What we offer - "la Caixa" Foundation
”la Caixa” Foundation grants 40 Postdoctoral Junior Leader fellowships for excellent researchers of any nationality who wish to continue their research career in Spain or Portugal in STEM disciplines.
What we offer
The Postdoctoral Junior Leader fellowships programme is aimed at recruiting excellent researchers of any nationality who wish to continue their research career in Spain or Portugal in the areas of health and life sciences, technology, physics, engineering and mathematics. This programme aims to promote high quality, innovative research in Spain and Portugal and to support the best scientific talents who are offered an attractive and competitive environment in which to carry out excellent research.
The Junior Leader postdoctoral fellowship programme has two different frames:
Postdoctoral Junior Leader – Incoming call
20 postdoctoral fellowships of 3 years for researchers of any nationality who are offered an employment contract to carry out a research project at Spanish centres accredited with the Severo Ochoa, María de Maeztu or Carlos III Health Institute seals of excellence, or at Portuguese centres evaluated as excellent by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia de Portugal. For Spanish institutions, candidates must have resided in Spain for less than 12 months in the last 3 years, while for Portuguese institutions candidates must have resided in Portugal for less than 12 months in the last 3 years.
Postdoctoral Junior Leader – Retaining call
20 postdoctoral fellowships of 3 years for researchers of all nationalities to carry out their research at any university or research centre in Spain or Portugal. For Spanish institutions, candidates must have resided in Spain for more than 12 months in the last 3 years, while for Portuguese institutions candidates must have resided in Portugal for more than 12 months in the last 3 years.
Funding
The maximum payment amount will be €320,100, in three maximum annual payments of €102,500 which include:
Labor costs: a maximum of €64,000 gross to cover the total labor costs of the university or research centre that contracts the fellow. The minimum annual gross salary to be offered to the fellow by the host institution must be €47,000.
Research costs: €38,500 gross per year for expenses directly related to the Junior Leader project including consumables, equipment, hiring of personnel, registration for conferences or courses, research visits and intellectual copyright costs, among others.
Annual family allowance: €1,200 gross per year for each dependent child.
Mobility: €5,400 gross at the beginning of the fellowship for fellows who need to relocate to join the host institution (those who need to travel more than 50 km).
Complementary training programme
The Postdoctoral Junior Leader fellowships programme includes an interdisciplinary training programme designed specifically for our fellows to enhance innovation and leadership. This programme has been particularly designed for our fellows by leading international companies in the sector.
Two sessions will be organised: at the beginning of the fellowship and during the third year. Each session will last between 2 and 5 days and ”la Caixa” Foundation will cover the costs of these sessions, including travel and accommodation. In addition, additional online sessions will be offered.
International stays
In order to complement their research career, fellowship holders are required to carry out an international or intersectoral internship of up to 6 months at an institution of their choice, which will enable them to increase their multidimensional competencies.
Mentoring
Fellow may choose to be assigned a mentor from the ”la Caixa” Foundation Fellows Association, depending on his or her academic discipline or research area.
Dissemination activities
Those receiving a Postdoctoral Junior Leader fellowship will be able to take part in the different initiatives set up by ”la Caixa” Foundation with the aim of raising awareness of science in society as a whole. For more information about these initiatives, visit our website at Culture and Science.
Networking activities
Those receiving Postdoctoral Junior Leader fellowships will become part of group of ”la Caixa” Foundation Fellows, a world-renowned network of academic and professional talent.
Fellowship holders will be able to take part in the activities organised to promote meetings and exchanges among the members of this group. These meetings are the best opportunity to establish contacts and create new links with people who've been trained in all kinds of disciplines at the best universities and research centres in the world thanks to a fellowship from ”la Caixa” Foundation.
