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Independent Projects for Postdocs – Call of the CRDF/University of Bremen (apply by 1 April 2024)

The University of Bremen opened the call for a funding scheme especially interesting for young scientists who have just completed their doctorate but also for advanced postdocs candidates with the career goal professorship. For further details please see below or click this link. Applications are considered until 1 April 2024.

This funding scheme aims to support Postdocs in their scientific career development and the development of their own research profile. Postdocs at an early career stage shortly after their doctorate are given the opportunity to manage and take responsibility for their own research project. An explicit goal is the independent acquisition of third-party funding (“Own position DFG” or “Emmy Noether Junior Research Group”). Advanced postdocs are given the opportunity to conduct their research in a highly productive environment with an independent project, to network internationally in their respective scientific community and to build their profile towards being eligible for the appointment of a professorship. The development of further competences is carried out by individually compiled offers from BYRD and HR development of the University of Bremen.

Who can apply

1. Junior Postdocs from Germany and abroad shortly after finishing their PhD: the doctoral certificate must be on hand at latest 10 months after the application deadline and may not be issued longer than two years before deadline (date of doctoral certificate).
2. Advanced Postdocs with aim professorship: The PhD may not date back shorter than two years before application deadline and not longer than four years (date of doctoral certificate). Aim is to be prepared for a vocation for professorship at the end of the project (habilitation equivalent performance, development of a profile that counts as appealable in the respective discipline). Scientists who have already been funded in CRDF 04 A may not apply in CRDF 04 B.

What are the requirements?

An above-average publication output, an excellent independent project proposal and a high potential to achieve the objectives of the funding line (the evaluation of previous achievements will take periods of child care into account). The integration into the research context of the University of Bremen and at the same time scientific autonomy of the applicant must be demonstrated by a detailed letter of intent of the host person at the University of Bremen and is also part of the evaluation. Host person can be those professors who are conducting full-time research at the University of Bremen as well as independent researchers who have the appropriate formal qualifications such as staff responsibility, rooms and laboratory equipment (e.g. senior researcher/lecturer, Emmy Noether group leader, etc.).

The funding conditions

Postdoc position for three years and additional allowance of up to €6,000 per year as well as offers for personnel development and support in writing grant proposals. Research stays abroad are permissible up to nine months. The full postdoc position comes with a teaching load of one class per semester (two hours per week).

The application and selection procedure

Applications can be submitted once a year. The University’s respective Research Funding Committee decides on the basis of external reviews. The eight available positions are awarded between the natural sciences and engineering and the social sciences and humanities. Half of the positions are to be granted to female researchers.