la Caixa Foundation Postdoctoral Junior Leader Incoming Fellowship 2027: Up to €320,100 for STEM Researchers in Spain or Portugal

la Caixa Foundation Postdoctoral Junior Leader Incoming Fellowship 2027: Up to €320,100 for STEM Researchers in Spain or Portugal

The la Caixa Foundation Postdoctoral Junior Leader Incoming Fellowship 2027 is an open, three-year research opportunity for excellent postdoctoral researchers who want to continue their careers in Spain or Portugal. The Incoming frame is intended for researchers of any nationality who have spent no more than 12 months in the relevant host country during the three years before the deadline. It offers 20 fellowships in life sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering, and mathematics.

The fellowship is substantial because it combines an employment contract, a research budget, structured professional development, and an international or intersectoral secondment. The maximum payment is €320,100 over three years. The host institution must offer a minimum gross annual salary of €47,000, while the programme also provides up to €38,500 per year for project costs. The Foundation’s rules describe the research budget as supporting items such as consumables, equipment, personnel linked to the project, conference registration, travel, intellectual-property costs, and the mandatory secondment.

Applications must be completed in English through the la Caixa Foundation’s online research and fellowships platform by 23 September 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Spanish peninsular time (CEST). The 2027 fellowship is expected to begin between 1 May and 31 December 2027. This page focuses on the Incoming frame; the separate Retaining frame has different mobility rules and should not be substituted for it.

Key details

What the fellowship provides

The headline support is the three-year employment arrangement. The Foundation allocates up to €64,000 per year for the total labour cost of the fellow, including salary and employer contributions. The fellow’s gross salary must be at least €47,000 per year. These are gross figures, and the actual net amount will depend on the employment and tax rules that apply in the host country. If the host institution’s total labour cost exceeds the Foundation’s maximum allocation, the institution is responsible for the excess.

The research allocation is up to €38,500 gross per year. It is managed by the host institution for the benefit of the project and must be justified separately. The published rules identify eligible categories including research consumables, scientific or information-technology equipment in the first two years, project-linked personnel, travel and per diem, conference or course registration, patenting, intellectual-property management, overheads, and expenses connected with the required secondment. Applicants should therefore discuss the realistic use of this budget with a prospective supervisor rather than treating it as unrestricted personal income.

The package can also include €1,200 gross per year for each dependent child and a €5,400 gross mobility allowance for moving and housing at the beginning of the fellowship. The Foundation says the mobility support is intended for fellows who relocate more than 50 kilometres to join the host institution. Tax retention may apply to the listed gross amounts.

The programme has a development component beyond the cash and contract. Fellows receive interdisciplinary training in scientific, technical, and transferable skills. Two in-person sessions are planned, one at the beginning and another during the third year; each lasts between two and five days, and the Foundation covers the associated travel and accommodation. Additional online sessions are also offered. Fellows may choose a mentor from the la Caixa Foundation Fellows Association and join its wider academic and professional network.

Who fits the Incoming frame

The basic academic window is narrow and should be checked before any proposal writing. Applicants must have been awarded their doctoral degree between two and seven years before the application deadline. For this call, the relevant reference point is 23 September 2026. The rules calculate the period from the first doctorate if an applicant holds more than one. Documented extensions may apply for circumstances including maternity or adoption leave, paternity or adoption leave, compulsory national service, and certified long-term sick leave. An applicant claiming an extension must quantify and document it.

The programme is for researchers in life sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering, and mathematics. A project can be proposed freely, but it must be a serious three-year research plan that fits the selected host centre and the applicant’s trajectory. The Foundation describes the target group as researchers with an excellent record, originality and relevance in their contributions, and potential to become independent research leaders. A strong candidate does not need a perfectly linear career: the rules explicitly say that career breaks and younger candidates should not be penalised. They do need to explain the quality and influence of their work in a way appropriate to their field and career stage.

