Retaining Call 2027: Postdoctoral Junior Leader fellowships – Deadline 23 September 2026

Key dates

• Status: Open
• End: 23 September 2026, at 2 pm Peninsular Spain
• Pre-selection results and call for interviews:12 January 2027
• Selection interviews: 24 and 25 February 2027
• Publication of results: 10 March 2027

Key points

• 20 fellowships to carry out a postdoctoral research project at any university or research centre in Spain or Portugal.
• STEM disciplines (life sciences, experimental sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering, technology and mathematics).
• Maximum duration: 3 years.
• Maximum amount: €320,100.
• Programme of training in multidisciplinary skills.

Requirements of the call

Researchers of any nationality are eligible for the Retaining modality of the Postdoctoral Junior Leader fellowships. To be eligible for admission, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Experience: have been awarded a PhD between two and seven years prior to the closing date of the call. The date of obtaining the PhD will be understood as the date the doctoral thesis is defended. Special deadlines apply for candidates with interrupted research careers.

  Candidates must have carried out research stays at a centre or university outside Spain (or outside Portugal for those joining a Portuguese centre), during their doctoral or postdoctoral studies, for a total of at least 6 months before the closing date of the call.

• Mobility:

  For candidates interested in Spanish centres or universities: candidates must have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the three years immediately preceding the closing date of the call.

  For candidates interested in Portuguese centres or universities: candidates must have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Portugal for more than 12 months in the three years immediately preceding the closing date of the call.

  Special deadlines will apply for candidates with interrupted research careers and for those who’ve gone through the process to obtain refugee status under the Geneva Convention.

• Complete application: only candidates whose application meets all the requirements of the call may be admitted.

FAQ

If you have any doubts about the call, please consult the list of frequently asked questions.