EUTOPIA Science and Innovation Fellowship Program – Call 2

The EUTOPIA Science and Innovation Fellowship Program (EUTOPIA SIF) is opening the second call for applications to recruit 21 post-doctoral fellows in September 2022.

The EUTOPIA-SIF program is developed by the EUTOPIA European University, an ambitious Alliance of six like-minded European universities: the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), CY Cergy Paris Université (France), the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain), the Göteborgs Universitet (Sweden), the Univerza v Ljubljani (Slovenia) and the University of Warwick (United Kingdom). The EUTOPIA alliance was selected as one of the first Erasmus+ ‘European Universities’ pilot projects in 2019. The core mission of EUTOPIA is to promote a connected and inclusive academic community, addressing global and local challenges, advancing excellence, inclusion, impact and innovation.

The EUTOPIA-SIF program aims at enhancing the research potential and career perspective of outstanding young researchers from around the world. It will provide the opportunity for early career researchers to develop their independent research in the scope of an interdisciplinary scientific project, and undertake training. Fellows will be hosted by one of the partner universities of EUTOPIA and will be offered extensive mobility opportunities within EUTOPIA and beyond.

Research areas

Applications are welcome in the following key research areas:

• Materials Engineering,
• Data & Intelligence,
• Health,
• Sustainability
• Welfare & Inclusion.

Aims of the Eutopia SIF program?

EUTOPIA-SIF fellowships offer the opportunity for high-profile young researchers to develop their own research projects in the stimulating academic environment of the EUTOPIA Alliance. Extensive research mobility is integral to the fellowships with two compulsory secondment periods: one at another EUTOPIA university (co-host university) and one with an external academic or non-academic partner institution with the aim of fostering the fellows’ entrepreneurial spirit, tangible research impact and innovation. Furthermore, fellows will access a rich training program, career guidance and academic supervision.

•  Engage in multidisciplinary research projects to address key societal challenges identified in the Key Research Areas.
• Adopt an open perspective on their research project and career plan: to go beyond the boundaries of academic disciplines and engage in intersectoral (through regular contacts with non-academic partners, including secondment) and inter-disciplinary exchange and collaboration (by participating in the joint scientific activities of a large multidisciplinary group of fellows).
• Increase their ability to impact the economic sector by developing an acute entrepreneurial and innovation awareness.
• Develop a versatile research profile, with valuable transversal skills and research management skills.
• Over 100 research groups and departments associated with EUTOPIA-SIF Key Research Areas.
• Competent, committed and available academic supervisors.
• Excellent equipment and infrastructures in each department.
• A wide network of partners to EUTOPIA universities, including international academic institutions, private companies, government and third sector organizations.

The EUTOPIA-SIF program will enable fellows to take full advantage of this environment, thanks to integrated mobility periods (secondments), training and career development services and attractive employment conditions.

• 2-year employment contract as a Marie Sklodowska-Curie COFUND fellow at one of the EUTOPIA universities, with a monthly average gross salary of 4 349 € and a supplementary budget for research and travel expenses.
• Full academic freedom to pursue your research project in the state-of-the-art infrastructures of EUTOPIA research centers and a stimulating interdisciplinary and international academic community.
• International and intersectoral mobility through secondment periods at the fellow’s EUTOPIA-SIF co-host university and with an external secondment host, which can either be an international academic institution or a non-academic partner. More than 45 companies, local authorities and non-profit organizations actively support the program, encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Extensive training program includes transferable skills development, academic leadership, and active career mentoring by senior academic supervisors.
• Attractive living conditions and high quality of life offered by the local environments of all EUTOPIA universities. Each university will actively support fellows and their families for mobility-related queries.

Eligibility criteria

The fellowship positions are open to any researcher with a doctoral degree or with at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience. Candidates must not have a permanent position at the start of the fellowship and must comply with the Marie-Sklodowska Curie mobility rule. No age or nationality conditions apply.

• Diploma: Diploma certificate in English (accompanied with a non-certified English translation if the initial document is not in English) OR a provisional PhD certificate — certificate on headed paper from their supervisor/academic institution attesting that they will complete their PhD viva by the due date, OR mandatory template detailing 4 years of full-time equivalent research experience.
  Completion of PhD or equivalent experience by 15 April 2022.
• Seniority & status: No seniority condition will be imposed in the program, candidates must be recognized researchers. However, as the fellowship is also a training and development scheme, candidates must not have a permanent position at the start of the fellowship.They have to be able to work exclusively on the fellowship project with a full-time contract from one of the EUTOPIA-SIF university. Candidates may be employed when applying but should resign and take up a full-time contract when selected.
• Research topics: Applicants are entirely free in the design of their research project. However, they must indicate one or more of the program’s Key Research Areas to characterize their project.
• MSCA Mobility Rule: Researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the selected primary host universities for more than 12 months in the 3 years prior to the date of appointment. Compulsory national service, short stays (e.g. holidays), and time spent applying for refugee status under the Geneva Convention are not considered. The mobility rule need not apply to hosts of secondments.
• Nationality: The call is open to researchers of any nationality.
• Formal proposal criteria:
  – Completeness of application, including all required support documents submitted before the deadline using the application platform.
  – All submitted documents must comply with the page limits and other specifications, detailed below and/or on the application portal.
  – The application will otherwise not be accepted.Application submitted in English. Only one application per call and per fellow.

Applicants who do not meet these criteria are not be eligible to apply for a EUTOPIA-SIF fellowship
Applicants who are offered a fellowship will be required to provide documentary evidence to prove they meet these criteria or the fellowship offer will be withdrawn.

Support contact and guiding documents

You can reach the coordinators of the program at eutopia-sif@cyu.fr 

Guide for applicants (English PDF)
EUTOPIA-SIF short Guide (English PDF)