Next Application Deadline: October, 1st 2023 (Applications accepted from September 1st)
Senckenberg offers fellowships to highly motivated and talented early career scientists (doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers) from the Global South (Ext. Link: List of countries belonging to the Global South). Fellowships are offered for a 3-month period (in selected cases up to six months) to establish and/or strengthen collaboration with scientific staff at Senckenberg. Early career scientists residing in Germany are not eligible to apply, independent of their nationality.
Our flyer with all the necessary information about the program.
About Senckenberg
The Senckenberg Research Institutes support equal opportunities for all genders and place an emphasis on fostering career opportunities for women and under-represented groups. Qualified women and other under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. Equally qualified applicants with disabilities will be given preference.
Marked in blue are the countries from which visiting scientists have been at Senckenberg (period: 2012 – 2022).
About the fellowship program
Would you like to expand your expertise and experience in nature research and conservation? Are you highly motivated to put your innovative research ideas into action? Are you keen on working abroad to engage with an interdisciplinary team of scientists dedicated to advance Earth system science? Or are you looking for unique research facilities that help to address emerging questions for the benefit of nature?
We cordially invite you to apply for a fellowship at Senckenberg, where you will find stimulating working conditions, excellent infrastructure, and open-minded colleagues with a wide range of backgrounds in biodiversity, anthropology, geology, collection-based research, or conservation ecology. The working language at Senckenberg is English.
Regular application deadlines are 1 March and 1 October each year. We offer fellowship positions to doctoral (1600 €/mo) or postdoctoral scientists (2700 €/mo) for 3 months, in selected cases for up to 6 months. These fellowships are intended as an opportunity to join Senckenberg, to develop and implement original research ideas, interact with staff and students at Senckenberg, and apply for follow-up funding. Senckenberg provides excellent infrastructure through laboratory and field facilities for interdisciplinary research, large-scale experimental facilities as well as long-term research programs. We offer a one-time travel allowance (up to 1200 €) in addition to the fellowship.
Marked in blue are the countries to which Senckenberg researchers have undertaken expeditions (period: 2012 – 2022).
Requirements and first contact
Applicants must hold a master or doctoral degree in one of the research domains at Senckenberg. Before submitting your application, please identify and contact a host at Senckenberg and jointly develop a brief concept on how you will spend your time at Senckenberg. The following links to Senckenberg Institutes may help you identify suitable hosts to pursue your ideas:
Your CV, including a complete list of publications
Certificate of your master or doctoral degree
A motivation letter indicating your research interests and experience (max. 1 page)
Your ideas for research to be conducted at Senckenberg, outlining your aims and proposed activities (max. 1 page)
A letter of support by your host(s) at Senckenberg, including appreciation for you and your proposed work, (the proposed work) complements the expertise of the host group, and how it provides added value (max. 1 page)
Optional: recommendation letter(s)
Please make sure that all required documents are bundled into a single PDF document.
Submission of the documents is only possible through the Senckenberg host. The selection for the positions is highly competitive. The following evaluation criteria are applied:
Scientific potential to reach the aims of the proposal
Scientific excellence of the proposed work
Prospects of developing a follow-up project to acquire additional funds
A selection committee will recommend the most promising applications to the Senckenberg Board of Directors. The awardees will be notified no later than eight weeks after the application deadline.
The next call for applications will open on September 1st, 2023. Further information on the application process will be published here in due time.
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