Twenty candidates selected for internationally renowned Helmholtz Postdoc Programme

The Helmholtz Association is providing 20 recently graduated PhD students with €300,000 each as they embark on their postdoctoral research phase. Half of the successful candidates come from abroad. The grant is paid in instalments over a period of up to three years, helping the talented young researchers to get established in their fields of research and thereby develop their scientific competence. The candidates, who were selected through a multi-stage application process, are receiving the funding as part of the Postdoc Programme launched by the Helmholtz Association last year.

“Scientific advances in tomorrow’s world depend on outstanding scientists being given the opportunity to develop today,” says Jürgen Mlynek, President of the Helmholtz Association. “With our Postdoc Programme, we are providing these young researchers with the tools they need to do that.” He adds that the programme is also an excellent means of attracting talented young researchers to Germany.

Comprehensive funding programme

Once a candidate has been accepted into the programme, he or she is immediately assigned a mentor. The financial support the young researchers receive primarily allows them to pay their own salary and that of a technical assistant, if required, as well as any associated travel costs. As part of the programme, the participants are required to spend a period of time abroad, the purpose and content of which they can decide themselves. In addition, Helmholtz postdocs can attend courses offered by the Helmholtz Management Academy to develop their management skills.

Internationally attractive programme

The 20 successful researchers out-performed other applicants in a multi-stage competition judged by an independent jury of distinguished international experts. A total of 119 young researchers expressed an interest in the programme to one of the 18 Helmholtz Centres, and 66 of those went on to submit applications. In the final round, eleven female and nine male applicants were admitted to the programme.

The next call for applications for the Postdoc Programme will be published in spring 2014.

Further information:
http://www.helmholtz.de/postdoc