How to apply at USI to career grants requiring institutional support

ERC Starting Grants support early-stage researchers on their way to become independent.

The ERC call closes 15 October 2024, at 17:00.

Candidates must meet both the ERC call requirements as well as the USI internal criteria listed below:

ERC criteria:

• Applicants must hold a PhD defended >2 and ≤ 7 years prior to 1 January 2025. Cut-off dates: defence from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022 (inclusive);
• Applicants have demonstrated evidence of the potential for creative and original thinking and contributed to impactful research in their field;
• Applicants must demonstrate the ground-breaking nature, ambition and feasibility of their proposal.
• Applicants should have already shown evidence of the potential for research independence, for example by having produced at least one publication as main author or without the participation of their PhD supervisor.

USI criteria:

• An excellent academic track-record, especially in terms of publications, scientific independence and firm ambitions to consolidate their academic career at USI;
• They demonstrate a strong interest in scientific domains represented at USI;
• Excellent fit within USI scientific profile.

Documentation

Interested candidates fulfilling all these requirements should send the following documents to the Research Service ([email protected]) by the 16th of August 2024:

• A complete CV, including publication list;
• A cover letter, indicating their specific research interests, the project idea, how they fit into USI scientific profile, the institute in which they expect to be integrated;
• Letter(s) of support from USI professor(s) interested in supporting the application.

Procedure

• Applications will be first subject to a formal verification of the call’s eligibility criteria. Applications are then sent to the Research Pro-Rector for in-depth assessment;
• In the event of a preliminary favourable assessment, the candidate will be invited to an online interview with faculty members;
• The final support decision is taken by the USI Rectorate.
• Should a positive decision be reached, the candidate will receive the confirmation letter needed for the ERC application and will benefit of administrative support for the proposal preparation.

USI guarantees to successful candidates a position equivalent to that of USI assistant professor without tenure track, limited to the duration of the ERC grant.

Application process at a glance:

Formal check + scientific match > Online interview > Support decision by the Rectorate > ERC Application > Evaluation by the ERC

The SNSF Starting Grants 2025 call is aimed at outstanding researchers who are on their way to becoming professors.  The call opens on 15 October 2024 and closes on 15 January 2025. With CHF 1 million (plus the PI’s salary) for 5 years, the SNSF Starting Grants allow researchers to develop their own research project and lead their research team in Switzerland for 5 years. The call targets researchers who have already shown scientific independence from their PhD supervisor and who have conducted impactful research in their field.

 Candidates must meet both the SNSF call requirements as well as USI internal criteria listed below:
SNSF criteria

• between 2 to 8 years of research experience after the PhD (5 – 12 years after medical degree, respectively);
• demonstrated evidence of the potential for creative and original thinking and contributed to impactful research in their field;
• several major research outputs that are independent of their work as a PhD student and the associated PhD project.
• link with Switzerland in the form of one of the following:
  • a Swiss Master/PhD;
  • an occupation in Switzerland for at least 2 years or
  • Swiss nationality.
• Applicants holding a professorship title or with a group leading position must not have received significant fundings (e.g., a SNSF project grant, or a Starting Grant, a Consolidator Grant, an Advanced Grant from the ERC or the SNSF ) prior this application. An Ambizione Grant is not considered significant funding.

USI criteria:

• Excellent academic track-record, especially in terms of publications, scientific independence and firm ambitions to consolidate their academic career at USI;
• Demonstrate strong interest in the scientific domains represented at USI;
• Excellent fit with the research objectives of the USI host institution.
• Candidates who have not completed their entire education and research path at USI are preferred.

Internal Procedure

Potential candidates fulfilling all these requirements should send the following documents to the Research Service ([email protected]) by the 1st of October 2024. Applications will be first subject to a formal verification of the call’s eligibility criteria. Applications are then sent to the Research Pro-Rector for in-depth assessment. In the event of a preliminary favourable assessment, the candidate will be invited to an online interview with faculty and rectorate members. Should a positive decision be reached, the candidate will receive the confirmation letter(s) needed for the SNSF application and will benefit of administrative support for the proposal preparation. The final support decision is taken by the USI Rectorate. Grantees will be hired as assistant professors without tenure track for the whole duration of the project.

• A complete CV, including publication list;
• A cover letter, indicating their specific research interests, the project idea, how they fit into USI scientific profile, the institute in which they expect to be integrated
• Letters of support from USI professors interested in the application (in the form of one single letter signed by one professor or one letter signed by multiple professors or multiple letters)

Useful Links:

• SNSF website with an overview about the Starting Grants  
• Call document
• Regulations and Guidelines
• Previously approved Starting Grants
• Application portal mySNF

For clarifications concerning the call or the internal procedure and for help in the application process, do not hesitate to contact the Research Service (Giorgia Sironi) at [email protected].

Ambizione grants are aimed at young researchers who wish to conduct, manage and lead an independent project at a Swiss higher education institution.

SNSF criteria

• Ambizione projects award four-years grants to researchers with At least 12 months of postdoctoral research activity;
• Maximum 4 years from the doctorate.

USI criteria

• They have an excellent academic early-stage track record, especially in terms of publications, and firm ambitions to pursue an academic career at USI.
• Strong interest in scientific domains represented at USI.

Documentation

Potential candidates fulfilling all these requirements should send the following documents to the Research Service ([email protected]) by the 30th August:

• A complete CV including publication list;
• A cover letter indicating their specific research interests, the project idea, how they fit into USI scientific profile, the match with the institute in which they expect to be integrated;
• Letter(s) of support from USI professor(s) interested in supporting the application.

Procedure

• Applications will be first subject to a verification of the call’s eligibility criteria, then sent for assessment to the Research Pro-Rector.
• Should a positive support decision be reached, the applicant will receive the two confirmation letters needed for the SNSF application and will benefit of administrative support for the proposal preparation.

As per SNSF regulations, USI guarantees to successful candidates a position equivalent to that of USI scientific collaborators for the duration of the grant. 

Application process at a glance:

Formal check eligibility criteria + scientific match > Evaluation by the Research Pro-Rector > Support decision > SNSF Application > Evaluation by the SNSF 

We underline that this procedure aims at identifying good candidates, which deserve support from USI when submitting their application to the SNSF; USI has no influence on the selection process at the SNSF, which is solely based on the scientific quality of applicants and projects.