Call for BIOPOLIS 2024 projects - European teaming project

This call for tenders is part of a European project funded by the H2020 Teaming program ("Biopolis"). The Biopolis project¹ 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, CIBIO². The University of 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 young researchers, who are the subject of this call for tenders.

OBJECTIVES

This call for proposals is aimed at hiring 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 will thus contribute to the transfer of knowledge from the University of Montpellier to CIBIO, and to the development of the project at CIBIO (ideally leading to future recruitment at CIBIO).

This third call for projects offers the possibility of funding up to 10 years of contracts for young researchers. To date, 5 PhDs and 5 contracts for young researchers have already been funded under the first and second calls for projects. 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 is not covered by this call for projects. A limited budget will also be allocated to each recruit to cover research costs and personal IT equipment.

PROJECT ELIGIBILITY

The 11 UMRs involved in Biopolis are eligible: AGAP, AMAP, CEFE, CEEM, CBGP, DIADE, IHPE, IPSIM, ISEM, MIVEGEC and LEPSE.

The scientific project must correspond to one or other of the following main themes³ (biodiversity, agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services). All scientific disciplines are welcome, although preference will be given to projects corresponding to axes 2 and 3 (agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services).

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SUBMISSION

Projects from each unit are submitted exclusively by the Unit Directors (DU). Dossiers are submitted in PDF format according to the downloadable template and sent by email.

AMOUNT AVAILABLE

This call will finance the salaries of young researchers over a maximum period of 10 years. Contracts may be of varying lengths (12, 18 or 24 months), but the total will not exceed 10 years. Each recruit will receive an envelope of credits for research and another for mobility to the Portuguese laboratory (see eligible expenses below).

SCHEDULE

• Official opening: April 19, 2024
• Submission of proposals by Unit Managers: before June 19, 2024
• Final decisions: mid-July 2024
• Start of recruitment procedures: September 2024

ELIGIBLE EXPENSES

Salary of 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 duration of 24 months; a budget for research expenses expressly justified by the project, which may include consumables, services, purchase of a personal computer, expenses for missions other than to the Portuguese laboratory, for a maximum amount of 10 k€ per year; a budget that can be used to cover the costs of mobility to the Portuguese laboratory (short and long stays) for recruits and their Montpellier supervisors, as well as events organized in Montpellier as part of the project, expressly justified and for a maximum amount of 9 k€ per year.

These two envelopes can be distributed over the duration of the project as required.

SELECTION PROCEDURES

Resources will be allocated according to the following criteria:

• Matching the project with the major scientific objectives of the Teaming project, in particular axes 2 and 3⁴
• 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.

1. See the BIOPOLIS project website ︎
2. See the CIBIO website ︎
3. Biopolis' 3 main areas of research ︎
4. Biopolis' 3 main areas of research ︎