Request for Applications: German National Program

Funding Information

• Award winners will usually receive the prize money of 25,000 euros in one instalment to their personal bank account, unless two instalments are necessary or appropriate.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications are open to female early-career scientists working in STEM disciplines. “Early-career” is understood as post-docs, junior professors or other academic positions without a tenure in the four+two years following their first doctorate (for each child, two additional years can be added; detailed regulations as to admissibility correspond the rules of relevant German law, WissZeitVG).
• For Women in Science Germany provides awards, not employments or scholarships. Eligible candidates’ livelihoods must therefore already be secured through an employment contract/scholarship equivalent to at least 50% of a full-time position (and at least receive the minimum wage in Germany). The remaining duration of the employment contract/scholarship must be at least 12 months from the submission of the application (if it is less and the employer can reliably assure a continued employment/scholarship, reliable written proof of such assurance is sufficient). Female scientists in the final year of their doctorate are also eligible if an employment contract or scholarship commitment for the postdoc phase has already been granted.
• Such employment contract/scholarship must be with a German university, university of applied sciences or non-university research institution (e.g. Max-Planck, Fraunhofer, Helmholtz, Leibniz), and the research work must be done in Germany (excluding field trips). Such existing employment contracts/scholarships must cover work in research (excluding teaching) for at least 50% of full-time employment on annual average. Female scientists working in the laboratories of for-profit companies are not eligible to apply.
• STEM disciplines are broadly understood, also including agricultural sciences, geosciences, informatics, veterinary medicine, for example (the entire “main categories 1 to 4” of the discipline categorization of the OECD Frascati Manual). Both experimentally and theoretically working female scientists are invited to apply. The application of female scientists with an inter- and transdisciplinary research profile is strongly encouraged, i.e. when a STEM subject is combined with research in the humanities or social sciences.
• The nationality of the applicants is not relevant. If the residency permit of non-EU citizens is not already obviously implied by the work contract, a valid residence permit in Germany for at least 12 months from the submission of the application needs to be presented in addition.
• Applicants must not have received funding from another programme component of For Women in Science (e.g. from another country) in the past.

Selection Criteria

• The only selection criterion is the excellence of the applicant’s research as well as her plans for future research. The applicant’s scientific qualifications, the innovative content and methodology of the research approach and the feasibility of planned projects are the focus of the assessment.
• Applicants’ special commitment to the “third mission” of science is also assessed as part of the understanding of research excellence. This can be, for example, open science engagement such as special efforts in citizen science or open data, policy advice or science communication, especially with young people as target group.
• In accordance with the DORA declaration, quantitative indicators such as the number of publications, conference papers or patents including impact factors are considered, but are only used as one of several factors for the assessment of scientific excellence.
• Among applicants of equal excellence, preference is given to female scientists with children. Family or relationship status, as well as special needs are not considered in the assessment. On average, at least half of the awards (across the years) are planned to be given to female scientists with children.
• Letters of recommendation are welcome and a letter of endorsement from the host institute (which confirms the provision of laboratory space and infrastructure) is required for applicants whose research work depends on such infrastructure.

Application Requirements

• An application is only considered complete once it includes all the following elements:
  • Research Summary (300 words)
  • Presentation of the methodological and content-related research approach (4-5 pages focusing on past and current research; illustrations are neither required not excluded)
  • Curriculum Vitae (up to 4 pages, including a list of the five most relevant publications)
  • Concise investment concept for the award money
  • Proof of employment contract/scholarship for the 12 months following application
  • All information highlighted as obligatory in the online application form
  • Letter of endorsement from the host institute (if research requires infrastructure)

For more information, visit Fondation l’Oreal.