SFI-IRC Pathway Programme
Supporting the development of research talent across all disciplines
SFI-IRC Pathway Programme 2024
Overview
The SFI-IRC Pathway Programme will support talented postdoctoral researchers from all research disciplines to develop their track record and transition to become independent research leaders.
The programme welcomes research proposals from any discipline within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (AHSS). Applications of an interdisciplinary nature which draw together insights and approaches from one or more research disciplines will also be welcomed. The maximum funding request permitted under the SFI-IRC Pathway Programme is €495,000 direct costs over a period of four years which includes a contribution to the salary of the applicant, and the stipend and fees for a PhD student. Please refer to the Programme Call Document for further details.
Potential applicants, meeting the programmes eligibility criteria, wishing to apply to the SFI-IRC Pathway Programme 2024 call must first seek pre-approval from an eligible research body. Once SFI and the IRC have received a research body’s approved candidate list in advance of the deadline (20th February 2024), nominated candidates will then be invited to submit a full proposal. SFI and the IRC recognises the continued need for equality, diversity and inclusivity across the research ecosystem, and are committed to addressing the gender imbalance within the higher education sector by increasing the number of research grants held by women. To this end, each research body may nominate a maximum of 16 STEM-led and 8 AHSS-led applications. No more than eight of the 16 STEM-led, and four of the 8 AHSS-led, nominated applicants may be men. Upon submission to SFI and IRC all applications will be treated equally regardless of the gender of the applicant.
| STEM-Led | AHSS-Led | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | €495,000 (direct costs) | €495,000 (direct costs) |
| Duration | 48 Months | 48 Months |
| Applications/RB | 16 | 8 |
- To enable talented post-doctoral researchers to develop their track record and establish themselves as independent investigators, with support of their research body.
- To provide a mechanism for Irish Higher Education Institutes to retain and attract excellent early career researchers from all disciplines and support their development towards becoming research leaders of the future.
- To fund excellent research with potential impact across all disciplines.
- To contribute to further development of the Higher Education system through knowledge creation, training, and skill development.
- To support early career researchers in securing non-Exchequer funding and develop their network through the European Research Area.
- To increase the representation of women in the higher education sector and promote alignment with international policies including research assessment, Open Science and Equality, diversity, and inclusion.
- To contribute to a cohesive research ecosystem in Ireland and support SFI and IRC in achieving their strategic objectives, as described in the strategic plan for each agency.
Full details on programme eligibility are available in the call document. In summary, applicants should have demonstrated a proven record of internationally recognised research accomplishments and adhere to the following eligibility criteria:
- The applicant must have held a PhD or equivalent qualification for at least two years at proposal submission.
- Applicants must not be considered an independent investigator.
- Applicants must not hold, or have held, an academic contract (e.g. lecturer, assistant professor, professor, or similar) of greater than, or equal to, 36 months in duration. Teaching-only academic contracts greater than or equal to 36 months in duration are permitted.
- Applicants must not hold, or have held, a significant peer-reviewed, independent research grant, or grant providing similar support to the SFI-IRC Pathway Programme. Personal awards, including student, postdoctoral or individual fellowships, travel awards, and bursaries are permissible.
- The applicant must have identified a mentor, who will give advice, co-supervise the PhD student and provide access to laboratory space (where relevant) and related infrastructure for the duration of the award.
Institutional Approval
To be eligible to submit a proposal to the SFI-IRC Pathway Programme 2024 call, you must first be approved by the research Office of the host institution in which you wish to carry out your SFI-IRC Pathway Programme-funded project. Research offices of potential host institutions will be expected to instigate a procedure to select candidates for this call. Those wishing to apply to the SFI-IRC Pathway Programme 2024 call should first contact their intended host institution (details of eligible institutions are available in the call document) informing the Research Office about their identity and credentials, the identity of their chosen mentor, and an outline of their intended research plan. In selecting excellent candidates, research bodies should consider the evaluation criteria described in the call document and may consider the strategic vision of the research body, in particular, its plans for the retention and development of internationally competitive faculty and research leaders.
Application Submission
All proposals are to be submitted via SESAME, SFI’s online grants and awards management system.
If accessing SESAME for the first time, researchers should contact their local Research Office to be set up on this system.
SESAME information web page: http://www.sfi.ie/funding/award-management-system/
Queries on the SESAME management system should first be directed to your Institute’s Research Office. If still unresolved, queries should be e-mailed to sesame@sfi.ie. Please be aware that response time for queries may be up to 5 working days.
- SFI-IRC Pathway Programme 2024 Call Document
- SFI-IRC Pathway Programme FAQs
- SFI-IRC Narrative CV Template
- SFI-IRC Narrative Collaborator-Mentor CV Template
- Research Body Candidate List Template
- Review Process Overview
SFI and the IRC reserves the right to make amendments to the documents if required. Please ensure to refer to the most recent version of the programme documentation. Research Offices will be contacted in the event of any updates to the call document.
Information webinar
A recorded webinar outlining the SFI-IRC Pathway Programme 2024 call and its application process can be found below