The programme targets experienced researchers with an exceptional track record, demonstrated through the originality and impact of their scientific contributions. Candidates should also show strong leadership potential, with the capacity to lead their own research group in the future

In addition to supporting scientific excellence, the fellowships offer a comprehensive training programme that integrates scientific, technical, and transferable skills. This initiative aims to foster the development of fellows as independent researchers and future leaders in the scientific community.

The ”la Caixa” Foundation is offering 20 three-year postdoctoral fellowships to recruit experienced researchers to carry out their projects at any university or research centre of Spain or Portugal. The research must be carried out in the research areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), including Bio and Health Sciences. The call for applications is intended for researchers who finished their doctoral degree two to seven years prior to the application deadline and fulfil the requirements for mobility between countries.

Funding Information

• The maximum payment amount will be €€320,100, broken down as shown below:
  • Three maximum annual payments of €102,500 which include:
    • Labour costs (salary included): a maximum of €64,000 to cover the total labour costs of the host institution hiring the fellow.
    • In any case, the minimum annual gross salary to be offered to the fellow by the host institution must be €47,000.
  • Annual research project costs of €38,500, which include:
    • Purchase and maintenance of scientific equipment and consumables;
    • Travel expenses and daily allowance;
    • Registration fees for scientific congresses, seminars and conferences;
    • Management fees for industrial and intellectual property rights related to the project;
    • Patenting costs;
    • Personnel hiring costs linked exclusively to the fellowship project;
    • Expenses related to the mandatory secondment;
    • Overheads;
    • Other expenses directly related to running of the research project.
    • Gross annual family allowance of €1,200 for each of the researcher’s dependent children.
  • Mobility allowance (moving and housing) of €5,400 gross to be paid at the start of the fellowship if the fellow changes the host institution to carry out the postdoctoral Junior Leader fellowship and this change implies a moving of the place of residence.

Eligibility Criteria

• Nationality:
  • Postdoctoral researchers of any nationality are eligible to apply for the postdoctoral Junior Leader Fellowship–Retaining programme.
• Research training:
  • Those who obtained their doctoral degree (PhD) two to seven years prior to the application deadline are eligible. For such purposes, candidates must have obtained their doctoral degree between 25th September 2018 and 25th September 2023, both inclusive. The date of the defence for the doctoral thesis will be understood as the date the doctorate (PhD) was obtained. Therefore, a document must be provided where the date of the thesis defence is certified.
  • In the event of an interruption of the research activity between the date of obtaining the doctoral degree and the call deadline (25th September 2025), the period in which the doctoral degree must have been obtained may be extended beyond seven years on the following causes:
  • Illness or accident that led to sick leave of three months or more. An extension may be given for the duly justified number of months.
  • Maternity. An extension of 1 year can be given for each child born after the PhD defence date. If the candidate can justify longer maternity leave, the eligibility period will be extended to cover the documented leave taken until the call deadline.
  • Paternity. An extension of 1 year can be applied for each child born after the PhD defence date.
  • Compulsory National service: An extension may be applied for the demonstrated number of months.
• Mobility:
  • Candidates who wish to join a Spanish centre or university must have resided or have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the application deadline.
  • Those candidates who wish to join a Portuguese center or university must have resided or have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Portugal for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the application deadline. Short stays, such as holidays, in a country other than their usual country of residence (where they carry out their main activity), will be considered as time spent in their usual country of residence.
  • A candidate with an uninterrupted period of at least 2 years of inactivity in research (e.g. unemployment, periods of employment outside research, parental or long-term sick leave) must have resided or carried out the main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Portugal for more than 36 months in the 5 years immediately before the call deadline.
• International stays:
  • For candidates applying to carry out the research in a Spanish university or research centre, the candidate must have carried out research stays at non-Spanish research centres or universities during their doctorate or postdoctorate, whether of a continuous or discontinuous nature for at least six months prior to the deadline for applications.

Selection Criteria

• The process is comprised of three parts:
  • Eligibility check: all applications received are screened to ensure that they comply with formal requirements.
  • Shortlisting: each eligible application is sent to an evaluation panel made up of two to four experts with broad experience in the discipline of the application and an extensive list of publications or contributions within this field.
  • Interviews: The candidates whose applications have passed the remote evaluation stage will be invited for a face-to-face interview.

For more information, visit "la Caixa" Foundation.

https://lacaixafoundation.org/en/postdoctoral-junior-leader-fellowships-retaining-call