Research Ireland Fellowship Programme

Research Ireland Fellowship Programme 2025Please note that the information provided below is for reference only. Full details of the call can be found on the Research Ireland website. This system is for management of submissions to the Research Ireland Fellowship Programme only. Programme StructureThe Research Ireland Fellowship Programme is open to researchers with a PhD who are nearing the end of their current contract. Successful applicants must be able to commence the Research Ireland Fellowship placement during October 2025.A Fellowship placement will be offered for a period of 24 months. For successful applicants, the placement will be based full-time in Research Ireland for a continuous period. Research Ireland endeavours to select and develop candidates who are open to taking on new projects outside their current experience and have ongoing flexibility and interest in career progression and development.Research Ireland Fellows will rotate within or across Teams in Research Ireland to gain wide experience, spending one year in each of two different Teams. Where possible, Fellows will be assigned to work in the Research Ireland Team outlined within their application as the most appropriate fit for their skillset, however, this cannot be guaranteed as placements will be dependent on a number of factors (Fellow skills profile, organisation needs and capacity of a Research Ireland Team to provide training). Further details on the duties and responsibilities for the various Fellowship positions in each Team are outlined in Appendix 1. Research Ireland Fellows will be provided with training both on commencement and throughout the duration of their Fellowship, internally and, where appropriate, externally. The Fellows will also be assigned to a Research Ireland staff member (i.e. Research Ireland Supervisor) who will provide support and guidance to the Fellow for the duration of the Fellowship Programme. A personal development plan will be agreed with the Research Ireland Supervisor and will be reviewed periodically during the placement.Successful Fellows will be recognised as an employee of their current Research Body for the duration of the Fellowship grant. The application must therefore be supported by the Research Body’s Vice President for Research (or equivalent) and a Line Manager. Applicants are advised to discuss their application with their proposed Line Manager as they will take administrative responsibility for the Fellow if the application is successful (see Section 3 for more details).Successful applicants will have a Specific Purpose Contract/Research Funded Contract with their Research Body and will be paid by their Research Body in accordance with their contract. All terms and conditions associated with the Fellow’s Contract of Employment with their Research Body will apply. Research Ireland will liaise directly with HR Departments within the relevant Research Bodies to inform them of applications awarded  under the call.DefinitionsFellow (Applicant) - A researcher who holds a PhD at the time of application and who holds a temporary contract in an eligible Irish Research Body. The Fellow will be hosted by Research Ireland.Line Manager - The Line Manager based in the applicant’s Research Body will take administrative responsibility for the Fellow if the applicant is successful. The Line Manager will carry responsibility for arranging salary, leave entitlements and other administrative duties for the Fellow within the Research Body while the Fellow is participating in the Fellowship Programme. Line Managers must be members of the academic staff of an eligible Research Body. Depending on the Research Body’s internal HR processes, the Line Manager may be responsible for initiating the request for the Fellow’s contract.Research Ireland Supervisor - Upon joining Research Ireland, the Fellow will be assigned a Research Ireland staff member who will be responsible for setting goals and objectives and assisting with on-the-job training in their assigned Team.Eligibility Criteria of ApplicantApplicants must:·        Hold a doctoral degree.[1]·        Be on a research contract in an eligible Research Body at the time of application.[2]·        Be in a position to take a period of 24 months (continuous and full-time) away from their current research activities within the Research Body, starting in October 2025.·        Have a right to work in Ireland with a work visa/permit (if applicable) for the duration of the Research Ireland Fellowship placement.One to two years of Postdoctoral experience is an advantage. Applicants must apply through, and have the support of, their current Research Body as described in Section 3.1. Researchers who are employed under a Contract of Indefinite Duration are not permitted to apply.Note: Previous successful applicants to the predecessor programme, the SFI Fellowship Programme are ineligible to apply. Applicants who have an application under review for another of Research Ireland’s Fellowship-type programmes or the Pathway Programme will not be permitted to accept both awards if both applications are successful.[1] http://www.sfi.ie/funding/sfi-policies-and-guidance/eligibility-related-information/PHD-equivalence-policy_September_2018.pdf[2] https://www.researchireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Research-Ireland-Eligible-Research-Body-Policy.pdf Eligibility Criteria of Research BodyThe Research Body is the body responsible for the overall financial and administrative co-ordination of research programmes supported by research grants from Research Ireland. The Research Body will administer the funds of successful Fellowships and will remain as the Fellow’s employer for the duration of the placement in Research Ireland. The grant will be administered by the Research Body of the applicant. Research Bodies must be situated in the Republic of Ireland and be eligible for Research Ireland funding. A list of Eligible Research Bodies is available on the Research Ireland website.[3] It is essential that applicants wishing to apply to the Research Ireland Fellowship Programme have the support of their current Research Body. Please see Section 3.1 for further details on Research Body Approval. [3] https://www.sfi.ie/funding/sfi-policies-and-guidance/eligibility-related-information/FundingThe maximum Research Ireland contribution to a Fellowship grant is dictated by the Research Ireland Team Member Salary Scale over a 24-month period, which is subject to a maximum of the Experienced Post Doctoral Researcher level 2B Point 4.i. Eligible Direct CostsA salary contribution for the duration of the Fellowship Programme can be requested by applicants, details of which must be included on the Research Ireland Fellowship application form.Requests must align with the appropriate point on the Research Ireland Team Member Salary Scales (Level 2A Point 1 to Level 2B Point 4).[4] Salary contributions for successful candidates are subject to the maximum of Level 2B Point 4 on the Research Ireland Team Member Salary Scales. Please note: the current salary of the applicant must be indicated on the application form (see Appendix 2) signed by the Research Body. Based on this information, successful applicants will be awarded a contribution to salary on the subsequent point on the Research Ireland Team Member Salary scale. Applicants will be entitled to one increment increase for months 13-24 of the Fellowship Programme, subject to the maximum of point 6 for Level 2A and point 4 for Level 2B. [Please note that once individuals reach the top of the relevant scale, no further increments will be applied].  ii. Eligible Indirect Costs: Research Ireland also makes an indirect or overhead contribution to the Research Body, which is reflected as a percentage of the direct costs. Overheads are payable as a contribution to the Research Body for the indirect costs of hosting or facilitating Research Ireland-funded programmes and are intended to enable the Research Body to develop internationally competitive research infrastructure and support services. All awards are made directly to the Aapplicant’s Research Body.[5] General overheads should not be included in the requested budget to cover costs incurred directly as a result of the Fellowship award. [4] https://www.researchireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/RESEARCH-IRELAND-TEAM-MEMBER-SALARY-SCALES.pdf[5] https://www.sfi.ie/funding/sfi-policies-and-guidance/budget-finance-related-policies/