Call for Applications! Research Fellowships, Germany

Application Deadline: October 15, 2020.

5-year Research Fellowships promote researchers with significant work experience at the postdoctoral level aiming for a career in academia. Research Fellows build their own academic identity by leading an independent research group at the University of Konstanz.

Within the Synergy Research Fellowship Programme we open the possibility to (academic) partners to apply. This programme allows two researchers with different disciplinary backgrounds to work on a single project, each contributing their own topical or methodological expertise, while having the opportunity to sharpen their individual research profiles. Each researcher will be awarded an individual Research Fellowship.

Benefits

The Zukunftskolleg provides the Research Fellows with a professional infrastructure and an appropriate workplace for conducting research. Each fellow receives an annual research allowance, e.g. for funding research assistants or equipment. Furthermore, the Zukunftskolleg gives financial support for start-up, consumables and travel costs, and assists in developing academic skills. Fellows who bring funding for their own position for at least three years can receive as a start-up upon negotiation funding for a PhD-student position.

Each fellow is a member of both a university department and the Zukunftskolleg. Additionally, fellows of the Zukunftskolleg can be affiliated to the Clusters of Excellence at the University of Konstanz: “Politics of Inequality“and the “Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour“.

A mentoring committee supports each fellow in her/his career development. This committee consists of an experienced researcher from the fellow’s research field within the university department, as well as an advanced Research Fellow of the Zukunftskolleg.

Fellows have a work contract with the University of Konstanz and are expected to have their place of residence in Konstanz. They participate actively in the regular weekly meetings (Jour Fixe) of the Zukunftskolleg and have an opportunity to teach.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible, candidates must fulfill all eligibility criteria:

• Applicants should be in possession of a doctoral degree granted between October 16, 2015 and December 31, 2020. Earlier graduation dates can be accepted in case of maternity/paternity leave, or working contracts outside academia
• Applicants should not hold a permanent professorship, or have a habilitation or equivalent (Venia legendi)
• Applicants must have applied for a research group grant of at least 50,000 € or an equivalent amount of funding. This external grant should be used for their research while at the Zukunftskolleg, and should be obtained in a competitive process. A Fellowship offer is conditional on the approval of the external grant application. The grant may cover the candidate’s own position, if it can be transferred to Konstanz
• Applicants must propose a research project that ties in with a discipline represented at the University of Konstanz. Applicants should contact potential Local Academic Partners among the researchers at the University of Konstanz in order to ensure appropriate affiliation. Support from a department strengthens the application.
• All these requirements have to be fulfilled at the application deadline (October 15, 2020).
• International experience in teaching or research, and a strong interest in interdisciplinary topics are desirable.

If you have any questions concerning the eligibility criteria, please check the FAQ.

Application

Call for applications open now! Applications should be submitted via our online application portal. Application deadline is 15 October 2020.

The following documents are required to submit the application:

• a complete application form
• motivation letter (1 page max)
• project outline (5 pages max)
• curriculum vitae
• copies of all relevant degree certificates
• writing sample (30 pages max)
• two letters of reference

More detailed information on the application process and FAQ here (OFFICIAL WEBSITE).