Research

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships

The University of Nottingham is keen to host Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) fellows, and is currently encouraging applications to the scheme. The next call for applications opens on 12 April 2018 and closes on 12 September 2018. Successful applicants will be able to start their fellowships during the 12 months from March 2019 onwards.

MSCA fellowships are highly flexible, pay a generous salary, and are open both to external applicants and to existing University staff who are interested in conducting research abroad.

How it works

An experienced researcher (fellow) with a minimum of PhD level experience moves to an institution in another country (host), where he or she works with a supervisor to deliver a specific project involving research, innovation, training and networking activities.  Both parties must collaborate on the application and the supervisor should offer appropriate supervision and support. Regular meetings between the supervisor and the researcher should be the backbone for the planning and implementation of the research and innovation plan.

Proposals should be built around a concrete plan of training-through-research at the host organisation (Career Development Plan). In addition to research activities and objectives, this should address the researcher's training and career needs, including training on transferable skills, planning for publications and participation in conferences.

Applicants can be of any nationality. There is no upper limit to age or experience, and the salary (which consists of a combined living and mobility allowance plus a family allowance for applicants with parental responsibilities) is in the order of €53,500 per annum, depending on the country where the fellowship is carried out.

Opportunities

Opportunities for internal candidates

These fellowships can be used by internal staff to:

  • work in a destination elsewhere in Europe (European Fellowship for 12-24 months)
  • work in a country outside the EU (Global fellowship for 12-24 months, followed by a mandatory 12-month return period to a host organisation in the EU)  
 
Opportunities for external candidates

These fellowships can be used by potential fellows from outside Nottingham to:  
  • relocate to work in Nottingham from a non-UK destination anywhere in the world (European Fellowship for 12-24 months)

We are keen to support potential supervisors at Nottingham in encouraging applications from outside the UK. Researchers can be of any nationality.

 

What the fellowships offer

12-24 months' full-time research funding (plus an additional 12 months' funding for Global fellowships during the mandatory return phase to Nottingham or to a home organisation in another EU country).

The funding covers:

  • living + mobility allowance (around €74,327 gross per year minus employer oncosts)
  • family allowance (€500 per month) for fellows with spouses or dependent children
  • research, training and networking costs (€800 per month - no restrictions on what this is spent on)
  • management and indirect costs (€650 per month for the host organisation)   

All allowances are flat rate, calculated according to the number of months that the fellow will be involved in the project. Timesheets are not needed and any funds remaining at the end of the fellowship do not need to be returned to the EC.

Proposal writing workshops

R&I will be co-ordinating a series of proposal writing workshops, open to both supervisors and fellows interested in applying to the scheme. To find out more, contact Matt Rackley in R&I.

Place of tenure and subjects covered

If you are an external candidate, it is expected that The University of Nottingham will be your host institution.

However, it is possible to spend up to 30% of your time on secondment elsewhere within the EU or Associated Countries (this must be documented in your proposal and you must show how it will be meaningful and appropriate to your research field). You can also carry out short visits (e.g. for field work) anywhere in the world.

If you are applying as an outgoing member of staff, then there are almost no restrictions on where you can spend your fellowship in terms of either geography or host organisation. 

'Any legal entity' can act as host (i.e. including industrial or third sector organisations), though please contact R&I if you require clarification.

You have free choice of research field. Your application will need to indicate which of the following academic areas your proposal fits into best:

  • Chemistry
  • Social Sciences & Humanities
  • Economic Sciences
  • Information Science & Engineering
  • Environmental & Geosciences
  • Life Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Physics

Local support

Eligibility

There are two main requirements:

  • you must have a PhD (or equivalent research experience)
  • you must not have lived or worked in the country you intend to travel to for more than 12 months during the three years up to the closing date of the call (12 September 2018). 

How to apply

  • Read the Guide for Applicants and FAQ documents.
  • Register your interest, both with R&I and any local support available to you, at the earliest opportunity.

Apply online

Closing date for applications

The closing date for all applications is 12 September 2018.

  • For more information about the application process, contact  Matt Rackley or Sandra Winfield in Research and Innovation, or call +44 (0) 115 84 66047.
 

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