La Caixa Junior Leader fellowships, awarded by La Caixa Foundation, aim at funding young talents of any nationality to kickstart their independent research careers in STEM areas in centres of excellence in Spain or Portugal. If you are considering applying to the 2022 call, in this post we share with you relevant information.
Check your eligibility
This call offers 40 3-year fellowships to experienced researchers to start their independent careers in Spain or Portugal. The candidates must have finished their PhD 2 to 7 years prior to the call (extensions for interruptions as illnesses, maternity, or paternity leaves are contemplated).
Two fellowship categories are available:
- Incoming fellowships: 25 fellowships are destined to candidates that have NOT lived in the country of the host research organisation more than 12 months in the 3 years prior to the deadline for applications.
2. Retaining fellowships: 15 fellowships are destined to candidates that have lived in the country of the host research organisation more than 12 months in the 3 years prior to the deadline for applications.
Candidates applying to this category must have performed research abroad for at least 6 months before the deadline of the applications.
Important dates
Last year’s call opened the 7th of July of 2021 and closed the 7th of October of 2021. This year’s call opening date/deadline are expected to be around the same dates.
Start of the fellowship: tentatively between 2nd of May and 30th of September 2023.
Important conditions of the fellowship
Incoming fellowships must be conducted at accredited excellence centres with Severo Ochoa, María de Maeztu or Institutos de Salud Carlos III Spanish distinctions, or units of excellence distinctions from the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia de Portugal.
There is no requirement for the choice of research centre in the Retaining fellowships although it is highly advisable to choose an excellence accredited centre as the host organisation.
Maximum payment amount is of 305,100 € total including labour costs (of which a minimum of 44,300 €/year is destined to the gross salary of the fellow), research project costs (115,500 €), family and mobility assistance.
Fellows will be required to pursue a mandatory international secondment of 3 to 6 months within the fellowship lifetime. Secondments can be done in a single period or in shorter periods and can take place in one or more organisations.