la Caixa Funded Fellowship for International Researchers in Spain and Portugal with Funding of up to €320,100
Applicant criteria
- No specific age required
- Both
Opportunity criteria
Opportunity description
The “la Caixa” Foundation has opened applications for the Postdoctoral Junior Leader Fellowships – Incoming 2027, an international funded fellowship programme designed for postdoctoral researchers who wish to develop independent research projects in Spain or Portugal.
The programme offers 20 research fellowships for a period of 3 years in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), including life sciences, experimental sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering, technology, and mathematics.
The research project must be carried out at an eligible university or research center in Spain or Portugal. The programme aims to support researchers in building independent academic careers while strengthening their leadership, research, and international collaboration skills.
Benefits
The fellowship provides selected candidates with:
- Total funding of up to €320,100 over 3 years.
- Up to €64,000 per year to cover the researcher’s employment costs.
- A gross annual salary of at least €47,000.
- Up to €38,500 per year to cover research project costs.
- Research funding that may be used for equipment, materials, conferences, scientific visits, travel, patents, and other project-related needs.
- A relocation allowance of up to €5,400 for eligible fellows.
- Financial support of €1,200 per year for each dependent child, subject to programme conditions.
- A specialized training programme in leadership, career development, and research and professional skills.
- Coverage of travel and accommodation costs related to certain training activities.
- The possibility of completing an international or intersectoral research secondment of up to 6 months.
- The opportunity to work at leading research centers and universities in Spain or Portugal.
- The opportunity to build an international academic and research network.
Eligibility criteria
To apply for the fellowship, candidates must:
- Hold a PhD degree.
- Applications are open to researchers of all nationalities.
- Have defended their PhD within the eligibility period specified for the 2027 call, with certain qualifying career breaks potentially taken into account.
- Submit a research project in one of the STEM fields.
- Select an eligible host research center or university in Spain or Portugal.
- Meet the international mobility requirement, meaning they must not have resided in or carried out their main activity in the host country for more than 12 months during the three years prior to the application deadline.
- Have a strong research track record and demonstrate the ability to develop an independent research project.
- Show clear potential for scientific leadership and research independence.
Explore Partially Funded Scholarships
Explore More International Competitions and Awards