The mobility rule is the defining feature of Incoming. For a Spanish host, the applicant must have resided or carried out their main activity in Spain for no more than 12 months during the three years immediately before the deadline. The same rule applies to Portugal when the proposed host is Portuguese. Short holidays do not count as a change in the usual country of residence. The rules also describe exceptions for applicants with at least two years of uninterrupted research inactivity and for people with refugee status or EU temporary protection. These exceptions have their own evidence requirements, so they should not be assumed automatically.

Eligible host centres and project fit

The host is provisional at the application stage, but it must be a credible setting for the proposed work. In Spain, eligible hosts include centres with a valid Severo Ochoa or María de Maeztu excellence award and health research institutes accredited by the Carlos III Health Institute. In Portugal, eligible hosts are R&D units classified as “Excellent” in the current evaluation conducted by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. The relevant accreditation must still be valid when the fellow’s work contract begins.

Applicants may change their preferred host before the fellowship starts if the replacement still meets the call’s conditions. That flexibility does not remove the need for a real host relationship before submission. The application requires a Declaration of Interest on official institutional letterhead, signed by a representative of the preferred host. It states that the institution is willing to accept the fellow, but it is not binding on either side. A practical preparation step is to ask the research office or prospective supervisor to confirm both eligibility and the internal process for signing this letter.

The project should show why the specific centre is necessary. Explain which facility, dataset, research group, clinical environment, specialist method, or collaboration makes the work feasible there. A generic proposal with a famous host name attached is weaker than a focused project that maps its methods and milestones to the host’s actual capacity. Because the fellowship is meant to build independence, the applicant should also make clear what they will lead, what support they need, and how the work moves them toward a future group or research programme.

Application process and required materials

The application is submitted online through the Research and Fellowships section of the la Caixa Foundation website. The complete application must be in English and must arrive before the deadline with all required information and supporting documents. The online form is the controlling source for the current upload fields, so applicants should not rely on a previous year’s checklist.

The 2027 Incoming rules specifically require a signed Declaration of Interest from the preferred host, using the platform’s template; a personal statement presenting the proposed three-year project; and a copy of the doctoral diploma or academic certificate showing the date the degree was obtained. The personal statement has a maximum of nine pages. The recommended structure gives about three pages to directly related research experience and achievements, about five pages to the project’s state of the art, methodology, objectives, timeline, and contingency plan, and a separate page for references. Supporting documents must be clear and legible. Documents issued in another language need an English translation, which the rules allow the candidate to prepare.

If you rely on an eligibility extension, a mobility exception, refugee status, or EU temporary protection, attach evidence and quantify the relevant period. Keep a copy of every upload and check that the PDF pages correspond correctly to the originals. A technically incomplete application can fail before scientific review, regardless of the quality of the research idea.

Timeline and selection stages

The deadline is 23 September 2026 at 2:00 p.m. CEST. The rules list 12 January 2027 for the shortlisting announcement, 16–17 February 2027 for Incoming interviews, and 10 March 2027 for final results. Successful fellows should start at their host institution between 1 May and 31 December 2027, with the Foundation notified when the start date is agreed.

Selection begins with a formal eligibility check. Eligible applications then move to shortlisting, where at least two independent experts assess each application. Shortlisted candidates are invited to an interview with a multidisciplinary committee, and interviews are conducted entirely in English. Dates may change for organisational reasons, so applicants should monitor the application platform and their email.

The published criteria are unusually useful for planning. At shortlisting, curriculum vitae excellence carries 50 percent, research-project quality and potential 30 percent, and impact 20 percent. At interview, academic and professional career carries 50 percent, candidate potential 30 percent, and project motivation and impact 20 percent. These weights mean the project cannot compensate for an unexplained record, and a strong CV cannot rescue a proposal that lacks a convincing host fit or career purpose.

How to prepare a competitive case

Start with an eligibility audit, not prose. Write down the doctoral-award date, the country where you have lived or carried out your main activity during the relevant periods, and the exact accreditation of each possible host. Ask the host’s research office to confirm the award or classification in force when the contract would begin. Resolve these facts early because they are binary issues.

Then build the proposal around one research question and a small number of testable objectives. A reviewer should be able to see what will be done in year one, what evidence will be produced in year two, and what result or capability will be delivered by the end of year three. Include a credible contingency plan. The rules specifically ask for one, and it is a chance to show that the project is designed for research reality rather than an ideal sequence with no risks.

