The Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation was established by Charles Viertel to benefit organisations or institutions involved in medical research into diseases along with the alleviation of hardship of the aged and the sick.

Applications are invited for a five-year Senior Medical Research Fellowship valued at $275,000 per annum (total $1,375.00) to commence in 2027. The Trustees award at least two (2) Fellowships each year at their discretion with at least one Fellowship awarded to a female applicant.  Additionally, the Viertel Foundation collaborates with Bellberry Ltd to offer an extra Fellowship each year.  The Bellberry-Viertel Fellowship has the same vallue and is offered on the same terms as the other two fellowships.

The Fellowships are an integral part of a scheme that is intended to provide both salary and project grant support for outstanding Australian medical researchers. The total value of the award is $1,375,000. Applicants cannot hold another full-time salary grant. 

Outstanding researchers who are medically qualified or graduates of another scientific discipline, with recognised postdoctoral achievements seeking to establish a research career in Australia and undertake research in an Australian academic institution, are eligible to apply whether or not they are currently working in Australia. Applications will be judged on the basis of merit and excellence in competition with other applications. 

The Fellowships target:

• early to mid-career researchers qualified to at least the post-doctoral level (no more than 10 years post-doc, taking into account career disruptions);
• who are outstanding researchers;
• who do not currently hold a senior research or teaching position
• who are medically qualified, or PhD graduates of another scientific discipline with recognised post-doctoral achievement;
• who are seeking to establish a research career in Australia and undertake research in an Australia academic institution; and
• who are either an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia, or a New Zealand citizen with a Special Category (subclass 444) visa.

See guidelines for more detailed information on eligibility.

• Email: charities@eqt.com.au