https://ecosphere-msca.org.tr/

info@ecosphere-msca.org.tr

This programme is designed only for postdoctoral fellows (PFs) and is open to researchers of any nationality. Call for proposals, offering opportunities for 12 PFs, will be managed by YTU in Istanbul and DEU in Izmir. Candidates can apply to either institution with a proposal of their choosing and select a supervisor that best fits their individual needs. In addition to a primary Supervisor, a secondary supervisor from an external institution or industry partner may be assigned by the ECOSPHERE Program. It should be noted that researchers who are permanently employed by the hosting organization (as of the call closing date, June 30th, 2024) are ineligible for COFUND funding. All applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for the ECO-SPHERE Programme.

All proposals must adhere to the templates provided on the ECO-SPHERE website. Applications submitted in other formats or those that are incomplete will not be accepted.

Application requirements: The application must be made through the online portal, and the candidates must first register and create a username and password. There are some compulsory application documents that candidates must provide as part of their application:

• A motivation letter (max. 2 pages) that includes an overview of research background and expertise, relevant skills and techniques, reason for applying, and the expected impact on career development. It should briefly mention any relevant career breaks, if applicable. 
• A copy of the Doctoral diploma and transcript of records (If the original documents are not in English, each document must be accompanied by an official certified translation into English). 
• A CV in Europass template (max.5 pages) (Any periods of inactivity for medical reasons, maternity/paternity leaves, elderly care, or due to training or professional experience in other fields should also be indicated). • Two Letters of References 
• A research proposal (max. 10 pages) including objectives, methodology, expected outcomes, exploitation plans in a template to be provided. 
• List of Academic publications and patents (if any). 
• Softcopy (in pdf format) of 1 or 2 selected publications within the context of the call. 
• A signed Letter of Support from proposed academic supervisor 
• Ethics Self-Assessment 
• Signed General Data Protection Consent Form

Please find further information on https://ecosphere-msca.org.tr

The ECO-SPHERE program will comply with ethical principles (including the highest standards of research integrity) and applicable international, EU, and Turkish law. ECO-SPHERE will comply fully with the Horizon Europe ethics policy, including those reflected in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the European Convention on Human Rights and its supplementary protocols.

After the completion of the eligibility checks, Merit-Based Evaluation will be started. Each eligible proposal will be evaluated by international experts according to the candidate's project/research area. Each application will be reviewed by three external referees for scientific evaluation. The experts score the application in line with the evaluation and scoring criteria specified in the expert guide. The maximum score that can be awarded in this phase is 80 points, calculated as the sum of the scores. Afterwards, the applicants will be interviewed. The interviews will be via video/web conferencing and held in English. A maximum of 20 points will be given during the interview.

Important: The candidate is responsible for arranging the required web/video conferencing facilities to participate in the remote interview session.

The selection of fellows will be based on an open, transparent, merit-based, impartial, and equitable evaluation and selection procedure based on international peer review and interview. Different criteria will apply for the evaluation and selection of applicants in ECOSPHERE. These criteria will ensure an objective and consistent selection procedure, in alignment with the principles & requirements of the Code of Conduct. There is a good balance in the scoring system between education & research (max 40/100), research proposal (max 40/100) and interview (max 20/100).