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Career Development

The FCT Investigator Programme

Latest News

26.04.2017 - 2015 FCT Investigator call: Results of Stage 2 (after preliminary hearings) - 205 applicants recommended for funding
Ranked list of all applicants and proposals of decision for each evaluation panel.

24.04.2017 - 2015 FCT Investigator call: Final results of Stage 1 (after complaints) - 701 applicants through to Stage 2
Ranked list of all applicants.

28.07.2016 - 2015 FCT Investigator call: Results of Stage 2, after evaluation - 200 applicants recommended for funding
Ranked list of all applicants and Selected applicants in each evaluation panel
Evaluation Panels

04.05.2016 - 2015 FCT Investigator call: Final results of Stage 1 (after preliminary hearing) - 699 applicants through to Stage 2
Ranked list of all applicants.

The results of previous calls are available here.

The FCT Investigator Programme aims to create a talent base of scientific leaders, by providing 5-year funding for the most talented and promising researchers, across all scientific areas and nationalities. The overall aim of the FCT Programme is to allow the recruitment of 1 000 outstanding researchers by 2016, hosted by research centres across Portugal.

Established in 2012, the programme supports both outstanding post-doctoral researchers who wish to make the transition to independent researcher, and already independent researchers, with a proven track record, who wish to consolidate their research skills and establish leadership in their research fields. To date, 597 FCT Investigators have been selected.

The FCT Investigator Programme is centred on the researcher and his/her research project. The main evaluation criterion is scientific excellence: of the applicant’s background, career and of the research proposal.

FCT Investigator applicants identify the host institution where they will carry out their research programme and career development. Selected FCT Investigators are contracted by the host institution through funding provided by FCT to the institution.

FCT Investigator grants provide a competitive salary and start-up funding for those researchers with no on-going research funding.

Researchers of any nationality and any age may apply to one of three types of FCT Investigator grants:

  1. Starting Grant – for researchers with more than 3 and less than 8 years post-PhD experience at the time of application and an excellent track record. Prior experience of independent research is not required.
  2. Development Grant – for researchers with an excellent track-record and significant experience of independent research (as group leaders, principal investigators on research projects or senior/corresponding authors on publications).
  3. Consolidator Grant – for established independent researchers, with an outstanding curriculum and proof of leadership in his/her research area.

For further information on the FCT Investigator Programme, please email info.if@fct.pt.