2024 Call

The Aragonese Agency for Research and Development Foundation (ARAID) is launching a new International Call to recruit up to a maximum of 12 researchers who demonstrate a solid research track record and strong leadership capacity, to join any research, development, and innovation institution or center in Aragón, in the research areas open for applications in this call:

The 2024 call will have 8 evaluation panels:

• Health, biotechnology, and biomedicine
• Energy and sustainable mobility
• Environment and natural resources
• Agro-food
• Heritage, social and cultural development
• Digital Technologies *
• New materials and processes
• Physics of matter and space

(*) In Digital Technologies, the minimum requirement is 2 years of postdoctoral experience.

Applications must be submitted electronically via the ARAID website between January 1, 2024, and 14:00 on February 29, 2024.

The call is open to candidates of any nationality who meet the academic and research experience requirements. The final number of recruitments will depend on the quality of the applications and the strategic interest of the proposed research lines. A maximum of 3 applications will be accepted per entity and/or research, development, and innovation center (R&D&I) in Aragón. Entities requesting an ARAID researcher must sign a collaboration agreement with ARAID before the researcher’s incorporation.

If the maximum number is exceeded, all applications submitted by that entity and/or center will be excluded. Each candidate can only submit their application using a host center/institution where they will carry out their research. Each research supervisor can support applications (through the expression of interest form) for only one host center/institution. Failure to comply with any of these rules will invalidate the applications submitted by the candidate, the research supervisor, or the host center/institution.

The submitted projects must describe how they align with the R&D&I specialization areas outlined in the III Aragonese Plan for Research, Development, and Innovation (III-PAIDI) (pages 72 to 77, accessible here).

Each institution/center affiliated with the ARAID programme will designate a contact person or office to channel the information requests received, either directly or through ARAID. For information on R&D&I agents in the Aragón community, visit the website: https://www.aragoninvestiga.es/que-hacemos-idi/.

Up to a maximum of 12 researchers are expected to be hired through permanent, full-time contracts, carrying out their activities in research institutions/centers located in Aragón. ARAID researchers will be expected to substantially strengthen or help create new research teams at their centers, in addition to participating in and promoting science and technology in Aragón.

The salary range will depend on the experience of the researcher, the position, and the work to be carried out. The final salary will be in line with that of professionals holding the same level of responsibility at the research center and in accordance with the regional legislation governing the remuneration of personnel in the service of the Government of the Autonomous Community of Aragón and its dependent entities. Salary evolution will be linked to periodic evaluations of research performance.

In addition, in 2024, up to €30,000 will be granted as a startup grant for expenses directly related to the initiation and execution of research activities during the first year at ARAID. Additionally, up to €3,500 will be awarded as relocation assistance for researchers residing outside Spain.

ARAID is committed to assisting foreign researchers with visa and work permit procedures. The contract will only be effective once the selected candidates are legally allowed to work in Spain.

Candidates are required to have 6 or more years of postdoctoral experience (by the application deadline), with at least 2 years spent at nationally and internationally recognized institutions outside Aragón.

As a new feature in 2024, and to increase the number of applications, the Digital Technologies panel will accept candidates with at least 2 years of postdoctoral experience (by the application deadline), with at least 1 year spent at nationally and internationally recognized institutions outside Aragón.

Candidates who were part of the permanent staff at the center requesting the position before 01/01/2023 will not be eligible to apply.

Only complete applications, submitted before the deadline, will be evaluated:

• Curriculum Vitae of the applicant (in the AEI abbreviated format).
• Project description and research areas to be developed.
• Support/reference letters (for the candidate and/or project).
• Expression of interest form from the center signed by the scientific lead and the institution/center.

All application documents must be completed in English.

Candidates who have received support from the European Research Council to fund their project, but have not yet started it at the time of application, must indicate this in their application. These applications will be directly forwarded to the interview stage.

The curriculum vitae, project description, and support letters will be uploaded by the applicant. In the project description, candidates must quantify and detail the startup assistance they are requesting for their projects. Eligible expenses include personnel hiring, consumables, and small equipment.

The expression of interest form will be uploaded by the scientific lead or direct supervisor of the candidate at the host institution/center. This form, electronically signed by the legal representative, the scientific lead, and the administrative manager of the host institution/center, must be sent by email to araid@araid.es, before the application deadline. Given the required signatures, it is advisable to process this form well in advance. It is recommended not to leave document uploads to the last minute.

ARAID is an excellence programme recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, and all its calls adhere to and comply with the principles of equality and transparency recognized by the European Commission's HR Excellence in Research (HRS4R) seal.

Applications will be assessed by an external expert committee, responsible for evaluating scientific excellence, leadership capacity, and ranking candidates according to their merits and potential. External evaluators are selected from the ACPUA evaluator database and other national evaluation agencies, which propose evaluators based on the received applications in each field of expertise. Based on this evaluation and interviews with the top candidates, ARAID will make the corresponding final offers, subject to approval by the Foundation's Board of Trustees.

The ARAID 2024 Call is expected to be resolved by June 30, 2024. Visa and work permit procedures will begin as soon as the offers are accepted. Selected candidates are expected to join ARAID within six months of the resolution, with a maximum extension of up to 1 year in special cases.