Einstein International Postdoctoral Fellowships for Research Groups in Berlin

The programme offers high-achieving young researchers in Berlin, who already have a source of funding, the chance to include a postdoctoral researcher from abroad in their junior research group and to obtain additional support for material resources.

The programme also seeks to attract international postdoctoral researchers to Berlin by offering them the opportunity to work in the city for up to five years.

Eligibility

Junior research group leaders, who are already receiving funding (e.g. from the DFG or an ERC Starting Grant) to set up and establish a junior research group at one of the respective Berlin universities or Charité, are eligible to apply for this programme.

Funding

Funding is available for a postdoctoral researcher (Einstein Postdoctoral Fellow) who must be recruited from abroad by the applicant. The researcher’s remuneration will be based on the collective wage agreement adopted by the state of Berlin and may in exceptional cases equal the income of the junior research group leader.

Applications may also include an item of expenditure of up to € 20,000 per year to cover material resources for the Einstein Postdoctoral Fellow. In addition, funding may be made available to enable the junior research group to take part in further training in science and research management.

Funding period

Funding may be granted for a period of up to five years during the active life of the junior research group. For the duration of the funding period, the postdoctoral researchers will be awarded the title of “Einstein International Postdoctoral Fellows.”

Application requirements

Before applying for this programme, the applicant must have procured funding to set up and establish a junior research group at a Berlin university.

Application process

Applicants are required to use the application forms provided by the Einstein Foundation. Applications may be submitted in any discipline by the dates posted on the Foundation’s website.

Applications may only be submitted by junior research group leaders, and with the consent of the university management. If individual host institutions have internal deadlines for applications to the Einstein Foundation, applicants should liaise with the contact person at their institution (a list is included below) well in advance. The application for funding must include:

• A description of the part of the project on which the Einstein Postdoctoral Fellow will work.
• An explanation of how the work of the Einstein Postdoctoral Fellow will be embedded in the project as a whole, and of the expected added value for the junior research group.
• A cost plan according to financial year.

Applications are evaluated according to the excellence of the proposed research project, of the candidate and of the applicant.

Please note that applications must be submitted in English.

Use of funds

The approved funds may only be drawn through the university or Charité-Universitätsmedizin in accordance with the regulations on third-party funding. These institutions will also become the respective employer of the individuals who receive funding from the Einstein Foundation Berlin.

If a successful candidate for a Postdoctoral Fellowship withdraws before taking up the post or resigns within the first six months, a resubmission of the application with a new candidate is possible if the project remains unchanged and the junior research group has at least 3.5 years of its funding period left. In such a case, the resubmitted application is subject to another review.

If the junior research group leader takes up employment at a university outside of Berlin, a supervision agreement can be signed which allows the Einstein International Postdoctoral Fellow to complete their project at the original institution. Alternately, the project can be continued with a new junior research group leader or with another junior research group. In that case, an application for such a change has to be submitted to the Foundation to be forwarded to the Research Board.

Contact

Dr. Julio Decker

Officer
Grants advisory and Processing

T: +49(0)30 20370–403
antrag(at)einsteinfoundation.de