12 Postdoc Positions Available in "NanoBio4Can" Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme 1st Open Call (co-funded by MSCA Cofund Action)

• Proof of Academic Records: Candidates must have a certified PhD diploma or equivalent in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Bioengineering, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Pharmacology, Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computational Biology (or Bioinformatics), Materials Science, Polymer Science, Mathematics, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, or closely related fields.

Degree certificates not originally issued in Turkish or English must be officially translated into either of these two languages by sworn translation and approved accordingly. 

• Certificate of English Level: Candidates must have a demonstrable level of English. A proof of upper-intermediate level must be included in the application; in the form of one of the recognised international qualifications (minimum CEFR B2, Cambridge English First (FCE), PTE Level 3, IELTS 5-6.5 or TOEFL > 72). Copy or internet print of the exam results must be uploaded to the online application system.

Applicants from native English-speaking countries can apply without proof of English level. An official degree (including postgraduate) completed in English as the only language will also be accepted as proof of Level. 

For more details please read the "Guide for Applicant" on the project website.

• Applicants are expected to design and propose an original research project that emphasises their contribution and development as a researcher under 4 main research areas; 1. Drug Development, 2. Targeting System Development, 3. Delivery Systems, 4. Testing and Validation Systems. The list of Supervisors and research topics are provided in the Guide for Applicant document in Section 1.5. 
• Applicants are expected to contact the Central Management Office and complete the online pre-registration form on the project website as soon as they decide to apply for a NanoBio4Can fellowship before identifying a suitable academic supervisor. 
• Through the online form, applicants must indicate their options for their preferred research areas and supervisors from the scroll-down menu and choose up to three supervisors from the provided list with whom they would prefer to collaborate. Applicants should also upload their CVs and motivation letters (templates provided) at the pre-registration stage. 

Each selected researcher for the Programme will be offered a 24-month fixed-term employment contract with a very attractive salary in one of the four recruiting research organisations according to the Turkish Employment Act (EA) No. 4857 of 2003 following the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. 

This law applies to all employees in Türkiye. All fellows will be covered by social security and be entitled to social benefits under the SGK scheme, under the same conditions as Turkish citizens. The legal arrangements concerning labour and social security in Türkiye are in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and other generally accepted standards. Statutory working practices for NanoBio4Can fellows will be the same as for other staff from the host organisations working in similar positions. 

All fellows will have access to laboratory and/or office space that is needed for the proper implementation and will have access to all infrastructure and equipment needed to carry out the project. All fellows have the right to attend conferences relevant to the advancement of their careers. 

NanoBio4Can fellows will receive a gross salary that is on average higher than other researchers in similar positions would earn. 

• Living and Mobility Allowance: gross salary of €3.980/month for 24 months; covering Fellow's all expenses linked to their living and mobility (i.e. income tax, social security coverage including benefits for health care, occupational accident, unemployment and disablement benefits, paid parental and sick leave as well as relocation and travel expenses including secondment visits). Please note that all these expenses based on Turkish laws and regulations can reach up to 50% of the total gross salary. 
• Travel allowance: Contracted fellows will receive an additional €50 allowance to support their travel costs. 
• Research, training & networking allowance: Fellows will be supported with up to €800 / month to cover the costs of any research material, consumables, scientific events attendance, and publication costs, participation in seminars and info days, and courses for the development of both scientific, research and transversal skills. This amount covers participation fees, travel and accommodation costs for attending the events selected according to the career plan defined subsequently between the supervisor and the researcher. 
• Working conditions and institutional administrative support: Working conditions for recruited fellows under NanoBio4Can will be similar to other Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellows and any other postdoctoral student under the hosting groups. Fellows will be provided with the same benefits and opportunities as other researchers in the lab, including work/lab space and access to equipment and facilities in-house. 

In addition, fellows recruited under the programme will receive extra support from the Programme Management Office, and the different Units and Offices of the Host Institutions involved in the programme. SUNUM, TUBITAK-MAM, IBG and KUTTAM offer a full range of services and facilities, including information services, libraries, shops, restaurants and catering services, health services and support, language courses, physical activities and many more. Social security coverage for the contracted fellows includes benefits for health care, occupational accidents, unemployment and disablement benefits, and parental and sick leave. 

For more details please read the "Guide for Applicant" on the project website.

The NanoBio4Can programme is open to applicants of all ages, nationalities, and genders subject to the relevant eligibility criteria being met. 

