PROBIST is a post-doctoral fellowship Programme led by the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, which brings closer together seven independent Catalan internationally recognized research centres. The centres participating in the PROBIST programme are:
• The Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO)
• Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ)
• Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2)
• Institute for High Energy Physics (IFAE)
• Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)
Also affiliated to BIST, but not directly participating in PROBIST, are:
• Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)
• Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC)
PROBIST awardees have complete research freedom. Applicants were able to subscribe to one or several generic research topics published with the calls. Once pre-selected they designed their research project proposal with a research group of their choice in the participating BIST centres. Successful candidates have been hosted by the selected research group. They have full access to facilities, seminars and training programmes of the BIST centres. Networking activities shall facilitate inter-centre and inter-disciplinary exchange and collaborations. PROBIST offers fellows the opportunity to opt for secondments from a pool of international institutions with which BIST centres have institutional agreements or collaborations.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 17, 2021
The fellowships are granted for 2 years including:
- An annual gross salary of 36.000€ plus a single payment of 2000€ relocation support (Spanish tax and social security deductions apply),
- Close mentoring and supervision through prestigious senior researchers,
- A personalized career development plan,
- A training programme for scientific and transferable skills.
PROBIST fellows receive training in leadership and entrepreneurial skills and technology transfer issues, such as industrial and intellectual property, industrial collaborations, spin-off development, and other related subjects. BIST offers “Science to Business” courses with the goal to raise awareness of business opportunities and also to accelerate the transfer of technologies developed at the BIST centres to the market.
PROBIST counts with an important number of active collaboration R&D with local and international companies and research institutions. Several BIST centres are also closely associated with major research hospitals in the Barcelona area. BIST has also established extensive collaboration agreements with major technology centres in Catalonia. PROBIST fellows are encouraged to undertake visits and short-term stays and secondments with these partners whenever relevant to their field of research.
Each BIST centre offers an internationally renowned, attractive research environment, complemented by a range of training activities that will help highly qualified young scientists to develop the skills necessary for a successful career. The high interdisciplinary nature of BIST makes it an excellent setting for fellows to access an extensive offer of scientific seminars, courses and workshops.
PROBIST fellows are able to participate in a number of existing programmes, including:
- Seminar programmes of the BIST centres
- Researcher exchange and networking programmes with key academic partners and including international conferences and workshops organised by BIST centres.
In its effort to establish an outstanding long-term training programme, BIST is organising a variety of training initiatives for postdocs to support them in the different stages of their career development, by exploring the different options for becoming successful leading scientist. Along this process, fellows should acquire responsibility in conducting their own research project in a highly competitive environment (effective research, leadership skills, strategic thinking, ethical research responsibility, technical workshops), and awareness and responsibility for their own career progression.
BIST is aware that training the scientific leaders of the future involves providing them with tools and aptitudes on transferable skills which will allow them to excel in both the academic and industrial worlds. The European Charter for Researchers requires that “all researchers … are given the opportunity for professional development and for improving their employability through access to measures for the continuing development of skills and competencies”. In this regard, PROBIST will offer courses and seminars specifically designed to foster these abilities.
The actions included in the programme are focused on:
1) training in leadership skills;
2) offering opportunities to assume responsibility;
3) offering tools to be active in own career progression plan.
One of the main objectives of PROBIST is to provide high quality supervision offering:
- Targeted mentoring and access to a wide variety of scientific activities, services, and networks.
- Have close mentoring: The PROBIST research project chosen and performed by the fellow will be under the supervision of the group leader, who at the same time will be shaping, together with the fellow, a personalized career development plan (PCDP). The goal of this plan will be to develop and foster the individual competences of the fellow.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Eligibility criteria
To be admitted to the review process, candidates must comply with the following eligibility criteria:
- Mobility: To have not spent more than 12 months of the prior 36 months in Spain, at the time of the call deadline (June 27th 2021). Proof of residence needs to be submitted at the beginning of the fellowship..
- PhD date certificate: PhD certificate should be obtained before your incorporation at the research centre, at maximum November 30th 2021. If you have not obtained your PhD at the time to submit your application, please indicate the likely date and provide documental evidence that you will obtain it.
- Publication as first author: To have at least one publication as main author (either accepted or published) in an international reputed journal at the time of the deadline.
- Letters of reference: To have submitted two reference letters at the time of the deadline
- PhD degree: Having not been awarded your PhD degree more than 5 years, at the time of recruitment. Exceptions are made for documented periods of parental leave or serious illness. Other equivalent exceptions may be considered when properly documented and motivated by the applicant, e.g, in case of candidates from underdeveloped countries, minorities, and for applicants that pursued their studies under comparatively unfavourable conditions. Please provide evidence when you apply (for instance uploading additional documentation).
Selection process
The evaluation of eligible candidates will be carried out by an external, independent selection panel. The evaluation will be objective, independent, and free of conflicts of interest. The selection will be based on merits, equal opportunities and freedom of choice of research.
Review Step 1: The selection panel is reviewing documentation submitted with the application. The general suitability for PROBIST will be evaluated and pre-selected candidates will be invited to prepare a research proposal with the groups they want to be hosted at. A research proposal that is submitted needs to have the hosting commitment by the corresponding Group Leader. Presenting a research proposal is a requirement for being invited to the next review step (interview).
The evaluation criteria to be applied to review 1 are:
• Scientific achievement. (50%)
• References: (25%)
• Motivation and potential impact on the candidate’s career (25%)
Only candidates with an evaluation of 50% or higher are considered “pre-selected”.
Review Step 2: The selection panel will review the research proposals and interview the pre-selected candidates. The selection panel will make the decision on awardees, reserve list and rejected candidatures.
The evaluation criteria to be applied to review 2 are:
• Scientific achievements (40%)
• Scientific merit (30%)
• Impact on the candidate’s career development and prospective, as well as strategic relevance (30%):
Intended re-integration of scientists after a career break is encouraged. Equal opportunities is a principle for the selection process. BIST and the participating centres aim at equal gender balance and pay special attention to candidatures coming from unfavourable conditions.
Required Research Experiences
RESEARCH FIELD: Other
YEARS OF RESEARCH EXPERIENCE: 1 - 4
REQUIRED EDUCATION LEVEL: PhD or equivalent
REQUIRED LANGUAGES: ENGLISH: Excellent
Skills/Qualifications
Your scientific achievements should be relevant for the topics you are interested to work on. Otherwise you would have difficulties to obtain a sufficient score for a competitive candidature. Apart from this competitive factor and the general eligibility criteria there are no formal restrictions to your PhD.
Specific Requirements
To be admitted to the review process, candidates must comply with the following eligibility criteria:
- Mobility: To have not spent more than 12 months of the prior 36 months in Spain, at the time of the call deadline (June 27th 2021). Proof of residence needs to be submitted at the beginning of the fellowship..
- PhD date certificate: PhD certificate should be obtained before your incorporation at the research centre, at maximum November 30th 2021. If you have not obtained your PhD at the time to submit your application, please indicate the likely date and provide documental evidence that you will obtain it.
- Publication as first author: To have at least one publication as main author (either accepted or published) in an international reputed journal at the time of the deadline.
- Letters of reference: To have submitted two reference letters at the time of the deadline
- PhD degree: Having not been awarded your PhD degree more than 5 years, at the time of recruitment. Exceptions are made for documented periods of parental leave or serious illness. Other equivalent exceptions may be considered when properly documented and motivated by the applicant, e.g, in case of candidates from underdeveloped countries, minorities, and for applicants that pursued their studies under comparatively unfavourable conditions. Please provide evidence when you apply (for instance uploading additional documentation).