Do you want to do cutting-edge basic research in an international environment and work with world-class supervisors and colleagues? If so, apply for the IST-BRIDGE International Postdoctoral Fellowship 2024.

The Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA)‘s IST-BRIDGE program offers fully funded two-year postdoctoral fellowships to highly qualified candidates who have completed or soon completing their Ph.D. or equivalent in natural or computer sciences, mathematics, or any related discipline.

A flexible ‘career-tracks’ training program, optional non-academic secondments, ISTA research support unit positions, and academic placements to excellent worldwide BRIDGE Network partners will benefit IST-BRIDGE postdocs’ careers.

Important Details

Application Deadline: 15 November 2023 (14:00 CET)

Remote Interview Date: 18 December 2023 and 02 February 2024

Application Outcome: 3 months after the application deadline

Fellowships Commence: 01 March 2024 and 01 June 2024

Number of Opportunity: 60 in total (12 in this Call)

Fellowship Period: Two years

Host University: Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA)

Location: Austria

Field of Research: All ISTA-supported research fields

Benefits of an IST-BRIDGE International Postdoctoral Fellowship

The selected fellows for an IST-BRIDGE fellowship will benefit from the program as follows:

Financial Supports and Salary:

• BRIDGE fellows will receive two-year, full-time employment contracts with a competitive salary of a minimum EUR 61,000 gross
• Full Social Security coverage
• A single paid relocation allowance of EUR 2,000
• An additional funding of EUR 1,000 for researchers whose partner/family relocates with them.

Academic Benefits:

• Competency-based training: 4 flexibles ‘career tracks’ program
• Optional BRIDGE assignments and secondments
• They will get the title of ‘Marie Skodowska-Curie fellow,’ an internationally recognized symbol of research excellence.
• The fellows will benefit from an international, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral fellowship program.

Research Environment:

• BRIDGE projects will occur in a unique environment: a newly constructed campus with shared scientific facilities focusing on cutting-edge equipment and scientific expertise in scientific computing, bioimaging, electron microscopy, nanofabrication, life science, and pre-clinical studies, and a recently completed NMR facility.
• The ISTA faculty selection process’s basic principles – person before area, quality before speed – have resulted in a record number of scientifically innovative leaders: Over two-thirds of professors have received at least one ERC frontier grant. ISTA’s research group size limit (15 people) ensures close assistance from the fellow’s faculty supervisor(s).

Family and Housing Services:

• Depending on availability, the on-campus guesthouse or apartments can be rented, giving incoming fellows time to find more permanent housing.
• ISTA offers onsite daycare for children aged three months and above (spaces/reservations are subject to availability).
• An International Officer assists with visa applications.

Language Services:

The official language institute is English. German-language classes are available on campus to assist fellows in integrating into the host country.

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Eligibility Criteria

Following are some general requirements for the IST-BRIDGE International Postdoctoral Fellowship:

• Applicants can apply for all ISTA-supported research fields
• Applicants must have a Ph.D. (or equivalent) or at least four years of full-time equivalent research experience by the deadline and expect to complete their Ph.D. degree before the start of their fellowship (which should not be later than seven (7) months post-deadline). ISTA will not provide a fellowship contract until they receive the applicants’ copy of the diploma and proof of successful thesis defense.
• Applicants must have lived or carried out their principal activity (job, studies, and more) in Austria for at least 12 months in the 36 months before the original call deadline (i.e., 05/11/23).
• Researchers already working at ISTA during the Call (i.e., 05/11/23) are not eligible to apply.

Required Documents

The following documents are mandatory to upload in PDF format with your online application form while applying for the IST-BRIDGE International Postdoctoral Fellowship:

• Application Form
• Research Proposal (max. five pages – excluding references) outlining two years’ work plan (check more details)
• CV (max. two pages)
• Publication List (not included in page limit)
• IST-Bridge Motivation Statement (max. two pages)
• Completed Ethical Issues Table
• Name and contact information for three referees
• Any additional supporting documents requested

How to Apply?

The application process overview of the IST-BRIDGE International Postdoctoral Fellowship is as follows:

• Download and cautiously review the Guide for Applicants
• Create an account at the application portal by clicking the link below
• Following the instructions in the email sent to you, verify your account.
• Complete the application form by filling out all mandatory fields and uploading all required documents above
• Submit your application by entering the Apply Now tab

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Apply Now

Evaluation and Selection Criteria

The International Selection Committee will evaluate all applications passing the initial eligibility check by program management and select the fellows based on the following criteria:

• Scientific Excellence Weighting: 40%
• Scientific Match & Interdisciplinarity Weighting: 20%
• Program Fit (including career plan, non-academic aspects, or impact) Weighting: 20%
• Career Potential Weighting: 20%

Top-ranked candidates will have a remote interview with Selection Committee members between 18 December 2023 and 02 February 2024, after discussion and ranking at a Selection Committee meeting.

Following a positive confirmation from the interviewers on the Selection Committee, ISTA will offer the final fellowship for 12 fellows in this Call. The fellowship program should start between 1 March 2024 and 1 June 2024.

All applicants will receive notification about their application outcome no later than three months after the application deadline (including reserve list status, if applicable).

Applicants who believe they have a valid complaint about the evaluation or eligibility checks can request redress via the online submission tool.

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Detailed information about the IST-BRIDGE International Postdoctoral Fellowship is available on the ISTA official website, or review the FAQs section at the bottom of the page.