2024 INVITATION TO APPLY FOR RESEARCH GRANTS UNDER THE SAAVEDRA FAJARDO SUB-PROGRAMME FOR THE INCORPORATION OF POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS INTO UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH CENTRES OF THE REGION OF MURCIA THROUGH FUNDACIÓN SÉNECA, THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AGENCY OF THE REGION OF MURCIA. REGIONAL PROGRAMME FOR ATTRACTING RESEARCH TALENT AND FOSTERING EMPLOYABILITY (2024 ACTION PLAN).
Fundación Séneca, the Science and Technology Agency of the Region of Murcia (Ministry of the Environment, Universities, Research and the Mar Menor) is inviting applications for the 2024 ‘SAAVEDRA FAJARDO’ research grants. This funding opportunity is aimed at researchers with accredited international experience who have recently performed relevant research abroad and are now seeking a stable position at a university or public research centre in the Region of Murcia.
| 2024 Action Plan | Fundación Séneca, the Science and Technology Agency of the Region of Murcia (Ministry of the Environment, Universities, Research and the Mar Menor). |
| Programme | Regional Programme for Attracting Research Talent and Fostering Employability |
| Sub-programme | 'Saavedra Fajardo' scheme for the incorporation of postdoctoral researchers into universities and research centres of the Region of Murcia. |
| Application period | 30/09/2024 – 28/10/2024 |
| General description | The ‘Saavedra Fajardo’ sub-programme provides funding in the form of research grants to attract new or returning researchers with proven international experience for incorporation into stable positions in Universities and Public Research Centres in the Region of Murcia. |
| Specific aims | a) To create the necessary conditions to provide these researchers with opportunities to develop and consolidate their scientific career in the knowledge centres of the Region of Murcia. b) To incorporate the researchers into stable positions in these centres and increase their skills, boost their competitiveness and foster their internationalisation, as well as promoting the internationalisation of the regional R&D system. c) To create elite scientific environments and innovative multi-disciplinary ecosystems that develop and consolidate skills, making the system more attractive for top international talent. d) To strengthen leadership among researchers, establish independent lines of research with high potential for social and economic benefit, create and consolidate top-level research teams, and generate and transfer advanced knowledge to aid generational turnover in these organisations. |
| Activities funded | a) Costs derived from contracting the funded researchers for five years. Co-funded with a grant of 37,372 euros gross per year for the first three years (of which at least 35,737 euros will be the minimum compensation to figure in the contract). Once the interim evaluation has been passed, the grant awarded will be 46,737 euros gross per year for the last two years (of which at least 41,604 euros will be the minimum compensation to figure in the contract). b) Expenses derived from the development and execution of the researcher’s R&D activities, with a maximum sum of 125,000 euros for the full duration of the activity. |
| Beneficiaries | Universities, organisations and public research centres with their own legal personality – including those affiliated with, or governed by, the Regional Government of the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia –, non-profit private research centres, public health organisations – or private health organisations and bodies that have agreements the Regional Health Service –, and accredited Health Research Institutes. |
| Applicants | Researchers with accredited international experience who have recently performed relevant research abroad and who are seeking a position in a university or public research centre in the Region of Murcia. |
| Process | Open competition |
| Duration | The contracts will have a maximum duration of five years, divided into two phases (of three and two years respectively), with an interim evaluation to enter the second phase. |
| Candidate requirements | a) To have been awarded a doctorate between 2 January 2012 and 31 December 2019. b) To demonstrate a relevant, independent research history with original, high-quality international scientific and/or technical contributions. c) To have carried out uninterrupted research abroad for at least twenty-four months by the application deadline. Two or more periods in the same organisation or different ones may be permitted, as long as the gap between these periods was no longer than two months. In both cases, the aforementioned R&D organisations or centres must be outside Spain and not in the country of origin of the candidates. Candidates must have had a contract or agreement with the organisations, or have participated in an accredited, paid training programme. d) To have had a contract with these R&D organisations or centres abroad for at least 6 consecutive months during the eighteen months leading up to the application deadline. e) To meet all the entry requirements of the contracting centre. |
| Assessment criteria | Expert independent assessment based on the following criteria: a) Scientific and technical merit of the candidate over the last five years: maximum 55 points. b) Proposal for the research project to be carried out in the host organisation: maximum 25 points. c) Work of the research group in the host organisation over the last five years: maximum 20 points. 75 points are required to pass the assessment. Furthermore, the score for each section (criterion) must be at least 50% of the maximum score for that section. |
| Documentation | 1) Candidate’s motivation statement. 2) Copy of current valid passport, in the case of foreign candidates without Spanish residency. 3) Copy of doctoral certificate or equivalent academic certificate. In the case of certificates awarded abroad, candidates must also provide a certificate of equivalence to demonstrate the degree is comparable to a doctoral-level degree in Spain, or provide evidence of having begun the equivalence process. 4) Accreditation of post-doctoral research in the form of certificates from the universities or research centres where it was carried out, and signed by the relevant parties. These certificates should indicate the dates of the research and the type of contract held. 5) Copies of the public grant contracts or certificates for the period of post-doctoral research. These should indicate the duration of the period, and the start and end dates. 6) A brief CV covering the last five years (up to the application deadline). Candidates should use the standard template available on the website of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT – Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología), using the CV generator tool (https://cvn.fecyt.es). 7) Candidate statement describing their research background. Candidates should highlight a maximum of five of their most relevant contributions from those listed in their CV. 8) Statement of scientific and technical activity. This should include the R&D activities to be performed during the period covered by the contract. 9) Document detailing the most relevant R&D activity carried out by the host team in the last five years. 10) Candidate statements confirming they are not receiving any other grants, awards, income or funding for the same activities; that they are not in any situation that would disqualify them from receiving the grant; that the documents provided are authentic and accurate; and that the project proposal and its scientific/technical report are new and original, and written by the candidate. 11) Candidates requiring paternity leave, maternity leave, or leave for serious health issues, accidents or to care for sick dependents, should attach the pertinent official documents. Documents can be provided in Spanish or English. In the event of the documents being provided in a different language, these must be accompanied with a sworn translation in one of the two aforementioned languages. |
| Incorporation | The researchers contracted must join the appointed centre before 30 September 2025. A postponement of up to three months may be granted on presentation of justification for the delay. |
| Stability | The universities and research centres of the Region of Murcia are committed to the scheme of this sub-programme. They will accept the candidates and commit to admitting them on a permanent basis at the end of the funded period by creating stable positions for them, as long as they have obtained the R3 certificate of established researcher by the end of their contract. |
| Proposed funding for the sub-programme | € 2.4 M |