11 topics in Physics for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships at Sorbonne University and its Alliance partners - Call for expression of interest for candidates

The Alliance Sorbonne Université (ASU) welcomes applicants to Marie S. Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships in the research units of Sorbonne University and its partners CNRS, Inserm, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle and Université de Technologie de Compiègne.

The Marie Sklodowska Curie (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship is one of the most important scheme of the European Commission’s Horizon Europe Research & Innovation programme. If you are a young researcher with high potential and ambition to advance research in fundamental or applied fields, you are invited to apply to this programme with our acclaimed researchers for an opportunity to work on and develop your ideas in an exceptional research environment with the 1^st ranked French university for Horizon Europe funding. The Alliance Sorbonne Unversité is fully committed to give the best support to MSCA candidates to ensure their success at the EU call, and runs its own funding scheme for selected Seal of Excellence projects, hence providing additional opportunities to join the Sorbonne University research units.

More information on the projects topics description is listed the attached annex and is also available at the ASU call website

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship programme aims at developing the potential of young researchers in Europe, by funding excellent research and promoting international mobility, as well as interdisciplinary and intersectoral exchanges. The proposal must be a joint application between a candidate and a Supervisor from Sorbonne University or its Alliance partners, which presents an original research project. We welcome two types of fellowship applications:

• European Fellowships: With Sorbonne University or one of its ASU partners as the Host Institution, for a duration of 12 to 24 months. Secondments in partner research or industrial organisations are possible.
• Global Fellowships: With an outgoing phase of 12 to 24 months at a Host Institution outside of the EU or associated countries, and a return phase of 12 months at ASU.

The fellows selected for funding, after external evaluation by independent experts appointed by the European Commission, will be employed by Sorbonne University or its ASU partner under a full social benefits contract for up to 24 months (or 36 months for Global Fellowships), including a mobility allowance for all fellows and a family allowance for eligible fellows. The funding will also cover additional research costs of up to €1000/month. The University has received the HRS4R award and provides a world-class research working environment in terms of Ethics & research integrity, recruitment, working conditions, and training.

Eligibility criteria

Eligible candidates must be in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the call deadline (Sept. 11, 2024) and must have a maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research, measured from the date of doctoral degree awarding. The candidates must comply with the following mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in France for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately preceding the call deadline. The programme is open to candidates from any nationality.

Only one proposal per candidate is eligible. Candidates who have applied to the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship 2023 call and received an evaluation below 70% are not eligible for an application in 2024.

Selection process

The applicants for each of the proposed project topics in this call for expression of interest will be evaluated by a Sorbonne University committee. The best-suited applicants will be invited (travel and accommodation included) for a one-week training at Sorbonne University that includes a MSCA PF master class and exchanges with the hosting laboratory and supervisors.

The applicants and their supervisors will then be responsible for writing a joint proposal on their project topic, which will be submitted to the Horizon Europe MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship call and evaluated by experts appointed by the European Commission on the basis of Excellence, Impact, and Quality & Efficiency of the Implementation by one of 8 selection panels : Chemistry (CHE), Social Sciences and Humanities (SOC), Economic Sciences (ECO), Information Science and Engineering (ENG), Environment and Geosciences (ENV), Life Sciences (LIF), Mathematics (MAT), Physics (PHY). Each panel will establish two ranked lists, one for European and one for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships.

If selected, the proposal will be funded by the European Commission through Sorbonne University or its associated ASU partner, which will employ the researcher and provide the allocated research funds, as well as follow the implementation of the project.