UK universities and independent research institutes sponsor research staff routinely. Every listing here is at an employer holding a valid Home Office sponsor licence, verified against the current gov.uk register each day.
Two visa routes dominate: Skilled Worker, via the university or institute's Certificate of Sponsorship, and Global Talent, for candidates with a substantial publication record and formal endorsement from a UK research body. Global Talent is not tied to a single sponsor, so you can change employers freely.
The general Skilled Worker salary threshold is £41,700. Most postdoctoral and research fellow roles at Russell Group universities meet or exceed this - check the specific role's going rate. New-entrant discounts (for candidates within 4 years of their first UK Skilled Worker CoS, or under 26) can reduce the threshold for early-career researchers.
Common visa routes: Skilled WorkerGlobal TalentHigh Potential Individual
Live openings
114 sponsor-verified roles
Research Assistant
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Research Fellow
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Research Fellow
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Post-Doctoral Research Assistant - UOD2284
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Research Associate/Fellow
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Post-Doctoral Researcher in Biomolecular Assembly and Microreactor Chemistry (842721)
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Postdoctoral Research Associate
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Research Assistant
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Post-Doctoral Research Associate x 2 (Fixed Term)
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Research Assistant
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Research Fellow: PhenoRuMP - Development of a Cattle Bolus for Phenotyping Methane Emissions
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Postdoctoral Research Associate: Gene Editing
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Haematology Clinical Research Fellow
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Research Assistant / Research Associate
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Research Associate in MSK Immunology & Data Science
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Research Assistant
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Research Associate (AI-Enhanced Predictive Modelling and Optimisation)
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Research Fellow
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow
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Research Assistant/Associate
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Research Fellow (Bioinformatician)
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Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Nanomaterials for Mitochondrial Delivery
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Clinical Research Fellow
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Research Fellow in Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
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Postdoctoral Research Associate
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Postdoctoral Research Associate
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Postdoctoral Research Associate
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Postdoctoral Research Associate
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Research Assistant
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Research Associate for Machine Learning Modelling for Next-Level Fast Nonlinear Wave-Structure Interaction
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(Senior) Research Fellow
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Research Assistant
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Postdoctoral Researcher in Ovarian Biology
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Research Assistant
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Research Assistant in Ovarian Biology
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Clinical Research Fellow
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Postdoctoral Research Associate
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Postdoctoral Research Associate in Chemical Biology
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Research Assistant
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Research Fellow in Mathematical Biology
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Research Scientist (KTP Research Fellow) - Synthetic Chemistry (KTP Finisher)
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Research Assistant
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Research Assistant - Computational Chemistry for Dementia
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Post-Doctoral Research Associate in Computational Chemistry (842777)
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Common questions
Sponsorship for research roles
Which universities sponsor postdoctoral researchers?
Effectively every research-intensive UK university holds a Skilled Worker licence: Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Imperial, Manchester, Edinburgh, KCL, LSE, Glasgow, Bristol, Warwick, Nottingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham, Southampton, Queen Mary, and the specialist institutes (Crick, Wellcome Sanger, John Innes, Diamond Light Source). Post-92 universities also sponsor - listings here cover both groups.
Do research roles qualify for Global Talent instead of Skilled Worker?
Yes, if you have (a) a strong publication record in a recognised field, or (b) an offer from an eligible institution combined with endorsement from a UK research body (Royal Society, British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering, Academy of Medical Sciences, UKRI, or the Royal Society of Edinburgh). Global Talent is preferable when available - no sponsor tie, 5-year visa, direct path to settlement.
Can I bring dependants on a Skilled Worker visa for a research role?
Yes. A spouse or partner and children under 18 can apply as dependants. Dependant partners can work any job for any employer, with no minimum salary. This differs from the Student visa route, which restricted spouse dependants for most course types after January 2024.
What are the discounted salary rules for early-career researchers?
Skilled Worker offers reduced salary thresholds in specific circumstances: (a) new entrants - candidates under 26, or within 4 years of their first UK Skilled Worker CoS - can qualify at 70% of the standard going rate down to a £33,400 floor; (b) PhD relevance - candidates whose PhD is directly relevant to the role can qualify at 90%; (c) STEM PhD roles - reduced to 80% of going rate down to £33,400. Check the exact rules on gov.uk before relying on this.