Deadline: 1 October 2025
The Guidance, Skills & Opportunities for Researchers in partnership with the Klaus Tschira Foundation is offering flexible funding and career development to promote researchers in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geosciences, Mathematics, Neurosciences and Physics.
The Boost Fund gives postdoctoral researchers greater flexibility in shaping their career paths, accelerating their careers and promoting early independence.
Objectives
- Through the Klaus Tschira Boost Fund, they promote excellent researchers by providing:
- flexible funding for independent, explorative, risky, and interdisciplinary projects;
- support in building (international) collaborations and networks;
- targeted mentoring and advice on professional and personal development.
Benefits
- Fellows profit from a 4-part career development workshop series on:
- Linking Purpose and Career (6h in person)
- Being an Effective Manager
- Practicing Self-Care and
- Assessing your Capacity to Lead (each 3,5h online)
- Fellows also get free access to GSO’s career advice & coaching services, and become members of the exclusive alumni network AlumNode, which focuses on:
- Leadership & Career Development
- Science Communication & Advocacy
- Projects & Collaborations
Funding Information
- It is possible to apply for funding of up to €120,000 for a period of up to 24 months. Funding can be used for all types of costs, but no more than €67,000 gross for the fellow’s salary.
- Duration: Projects can start between 1 May and 1 Oct 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
- The program addresses postdoctoral researchers who:
- are employed at a state-funded (public law) university or university of applied sciences (= öffentlich-rechtliche Universität or HAW), a Fraunhofer, Leibniz, Max Planck, Helmholtz, DLR institute or at EMBL in Germany at the latest at the start of your project,
- conduct non-clinical research in one or more of the following areas: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geosciences, Mathematics, Neurosciences and Physics,
- do not yet have a permanent or tenured position, and
- did not successfully apply to one of the junior research group programs
- If the application is successful, the fellow and:
- applying institution agree to the Conditions of Grant Approval and
- is expected to attend the Welcome Event for all fellows & alumni in June 2026, in Berlin, and the 4-part career development workshop series.
For more information, visit GSO.