Use evidence that lets reviewers understand contribution, not only activity. Instead of listing papers, grants, or conference appearances without context, explain the problem addressed, your role, the result, and why it changed the field or enabled the next step. This is especially important for interdisciplinary work and non-linear careers, which the rules say should be assessed with attention to context.

Finally, rehearse the interview in English. Prepare a short explanation of the project, the reason for the host choice, the most important risk, and the independent research identity you want to develop. Ask a scientist outside your speciality to challenge the logic. If they cannot identify the question, method, expected result, and value of the host within a few minutes, the application probably needs editing.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most serious mistake is applying under the wrong frame. Incoming is for researchers with limited recent residence or main activity in the host country; Retaining is the separate route for researchers with more than 12 months there. Verify the rule against the country of the proposed host, not simply your nationality.

Another mistake is treating the €320,100 maximum as a personal award. Much of the amount is a host-managed employment and research allocation. Budget conversations should distinguish salary, employer costs, project expenses, family allowance, mobility, and secondment costs. Also remember that the salary and allowances are gross and may be taxed.

Do not leave the host letter until the final week. The Declaration of Interest is not binding, but the signed institutional document is part of the application. A proposal can be scientifically excellent and still be formally incomplete without it. Do not reuse an old letter or submit it in a language the platform cannot accept without the required English translation.

Avoid a project that is too broad for three years or too dependent on one untested method. Reviewers are instructed to consider originality, ambition, feasibility, host suitability, impact, and the added value of the fellowship for career progression. A compact, well-supported claim is easier to trust than a catalogue of every interesting question in the field.

Frequently asked questions

Can researchers of any nationality apply?

Yes. The Incoming frame is open to researchers of any nationality, provided they meet the doctoral-timing, field, mobility, host, and documentation requirements.

Is the fellowship a scholarship or a job?

The host institution hires the selected fellow using the funds provided by the Foundation. The support therefore includes an employment arrangement, but the exact contract and net salary depend on the host institution and applicable law.

Can I choose any university in Spain or Portugal?

No. Incoming hosts must meet the published accreditation or excellence requirements. Spanish hosts need the relevant Severo Ochoa, María de Maeztu, or Carlos III Health Institute status; Portuguese hosts must be R&D units classified as Excellent under the current Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia evaluation.

Can I apply to both Incoming and Retaining?

No. The rules say a candidate may apply for only one of the two Postdoctoral Junior Leader subprogrammes in the call. Select the frame that matches the host country and your mobility history.

Is the host letter a final commitment?

No. The Declaration of Interest confirms provisional willingness and is not binding. A selected candidate must later reach an agreement with the final host, which then hires the fellow. A host change is possible before the start date if the new host remains eligible.

What should I do first?

Confirm your PhD date and mobility record, identify an eligible centre, contact a prospective supervisor, and request the official Declaration of Interest. Then use the Foundation’s current online form and rules to build the English application before 23 September 2026.

Official links and final checklist

Read the official Incoming call page, the programme funding and support page, and the linked 2027 Rules for Participation before submitting. The call page hosts the application documents, selection guidance, and any updates from the Foundation.

Before pressing submit, verify that you have:

• selected Incoming rather than Retaining;
• checked the doctoral-degree window and documented any extension;
• calculated the mobility rule for the country of the proposed host;
• confirmed the host’s accreditation or excellence classification;
• obtained the signed Declaration of Interest;
• completed the personal statement in English within the page limits;
• attached the doctoral certificate and any required translations or exception evidence; and
• submitted the complete application by 2:00 p.m. CEST on 23 September 2026.

This is a strong fit for a postdoctoral researcher who is ready to build an independent STEM programme in Spain or Portugal and can connect a specific host environment to a credible three-year research plan. It is a poor fit for someone outside the listed fields, outside the doctoral window, or unable to satisfy the Incoming mobility rule. Confirm those boundaries first, then let the quality of the evidence and the clarity of the project carry the application.