To be eligible to apply for a NanoBio4Can fellowship, the applicant: 

1. must be fluent in English both written and spoken, 
2. must be in a position to engage full-time in fellowship-related activities should they be funded. 
3. must be Experienced Researchers: All applicants must have a PhD, at the time of the call deadline. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will also be considered postdoctoral researchers and will be considered eligible to apply. A confirmation document must be signed by candidates stating that they comply with mobility and experience prerequisites. 
4. must comply with the MSCA mobility rule: Applicants willing to apply to NanoBio4Can should not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Türkiye for more than 12 months in the last three years immediately before the call deadline. 

For more details please read the "Guide for Applicant" on the project website.

The selection process for the NanoBio4Can Programme will be carried out in four main phases: 

Phase 1 (Eligibility Check) 

The eligibility check against the mobility and ER rules will be carried out by the Central Management Office in parallel with the pre-registration process. All applications received before the deadline will be checked to ensure that the basic eligibility criteria listed in Section 3 and academic requirements are fulfilled by applicants. Applicants failing to submit all the requested documents /ineligible applicants and their mentors will receive an e-mail informing them of the ineligibility of the applicant/the proposal, detailing the reasons for ineligibility within two weeks after the deadline of the call. 

Redress Process: 

The candidates who have objections to the eligibility check may apply the redress procedure. A period of 10 days will be given for the redress including careful review by Project Management Office before making a final decision. A redress request can be made to info@nanobio4can.net 

Phase 2 (Evaluation of Merits) 

Once the eligibility of all applications has been checked, the eligible applications will be evaluated by the Scientific Evaluation Committee (SEC). In parallel with the remote peer review evaluation, all eligible proposals will be sent to the Ethics Committee (EC). The EC will evaluate which applicants/proposals need to provide an official approval letter from the ethical committee. 

Phase 3 (Interviews) 

The pre-selected candidates will be invited to take part in the remote interview process with the following structure: 

Part 1 (duration 10’): Introduction & oral presentation of the candidate merits and the research proposal, using any additional material (.ppt). 

Part 2 (duration 10’): Interactive Q&A session to get additional insights from the fellow (interest in the programme, level of independence, potential as a future leading researcher, self-identification of strengths and weaknesses, etc.). 

All interviews will be in English and will seek to: 

• Evaluate the candidate's academic and professional potential. 
• Enlarge the information provided in the application, especially concerning the candidate's project.
• Clarify issues not mentioned in the application and which are considered relevant for evaluating the candidate's suitability to carry out the proposed project. 
• Evaluate the candidate's overall training, interests, concerns and curiosities for social, scientific, economic, cultural or artistic contexts, although not directly related to their experience. 
• Assess the candidate's personal and academic maturity, motivation for carrying out the fellowship and the project proposed and the ability to express themselves clearly and convincingly and defend the ideas expressed. 

Redress Process: 

The candidates who have objections to their ranking positions in Stages 2-3 may apply the redress procedure. A period of 10 days will be given for the redress including careful review by the Central Management Office before making a final decision. A redress request can be made to info@nanobio4can.net 

Phase 4 (Final scoring & Ranking) 

The Central Management Office will rank proposals based on the evaluations from SEC, IP and the Consensus meeting. Applicants will be provided with an Evaluation Summary Report (ESR), which comprises full feedback from the selection committee and the (anonymous) comments. 

Successful candidates (10-12 candidates) will be invited to become fellows of the NanoBio4Can Programme in the 1st Open Call. For the allocation of the fellowship positions, the order of priority of candidates for each institution established in the final scoring list received from the independent evaluators will be respected. 

Redress Process: 

The candidates who have objections to the evaluation process may apply the redress procedure within 10 days after the evaluation results are published. Requests for redress may be made to the Central Management Office concerning procedural issues and not concerning the scientific judgments of the experts. A redress request can be made to info@nanobio4can.net 

For more details please read the "Guide for Applicant" on the project website.

Applicants are expected to contact the Central Management Office and complete the online pre-registration form on the website as soon as they decide to apply for a NanoBio4Can fellowship before identifying a suitable academic supervisor.

Through the online form, applicants must indicate their options for their preferred research areas and supervisors from the scroll-down menu and choose up to three supervisors from the provided list with whom they would prefer to collaborate. Applicants should also upload their CVs and motivation letters at the pre-registration stage.

The Central Management Office will conduct a prior eligibility check regarding the mobility and ER rules and initiate the matching between fellows and their choices of supervisors. The CMO will submit their verification decision for each applicant in relation to the supervisor selection once it has been submitted.  At this stage, each applicant will be assigned an ID NUMBER.

Those with an ID NUMBER shall make the official submission from 15.03.2024 until 30.05.2024.

For more details please read the "Guide for Applicant" on the project website.