ARISE Application process

The full description of ARISE Fellowship - Call 1 is available here. By clicking on the button “Apply now” you will be able to complete and submit your application.

Before you apply, please:

• Download the Guide for Applicants here.
• Get in touch with the GTL(s) of interest to discuss your project ideas and learn about their research focus and plans.
• Choose a Partner Organisation for your long secondments (If you would like to make your secondment at an institution not listed within the ARISE partner organisations list, please get in touch with ARISE management team at arise@embl.org to get guidelines on the next steps).
• Write your project proposal using the Proposal Template (Word version).
• Complete the Ethics self-assessment included in the proposal template (please note that this is part of the final proposal you will submit and it is part of the eligibility criteria).
• Contact your referees. Please keep in mind that it is your responsibility that references reach us by the deadline (Jan 31, 2021). At least two out of three letters of reference must be submitted by the call deadline in order for your application to be eligible. Please note that only letters of reference submitted from an institutional e-mail address will be considered. For referees that only have a private e-mail account, please contact ARISE at arise@embl.org to inform us about this exception.
• Please inform ARISE programme manager at arise@embl.org that you are applying for an ARISE Fellowship.

Submitting your online application

(Please note that the application cannot be interrupted, saved and continued – thus we recommend you to have the whole batch of information ready before you start the submission of your application. Please refer to Annex 1 – Applicants checklist of the Guide for Applicants):

• Please complete all the sections of the online application.
• Do not forget to upload:
  • Your CV (including the full list of your publications and relevant awards).
  • Any relevant certificate (e.g., PhD, MSc, BSc, other relevant certificate(s)).
  • Your project proposal (including the ethics self-assessment).
• Use the “Annex 1 - Applicants checklist” (included in the Guide for Applicants) to verify you have duly completed and uploaded all the requested information and documents.
• Click on “Submit”.

Available materials for Applicants

• Guide for Applicants
• Proposal Template (Word version)
• Click here to apply

The ARISE programme is open to experienced STEM professionals from around the world, who have at least four years of experience in technology development in academia or industry, with initial experience in technology development for the purpose of service provision.

The following eligibility criteria apply.

Formal eligibility criteria

1. A PhD degree itself is not required, but applicants must have at least four years of research experience with a high level of skills (postdoctoral standard), or must have expertise in a specialisation in which doctoral degrees are not usually awarded. Their degree and scientific experience should be in STEM fields, either in the academic or non-academic sectors, relevant to the research fields of EMBL research infrastructures and services. Years spent on a PhD count towards the required four years of experience.

2. Researchers from all countries are eligible for the ARISE programme. However, it is not permitted for applicants to have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) at any of the EMBL sites for more than 12 months in the three years immediately preceding the call deadline (MSCA mobility rule)*. Applicants cannot already be permanently employed by EMBL.

3. Applicants must be fluent in written and spoken English (comparable to the C level/Proficient English user).

4. There is no age limit for applying to the fellowship programme. However, candidates’ achievements should align with their stage of education or work experience.

Academic eligibility criteria

1. Applicants should independently prepare and submit an original research proposal (up to four pages) relevant to the field of work of the groups or teams they are interested in joining. The proposal should aim to develop new methods or technologies or to improve existing ones, which can then be applied to answer various scientific questions from life science researchers as part of a service, and which can be integrated into research infrastructures (see programme overview). The proposed project should not be of local interest only, but should have sufficient potential for international transfer. The proposal must follow European Commission ethical guidance. Applicants are required to contact the groups or teams of their choice before preparing their proposal, to get an overview of their field of work and of current activities in these groups or teams.
2. Applicants should demonstrate initial experience in technology development related to service provision.
3. Applicants should prove their scientific potential with at least one of the following types of evidence:

• Scientific publications.
• Scientific software, unique or problematic datasets, technical documentation, etc., that they have produced.
• Contributions to patents.
• Management of technology development projects.
• Detailed descriptions of any other innovative research they have performed, and their achievements.
• Other activities that demonstrate experience relevant to technology development and scientific services.

4. Applicants should select one or more EMBL group or team leaders who are participating in ARISE, whose group or team they would be interested in joining.

Applicants can appeal after any of three cut-off points: eligibility check, evaluation of their written application by the Evaluation Board, and personal interviews.

A dedicated email address, arise-appeal@embl.org, is available for official complaints or formal appeals. This will be accessible only by the Advisory Committee, which is bound by strict confidentiality.

The ARISE Advisory Committee will investigate the validity and significance of the allegations. If significant irregularities in the procedures are found, the Advisory Committee will devise a corrective measure for the current application (e.g. re-evaluation) and future selection rounds. In general, however, the decisions of the Evaluation Board, the interview panel, and the interviewers from the ARISE groups will not be overruled.