e.g. the schemes competitively awarded for joint 50% clinical training and 50% protected research time).

The TRACC programme is run jointly between the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Candidates should apply though the University of Glasgow system, but this application route will not influence the university or research centre where the research will be undertaken.

For further information, including a copy of the full job description, please go to: www.beatson.gla.ac.uk/TRACC or https://www.ed.ac.uk/cancer-centre/graduate-research-and-training/tracc-programme-for-clinicians

Enquiries, regardless of your preferred destination institution, should be directed in the first instance to the TRACC Administrator: traccadmincrtf@mlist.is.ed.ac.uk  Applications, regardless of your preferred destination institution, should be submitted to the University of Edinburgh.

Applications, regardless of your preferred destination institution, should be submitted to the University of Edinburgh. For further particulars and to submit an application, please visit their website.

Closing date: Monday 23 September 2024 (23:59 hrs)

Interviews will be held virtually via MS Teams on Friday 25 October 2024
 

Scheme Summary

The selection of Clinical Research Training Fellows and their matching to supervisors/projects will be via a joint Glasgow-Edinburgh selection panel and will be based on established good practice from both partners. The appointed fellows will participate in an induction week, visiting both Edinburgh and Glasgow with structured networking with potential PhD supervisors from both institutions and to match with their clinical and research mentors (see the figure below). The fellows will choose their base location in Glasgow or Edinburgh and register for a PhD at the University of Glasgow or the University of Edinburgh respectively. Postgraduate Deans at both Universities have agreed to provide Clinical Lectureships to facilitate these arrangements. During their pre-doctoral appointment and the PhD period, the fellows will be advised and supported through a carefully designed monitoring and mentoring scheme. On appointment, each trainee will be allocated a Clinical Mentor, an academically-active clinician from a relevant discipline, who will assist with integrating their clinical and research training.

Activities during one-year 'run-in' period of the TRACC clinical research training fellowship. OOPR stands for Out of Programme Research

Eligibility and application procedure

• Applications are welcomed from trainees in all specialties and from all regions of the UK
• Trainees must wish to be a clinical academic working in cancer research.
• All applicants must hold a medical degree.

Essential attributes

• Aspiring to PhD training that is relevant to cancer.
• Eligible for higher clinical training.
• Hold a National Training Number at the time of application or be in the process of applying for one to be in place for the relevant start date.
• Evidence of high academic distinction and potential (first class honours BSc, honours MBChB, multiple prizes, research papers, etc.).
• Introductory research experience at BSc or MSc, undergraduate research project, postgraduate research with high attainment.
• Of a standard likely to be successful in obtaining a Training Fellowship in national open competition.

Application procedure

Recruitment will take place in October 2024 for intake in the following August. Vacancies will be advertised via multiple outlets including the following websites:

University's vacancies' web pages
BMJ
jobs.ac.uk

Closing date: Monday 23 September 2024 (23:59 hrs)

Interviews will be held virtually via MS Teams on Friday 25 October 2024

On this occasion the University will not consider applicants requiring sponsorship for this role. International workers will therefore only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK. 

Apply here 

Relevant information will be also provided on this website, at the University of Edinburgh  Institute of Genetics and Cancer website and at the CRUK Scotland Centre website.

Applications should be submitted, along with a copy of your current Curriculum Vitae, a cover letter describing how you meet the job specification (essential and desirable criteria), and a 300-word maximum personal statement specifying your motivation for applying to the TRACC programme in particular and your interests specifically in cancer research, using the University's online application system. All applicants will be notified if they have been shortlisted for interview or not. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview in front of a panel including members of the TRACC Programme Management Board and invited external panel members. All shortlisted candidates will be notified if they have been successful at interview or not.

Enquiries, regardless of your preferred destination institution, should be directed in the first instance to the TRACC Administrator: traccadmincrtf@mlist.is.ed.ac.uk  Applications, regardless of your preferred destination institution, should be submitted to the University of Edinburgh.