FAPESP’s Post-Doctoral fellowship

FAPESP’s Post-Doctoral fellowship is aimed at distinguished researchers with a recent doctorate degree and a successful research track record. The fellowship enables the development of research within higher education and research institutions located in the State of São Paulo.

Post-doctoral fellowships are available within FAPESP funded research projects, when calls for applications are issued internationally, or as individual fellowships requested on demand. In the former, positions are advertised in the FAPESP website (www.fapesp.br/oportunidades) and candidates are selected through international competition. In the latter, the proposal for a fellowship must represent an addition to a pre-existent research group and should be developed in association with faculty in higher education and research institutions in Sao Paulo.

In both cases, applications should highlight the contribution that the development of the proposed research project and the previous training of the candidate will bring to the group. In particular, the connection between the research group’s ongoing projects and the activities proposed by the fellowship holder should be highlighted.

The candidates for these post-doctoral fellowships should have completed their doctoral programs no more than seven years prior to application and the proposed research project should be strongly linked to the work being developed by the proposed host group in Sao Paulo.

1. Modalities of PD fellowships

a. Post-doctorate fellowships linked to Research Projects

Major FAPESP funded research projects (e.g. Thematic Projects, RIDCs, Young Investigator Awards and the Biota Program) can be granted post-doctoral fellowships as part of their research budget. In this case, the Principal Investigator must open an international call and carry out a competitive selection of candidates before submitting the name of chosen researcher for FAPESP’s validation. Post-doctorate fellowships in this category can only be applied for when a position is announced.

b. On demand Post-doctorate fellowships

Applications for Post-Doctoral fellowships which are not connected to ongoing FAPESP funded projects should be developed by the candidate in association with faculty in higher education and research institutions in Sao Paulo. The research project must represent an addition to a pre-existent research group. The application must be presented to FAPESP by the supervisor.

2. Duration of PD Fellowship

PD Fellowships are granted for 24 months and can be renewed for 12 months. When associated with FAPESP funded larger projects (e.g. Thematic Projects, RIDCs, Young Investigator Awards and the Biota Program), fellowships can last up to 48 months, provided it is within the term of the project to which it is linked.

Fellowships are not awarded for periods shorter than six months.

3. Applications

Any time of year.

4. Time frames for analysis

Each line of funding defines the standard time frame necessary for applications to complete the evaluation process. FAPESP is committed to adhering to these time frames, although it cannot guarantee compliance in every case.

On demand post-doctorate fellowship applications that receive a favorable assessment from the ad hocreviewers will be put forward for a monthly comparative analysis session. On average, the process of analysis takes around 100 days.

For post-doctorate fellowships within larger projects, the principal investigator must open an international call for the position. Time frames vary according to each research group. Once the candidate is chosen and is submitted to FAPESP’s approval, the validation process takes at most 20 days. It is important to note that FAPESP may not award the fellowship to the researcher selected by the principal investigator of the larger FAPESP funded project. In this case, the call for applications may be re-opened.

5. Fellowship components

The Post-Doctorate fellowship includes a monthly stipend and research contingency funds.

a) The stipend of the FAPESP post-doctoral fellowship is R$ 7,174.80 (from August 1st, 2017).

b) The Research Contingency Funds are intended for use in activities developed by the Fellowship holder, strictly related to the fellowship research project, during the term of the fellowship. The funds are equivalent to 15 per cent of the annual value of the fellowship. Together with the Scientific Report, the Fellowship holder should report on the use of the Research Contingency Funds. This Report should be approved by the Supervisor.

6. Candidate’s requirements

a. The candidate should have concluded a doctorate less than seven years before the beginning of the PD fellowship.

b. The fellowship demands full time dedication to the research project (except under conditions outlined in resolution PR Nº 13/2009, 15 July 2009).

c. The fellowship holder may not hold any formal or informal employment nor receive, during the term of the fellowship, a fellowship from another entity, salary or remuneration deriving from the exercise of activities of whatever nature (except under conditions outlined in the decree PR Nº 13/2009, 15 July 2009).

7. Candidate’s obligations

a. Full dedication to research (except under conditions outlined in the resolution PR Nº 13/2009, 15 July 2009).

b. Not to receive a fellowship from another entity, salary or remuneration deriving from the exercise of activities of any nature (except under conditions outlined in the resolution PR Nº 13/2009, 15 July 2009).

c. To consult FAPESP before accepting any financial support from any other funding source, public or private, for the development of the research project that concerns the fellowship awarded.

d. Not to make any modifications to the project (initial plan, dates etc.) without the prior consent of the Foundation.

e. To submit scientific reports and reports on the application of the Research Contingency Funds within the time frames laid out in the Terms of Award (TA), accompanied by the requested documentation.

f. Not to absent himself from the institution in which he is developing his research project, except to carry out field research or a research placement, for a limited time and with the authorization of FAPESP and with the supervisor’s endorsement.

g. To refer to the support from FAPESP in theses, articles, books, abstracts of presentations in meetings and any other type of publication or form of outreach activities that result, wholly or in part, from the fellowship.

8. Supervisor’s requirements

a. The supervisor should hold the title of doctor or an equivalent qualification, as well as competence and productivity in research in the area of the submitted project, as judged by his career history, as well as availability, measured by the work regime and the current number of students under supervision.

b. The supervisor should be formally attached to a research institution in the State of São Paulo.

c. FAPESP does not award any fellowships in situations where the supervisor has a close family relationship with the candidate. It is understood that a close family relationship represents a situation of potential conflict of interest, which compromises the indispensable impartial perception in the analysis of fellowship holder’s qualifications and performance.

d. To provide merit reviews, free of charge, when requested by FAPESP on projects within his/her specialty and within the time frames established by the Foundation.

e. To be up-to-date with FAPESP (handing in reviewed proposals, delivery of scientific reports and submission of accounts) or risk having funds freezed.

9. Intellectual Property

Researchers undertake to verify, at anytime, whether the development of the project is producing or might produce results that are potentially the object of any form of registration of intellectual property rights (e.g. Patents, Industrial Designs, Softwares).

In this case, a disclosure communication should be made to FAPESP and to the University’s TTO, before publication in journals, congress annals or theses, or any form of outreach that may bring the invention into the public domain.

Invention patents, utility models, industrial designs or any other form of registration of intellectual property rights deriving from the execution of the project should carry the name of FAPESP as co-owner, unless University has a TTO qualified by FAPESP.

The registration, at the request of the grantee, could be eventually financed by FAPESP, through its Support for Intellectual Property Program, managed by the Patenting and Licensing Office (Nuplitec), if the Foundation judges this to be convenient. In any case, the net income deriving from the sale or licensing will be shared with FAPESP, in accordance to an Intellectual Property agreement between FAPESP and University.

Technology Innovation Programs presents different rules for Intellectual Property treatment.

10. Reports

All recipients of a PD fellowship must deliver at least one scientific report on the development of their research project. Number and time frame for reports vary according to the duration of the fellowship:

a) Fellowships awarded for a period of 18-24 months: a Scientific Report should be submitted, on the tenth day of the month following the termination of the fellowship. In the case of an application for an extension, the report should be submitted 6 months prior to the date on which the fellowship ends.

b) Fellowships awarded for less than 18 months: a Scientific Report will be required on the tenth day of the month following the ending of the fellowship. In the case of a request for extension beyond the initial period awarded, the report should be submitted 2 months before the date the fellowship ends.

c) Fellowship holders should submit progress reports which should be read and commented on by the supervisor, along with the report submission form (www.fapesp.br/sage) Reports are sent by FAPESP to reviewers for analysis and recommendations.