The Irish Research Council has opened the 2014 call for the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme, the Enterprise Partnership Scheme Postdoctoral Fellowship and the International Career Development Fellowship, co-funded by Marie Curie Actions (ELEVATE Fellowship). Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme: Intended to support suitably qualified applicants at an early stage of their postdoctoral career to associate with established research teams who have achieved international recognition for their work.
Enterprise Partnership Scheme Postdoctoral Fellowship: An innovative initiative where the Council links with an Enterprise Partner to award co-funded Postdoctoral Fellowships to highly promising researchers in Ireland. By working closely with an Enterprise Partner, Fellows benefit from an enhanced research experience as well as having the opportunity to learn key transferable skills relevant to career formation.
ELEVATE Fellowship: The aim of the ELEVATE Fellowship scheme is to fund Irish-based experienced researchers who have gained most of their research experience in Ireland so that they can acquire new skills and expertise while conducting high-level research abroad for two years and then return to Ireland for one final year with their newly acquired knowledge and expertise.
Study Subject and Level:
Council is committed to facilitating the integration of Irish researchers in all disciplines. (Council aims to support an expertise-driven research system in order to enhance Ireland’s innovation capacity and skills base in a rapidly changing global environment where knowledge is key to economic, social and cultural development.)
Fellowships are available for pursuing postdoctoral research program level.
Eligibility:
Fellows are selected in accordance with the Council’s Postdoctoral Fellowship application and assessment process. Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellows and Enterprise Partnership Scheme Postdoctoral Fellows must fulfill the following criteria:
- must have been awarded their doctoral degree within the five year period before the call deadline. For the purposes of this condition the date of graduation will be taken into account; or
- must have been certified as having fulfilled within the five year period before the call deadline, all the requirements for the award of a doctoral degree, including a viva/thesis defence, where such is required, but have not yet graduated. For the purposes of this condition the original viva/thesis defence date and not the graduation date will be taken into account.
- must have authored or co-authored at least one published peer-reviewed research publication; or demonstrable equivalent intellectual property output ; or provided samples of their written research work as follows:
- a copy of the table of contents from their doctoral thesis; and
- one chapter from their doctoral thesis; and
- one further sample of written research work, as the applicant sees fit.
Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellows and Enterprise Partnership Scheme Postdoctoral Fellows:
- must not hold or have held a Council Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship or Enterprise Partnership Scheme Postdoctoral Fellowship;
- must not have been employed as a postdoctoral researcher for more than 5 years at the closing date of the call
- must not be a permanent member of staff in an either an Irish HEI/RPO or an International HEI.
Fellows from any country may hold a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship or an Enterprise Partnership Scheme Postdoctoral Fellowship. However, Fellows under these schemes:
- must maintain their principal residence in Ireland (as defined) during the period of the Fellowship and;
- must satisfy the State’s regulations on immigration and have the support of their host institution(s) with respect to these regulations and requirements if not a national of a member state of the European Union (EU).
ELEVATE Fellows must fulfill the criteria for one of the following two Researcher Types:
- Experienced Researcher Type 1: has been awarded a doctoral degree before the call deadline. For the purposes of this condition the date of graduation will be taken into account; or
- Experienced Researcher Type 2: does not hold a doctoral degree, but holds a Masters Degree or an undergraduate degree such as a Bachelors Degree, Diploma, Laurea, Licenciatura, Maitrise or equivalent; and
- before the call deadline, has completed at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience following the qualification which would enable her/him to embark on a doctorate in the country in which the qualification was obtained, or in the country where the Fellowship is taking place.
ELEVATE Fellows: must not have been an experienced researcher for more than 5 years (career breaks of up to 5 years are taken into account10);
- must not currently hold or have held a Council INSPIRE, CARA or ELEVATE Postdoctoral Fellowship;
- must not be a permanent member of staff in an either an Irish HEI/RPO or an International HEI.
- Fellows of any nationality, who are a resident of an EU or Associated Country and were living in Ireland (as defined) at the time of application, may hold an ELEVATE Fellowship. However, Fellows under this scheme:
- must have spent no more than 40% of their experienced researcher career period carrying out research outside of Ireland (as defined);
- must satisfy the Home Host and International Host organization regulations on immigration and have the support of their host institution(s) with respect to these regulations and requirements if not a national of a member state of the European Union (EU);
- must maintain their principle residence outside Ireland during the first and second year of the ELEVATE Fellowship and in Ireland for the third year of the ELEVATE Fellowship.
Scholarship Duration:
Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship: 12 months
- Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship: 24 months
- Irish Research Council Enterprise Partnership Scheme Postdoctoral Fellowship: 24 months
- Irish Research Council International Career Development Fellowship – co-funded by Marie Cure Actions (ELEVATE Fellowship): 36 months.
Scholarship Value:
The total value of the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship and Enterprise Partnership Scheme Postdoctoral Fellowship will be up to a maximum of €45,895 in any approved year and will consist of the following:
- a salary of €31,275 per annum (prior to income tax and social deductions) within the Funding Term; Postdoctoral Fellowship Call 2014;
- employer’s contribution to Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) costs of €3,365 (@ 10.75% of salary);
- employer’s pension contribution, where applicable, of €6,255 (@ 20% of salary). See www.research.ie for further information on pension eligibility;
The value of the ELEVATE Fellowship will be calculated using the principles of the Marie Curie Outgoing Fellowships 201112
and have a base rate of €58,500 per annum. The ELEVATE Fellowship Fund includes a specific provision for overhead costs.
Notification: Results will be announced by June 2014.
How to Apply?
Applications will only be accepted through the electronic submission system, which will be launched in due course. A “Guidelines for Applicants” document will be posted below once the online system opens. In advance of the e-system, and as an aid to preparing an application, an indicative Word document version of the application form is provided below. Academic Mentor, Referee, and (where relevant) International Mentor and Enterprise Mentor forms will be available in due course. All electronic applications must be submitted via the e-system according to the deadline.
Application Deadline: 11th February 2014.
For further information: Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowships
