10-15 Postdoctoral Fellowships, Volkswagen Foundation, Germany (2019)

Within its funding initiative 'Freigeist' Fellowships the Volkswagen Foundation is seeking for

10 - 15 outstanding Junior Researchers (Post-Docs) of all disciplines and topics with unique ideas and convincing personalities. This call is addressed to young scientists who want to obtain a Fellowship at a German research institution!

The 'Freigeist' Fellowship:
- pro­vides you with a reliable five-year timeline during which you are free to carry out highly innovative risk-taking research in projects located at the boundaries of established fields of research.
- includes, in addition to your own position (usually "TV-L 14", German salary scale), family-related benefits for parents, positions for scientific personnel (e. g. doctoral students, postdocs) as well as non-personnel costs (e. g. consumables, travel expenses, equipment); Research stays abroad for up to two years can also be integrated into the fellowship;
- incorporates the possibility to apply for additional components during the funding period to ensure a high degree of flexibility;
- provides funding of up to one million Euro for the first five years.

A 'Freigeist' fellow: for the Volkswagen Foundation this means a young researcher with a strong personality, a creative mind, an ability to identify and use freedom, dedicated to overcoming resistance. If necessary, he or she will be a free spirit, enjoying the unexpected, even unexpected difficulties. A 'Freigeist' fellow opens up new horizons and combines critical analysis with imagination and innovative solutions. By thinking ahead the 'Freigeist' fellow will act as a catalyst in overcoming existing disciplinary, institutional and even national boundaries.

Any candidate can apply who identifies with the goals of a 'Freigeist' Fellowship and conforms to the following conditions:
- You hold excellent academic qualifications, have published articles or monographs and you pursue a creative, innovative and visionary idea.
- You wish to work independently and in an interdisciplinary field.
- You pursue an extraordinary perspective or new methodological approaches.
- You are able to react constructively to potential risks.
- The doctorate must have been obtained at least one year and not longer than four years previously.
- The Fellowship must from the outset be inte­grated within a university or an extra-mural research institution in Germany.
- Candidates must already have changed their academic environment and moved to a new location – or do this at the latest when starting the Fellowship.
- Candidates need to have international experience – or include a research sojourn abroad in the proposed project.

For more information please visit the following link:
10-15 Postdoctoral Fellowships, Volkswagen Foundation, Germany (2019)