Hector Pioneer Fellowship
The Hector Pioneer Fellowship is offered by the Zukunftskolleg in collaboration with the Hector Stiftung II and is dedicated to extraordinary post-doctoral researchers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields. The candidates’ research ideally links up to the university's focus areas: "Chemical Biology and Ecology", "Molecular Nanotechnology and Materials Science", and "Decision Sciences" amongst others. Interdisciplinary and innovative projects are specifically welcome.
5-year Hector Fellowships are comparable to Zukunftskolleg Research Fellowships. They promote researchers with significant work experience at the postdoctoral level aiming for a career in academia. Hector Fellows build their own academic identity by leading an independent research group at the University of Konstanz.
The Zukunftskolleg provides them 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, consumerables and travel costs, and assists in developing acaemic skills.
Each Fellow is a member of both a University department and the Zukunftskolleg. Fellows have a work contract with the University of Konstanz and are expected to have their place of residence in Konstanz or nearby. They participate actively in the regular weekly meetings ("Jour Fixe") of the Zukunftskolleg and have an opportunity to teach.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to be eligible, candidates must fulfill all of the eligibility criteria:
- Candidates must be in possession of a doctoral degree (PhD thesis submitted and defended) at the moment of the application and have acquired a maximum of four years of postdoctoral research experience;
- Candidates must not hold a permanent position in academia, a professor ship, or have an habilitation or equivalent (venia legendi);
- Candidates must propose a research project that ties in with one of the STEM disciplines and ideally with one of the academic focus areas of the University of Konstanz. Applicants should contact potential mentors (Local Hosts) among the researchers at the University of Konstanz in order to ensure appropriate affiliation. Support from the department strengthens the application;
- Candidates must already have secured a research group grant in a competitive process of at least 50,000 € or an equivalent amount of funding to be used for their research while at the Zukunftskolleg. Candidates with external applications which have been submitted before the application deadline, but are still waiting for the decision will receive a Fellowship offer conditional on the approval;
- Candidates with their own position funded by another program, which can be transferred to Konstanz, are also eligible.
The applications are selected in a multi stage process
- Eligibility check and pre-selection
- International external peer-review
- Interdisciplinary Workshop on Future Research Directions at the University of Konstanz
Since it is the community of Fellows that makes up the Zukunftskolleg, applicants are assessed, not only for their academic achievements, but also for their personal, social and method-related abilities. The selection of Fellows is organized as a highly competitive process involving intra-disciplinary as well as interdisciplinary evaluation. Criteria include diverse knowledge and qualifications such as leadership and teamwork skills, teaching or management experience, mobility and independence.
The candidates’ achievements should be in line with their “academic age”, so that they have a realistic prospect of being appointed professors.
For more information please click "Further Official Information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
https://www.uni-konstanz.de/zukunftskolleg/fellowships/hector-pioneer-fellowship/