FAQs

Eligibility

Is there an age limit in order to submit an application?

No, there’s no limitation in terms of age of the applicants as long as the research experience and mobility rules are fulfilled.

Is there any kind of restriction regarding the nationality (those from outside of European Union or European Economic Area)?

There are no nationality restrictions. Postdoctoral fellows of all nationalities are welcome to apply for the CarrerasLeaders Programme.

Is there any kind of restriction regarding the current place of residence of the candidate (those from outside of European Union or European Economic Area)?

Candidates living in any country can apply, but they must comply with the mobility rule (see Guide for applicants, section 2.4. Eligibility Criteria).

How can I check whether I am eligible under the 7-year rule research experience?

All applicants that have received their Ph.D. after 11/02/2017 are automatically eligible to apply provided the remaining eligibility criteria are met. This period can be extended in the cases described in the guide for applicants (section 2.4. Eligibility Criteria)

Am I eligible if I have not been formally awarded the doctoral degree after the defence?

Applicants, who have successfully defended their Ph.D. theses but have not been formally awarded the degree yet, are eligible.

How do I know if I am eligible under the mobility rule?

You are NOT eligible if you have resided or carried out your main activity in Spain for more than twelve months between the period 27/10/2021-27/10/2024.

I have a project proposal; however, I did not make any contact with a Principal Investigator (PI) or Coordinator of a Scientific Platform. Can I apply?

No. A Principal Investigator or a Coordinator of a Scientific Platform should confirm that your proposed project can be carried out in their laboratory in terms of supervision and infrastructure. It is mandatory to provide the “Supervisor’s support letter”. Check the template in the project’s website. You can see all the information of our groups and scientific platforms at IJC’s website, including their contact details.

Can I apply with two supervisors?

No. You Have to identify a main supervisor. However, a co-supervisor at IJC can be allocated and you can justify this in the project proposal.

Submission

Do I need to translate my Ph.D certificate into English in case it is issued in a different language?

If your Ph.D. certificate is in a language other than English and does not come with an English translation, at the stage of application, there is no need to provide translations.

What format should the Curriculum Vitae (CV) be?

The applicants are free to choose their preferred CV format and platform, as long as it contains the requested information (research experience, publications, etcetera).

Who should I contact if any problems arise during my application?

If you have any problems during the application process, please contact carrerasleaders@carrerasresarch.org. The Project Team managing the programme will contact you asap.

Do I have to provide information of my family status in the application?

No, this information will be requested only from the final selected candidates upon preparation of the labour contract (e.g., certificate of marriage, family book, domestic partnership certificate, etc).

What supporting documentation should I attach for an extension of the 7-year research rule?

Any official documentation issued by a third party (governmental bodies, medical or military certificate, etcetera) that supports the reason of extension.

Can I apply through an email?

No, the application should be submitted through the Team Tailor online tool. You can access the application form here. Please make sure that you have submitted all the documents before the deadline.

Remuneration

What does happen if I get married one year after my contracts starts? Will my remuneration be modified?

Yes. As other Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions, IJC will apply the family allowance once your family status changes. The fellow will have to send to the IJC’s Unit the legal documents that proves this modification.

When is a researcher eligible for a reallocation allowance?

The reallocation allowance of 850 EUR is paid only once, to all successful applicants upon the payment of the first pay roll.

When is a researcher eligible for family allowance?

For CarrerasLeaders, a researcher is eligible for family allowance, if they have persons linked to them by (i) marriage, or (ii) a relationship with equivalent status to a marriage recognised by the legislation of the country or region where this relationship was formalised; or (iii) dependent children who are actually being maintained by the researcher. Specific legal documents proving this status will be required upon preparation of the labour contract (e.g., certificate of marriage, domestic partnership certificate, etc).

Are the specified allowances in the Guide for Applicants the net salary that I would be remunerated at the end of each month?

No. The allowances in the Guide represent gross salaries. From gross salary, expenses as provisioned by Spanish Regulations should be deducted to arrive at your net salary (e.g., social security, taxes etc.). Those deductions depend on each person’s personal conditions and will be calculated upon preparation of the labour contract.

Relocation

Where can I find more information about moving to Spain?

IJC has recently joined BarcelonaGlobal, a non-profit association composed of 214 of the city’s leading companies, research centres, entrepreneurs, business schools, universities and cultural institutions and aiming to make Barcelona one of the world’s best cities for talent and economic activity. International researchers joining the IJC will have access to their services and network to help them to settle in at our institute. (https://www.barcelonaglobal.org/about-us/).

You can also find more information on Euraxess Catalonia: https://agaur.gencat.cat/en/internacional/suport-a-linvestigador/index.html

Training

Do I need to include a plan for the training and workshop program?

No. The training of the fellows is going to be organized by the Josep Carreras Institute. Apart from in-house courses and seminars, the Career and Training committee will include personalized courses and workshops targeting the research needs of each fellow.

Do I need to provide any documentation from the secondment host together with my application?

No. For the Eligibility check and the Remote Evaluation stage, it is only necessary to briefly describe the proposed secondment as indicated in the Project proposal. I f successful, you should identify a secondment host co-supervisor before the Interview Stage if you haven’t done so before.

How should I decide on where to have my secondment?

You can choose a host institution that best suits your career perspective and research interests from the CarrerasLeaders Associated Partners list, which can be found on the website. Alternatively, you can propose an organization of your choice, either from industry or academia, and if successfully selected, a partnership agreement will be signed with that institution before the start of the secondment.

Is it mandatory to make a secondment?

It is not. However, we encourage you to include it as the secondment counts for 5 points in the Evaluation stage.

What Kind of training would the programme provide?

Each postdoctoral fellow, with the guidance of their supervisor and IJC support will develop a unique training pathway. You can find more information in the Guide for applicants.

Other

Is it possible to apply for more than 3 years despite in the call you mention that the fellowships will have a duration of 3 years?

No. This may be discussed upon termination of the 3-years fellowship.

Is it possible to apply for 2 years despite in the call you mention that the fellowships will have a duration of 3 years?

No. The scholarship is allocated for 3 years of postdoctoral research.