The" la Caixa" Foundation is offering 20 three-year postdoctoral fellowships to recruit experienced researchers to carry out their projects in STEM disciplines (Life Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering and Mathematics) at any university or research centre in Spain or Portugal.

For Spanish institutions, candidates must have resided in Spain more than 12 months in the last 3 years.

Requirements for applicants:

• Nationality: Postdoctoral researchers of any nationality are eligible to apply for the postdoctoral Junior Leader Fellowship-Retaining programme.
• Research field and host institution country:The research project must be carried out in STEM disciplines (Life Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering and Mathematics). The host institution where the fellowship is carried out must be located in Spain or Portugal.
• Doctoral degree and eligibility extensions: Those who obtained their doctoral degree (PhD) two to seven years prior to the application deadline are eligible, unless an extension of this period applies under the circumstances listed below. For such purposes, candidates must have obtained their doctoral degree between 23 September 2019 and 23 September 2024, both inclusive.
• Mobility: Candidates who wish to join a Spanish research centre or university must have resided or have carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the application deadline.
• International stays: For the purposes of eligibility, international stays refer exclusively to international research stays completed before the application deadline, during the candidate's doctoral or postdoctoral period. They are distinct from the secondment to be carried out during the fellowship under Section 5.

Candidates must apply using the online application platform available in the "Fellowships" section on the "la Caixa" Foundation website.

• The application must be completed entirely in English.
• Candidates must submit a Declaration of Interest letter document with the official institutional letterhead and signed by a representative of the host institution of preference must be attached, indicating its willingness to accept the fellow.
• Candidates must submit a personal statement document using the template provided in the online application platform. This document must present the research project that the candidate proposes to carry out during the three-year fellowship. Candidates may freely propose a research project to be implemented at the host institution of their choice.
  The concepts that should be raised in the statement of purpose (maximum 9 pages) are:
  1) Research experience directly related to the project proposed specifying the main achievements reached (Recommended 3 pages)
  2) Summary of the proposed research project, state of the art, timeline, contingency plan, methodology and objectives. (Recommended 5 pages, references excluded). Please write the references at the end of the document in a separate page. (Maximum 1 page)
• Candidates must attach a copy of their doctoral diploma or academic certificate showing the date on which the doctoral degree was obtained.

In case of interest, please contact the Research Management and Promotion Department before September 16, 2026.