SPEAR’s recruitment process has ended! Read about our early-stage reseachers here.

Each recruited early-stage researcher (ESR)⁽¹⁾ will join one of fifteen research projects at SPEAR’s academic or industrial partners in Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Germany or Sweden.

Over the course of three years, the ESRs will research topics at the forefront of nanoelectronics and spintronics and benefit from a comprehensive and intersectoral training program including project workshops, special training sessions and participation in one or two secondments at host institutions for a total of 6 months⁽²⁾.

Furthermore they will be enrolled in the regular PhD programmes at a SPEAR beneficiary or partner organization and thus benefit from all local training activities and specialized courses. At the end of the 36-month period, the ESRs will defend their PhD theses and obtain their degrees.

Read about the available individual research projects (IRP) below.

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(1) As defined by the European Commission in the context of MSCA-ITN projects, an early-stage researcher (ESR) is a researcher who, at the time of recruitment by the host organisation is in the first four years of their research career (full-time equivalent) research experience and has not been awarded a doctorate.

(2) Due to the specificities of their IRPs, ESR13 and ESR14 will carry out a single 6-month secondment.

Application info

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Application period

• March 1 – April 30, 2021 (or until positions are filled)
• Extended deadline: May 31, 2021
• Evaluation on a rolling basis

Application period reopened for IRP6. Deadline: 11 September 2022.

Start date

Candidates are expected to start working on the project by September 2021. In some cases, an earlier starting date may be possible. 

Eligibility

The 15 researchers that will be recruited to work on SPEAR

• may be of any nationality and 
• must be proficient in written and spoken English.

At the time of recruitment (i.e. contract starting date) the researchers

• must be early-stage researchers (ESR), meaning that they must be in the first four years of their research careers (full-time equivalent), i.e. our years or less must have passed since they obtained the degree which entitles them to embark on a doctorate;
• must not have been awarded a doctoral degree;
• must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host organisation for more than 12 months in the last 3 years.

We are offering

• A comprehensive and international training programme going beyond state-of-the-art spin-orbitronics;
• Training in research-specific, complementary and soft skills, that involve both the academic and industry sectors and are tailor-made to prepare young researchers for their future careers;
• A competitive salary, adjusted according to the host country;
• A mobility allowance of 600€ and, if applicable, a family allowance⁽³⁾ of 500€ as part of the employment package.

Selection criteria 

• Academic record
• Scientific background
• Expected impact and benefits of the proposed training to the ESR’s career

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(3) Family allowance will be paid should the researcher have family, regardless of whether the family will move with the researcher or not. In this context, family is defined as persons linked to the researcher by (i) marriage; (ii) a relationship with equivalent status to a marriage recognised by the national or relevant regional legislation of the country where this relationship was formalised; or (iii) dependent children who are actually being maintained by the researcher. The family status of a researcher will be determined at the date of recruitment for the action and will not change over the action lifetime.