BIOPOLIS 2023 call for projects - European teaming project

This call for tenders is part of a European project funded by the H2020 Teaming program ("Biopolis"). The Biopolis project aims to support the development in Portugal of a center of excellence for research, development and innovation in the fields of biodiversity, agro-biodiversity and ecosystem services.

This center will be based on an existing laboratory, CIBIO. The Université de Montpellier - UM (and its associated tutelles) is a partner in this capacity-building project. The project will finance mobility and events contributing to the center's development, as well as human resources, including doctoral students and young researchers, who are the focus of this call for tenders.

Objectives

This call for proposals is aimed at hiring PhD students and young researchers on Teaming project funds managed by the UM (i.e. hired by the UM).

It is part of WP5 of the Teaming project. We are aiming for situations where these young recruits will be able to train in Montpellier (supervised by one or more Montpellier researchers), within the framework of projects co-constructed with one or more CIBIO researchers (co-supervision). These young researchers (PhD students and young researchers) will thus contribute to the transfer of knowledge from Montpellier to CIBIO, and to the development of the project at CIBIO (ideally leading to future recruitment at CIBIO).

As the first call for tenders supported projects arising from existing collaborations between Montpellier and CIBIO, this second call for tenders will pave the way for new collaborations, as the BIOPOLIS project ends in September 2027.
In total (across all calls for tenders), the UM will be able to finance a minimum of 5 PhDs and 10 years of young researcher contracts. Biopolis Montpellier credits will also cover the mobility of young recruits, their supervisors and Montpellier-based collaborators from France to Portugal. The mobility of partners from Portugal to France will be covered by Portuguese funds and does not fall within the scope of this call for tenders. A limited budget will also be allocated to each recruit for research expenses and personal IT equipment.

Project eligibility

The 10 UMRs involved in Biopolis (AGAP, AMAP, CEFE, CEEM, CBGP, DIADE, IHPE, IPSIM ISEM and MIVEGEC) are eligible for the call. The scientific project must correspond to one or other of Biopolis ' main themes (biodiversity, agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services). All scientific disciplines are welcome.

How to submit

Projects from each unit are submitted exclusively by the Unit Directors (DU). Applications are submitted in PDF format, using the downloadable template and sent by e-mail.

Amount available

This call will fund the salaries of one to three PhD students (over 3 years each) and one to five young researchers (up to two years each). Each recruit will receive an envelope of credits for research and another for mobility to the Portuguese laboratory (see eligible expenses below).

Calendar

• Official opening: April 17, 2023 (Reminder - Pre-announcement to Biopolis correspondents in UMRs on April 12, 2023)
• Submission of proposals by Unit Managers: before June 12, 2023, 12:00 p.m.
• Final decisions: end of June 2023
• Start of recruitment procedures : July 2023, in conjunction with doctoral schools (for doctoral students)

Eligible expenses

Salary for a PhD student (valued according to the UM salary scale, currently 125.5 k€ for 3 years) or a young researcher (valued according to the UM salary scale, currently between 51k€ and 55k€/year, depending on recruitment level and experience) for a maximum period of 24 months; an envelope for research expenses expressly justified by the project, which may include consumables, services, the purchase of a personal computer, missions other than to the Portuguese laboratory
, for a maximum amount of 10 k€ per year; an envelope for mobility expenses to the Portuguese laboratory (short and long stays) for recruits and their supervisors from Montpellier, expressly justified and for a maximum amount of 9 k€ per year. These two envelopes are not fungible, and may be distributed over the duration of the project as required.

Selection procedures

Resources will be allocated according to the following criteria:

• Suitability of the project with the major scientific objectives of the Teaming project
• Collaboration effectiveness
• Contribution of the UM partner to the development of the CIBIO project (scientific or technical skills, financial or material resources, etc.).
• Project development prospects for CIBIO, within this collaboration and/or more widely
• Clarity and relevance of objectives and expectations
• Feasibility (material and financial) of the recruit's project

An evaluation committee will analyze the eligible applications and rank them for final selection.