INCORPORATION OF TALENTED RESEARCHERS AT VHIR

INCORPORATION OF TALENTED RESEARCHERS AT VHIR
                        2019:
                              THE SENIORITY CALL

Internal Scientific Committee agreement on September 17th 2019

1.- OBJECTIVE
The Vall d’Hebron University Hospital Foundation – Research Institute (VHIR) is
announcing a new call for proposals to attract excellent researchers to join the
organization.
The purpose of this call is to bring in excellent research profiles to VHIR’s recruitment
and selection process. According to VHIR’s scientific career policy, an excellent
researcher is an individual who is leading research in their area and who falls within the
English "Tenure" and "Tenure Track" model. The candidate must hold a PhD and have
an exceptional scientific trajectory with an excellent leadership capacity and proven
international experience in the pre-doctoral and / or post-doctoral period.
The candidate will provide a clear added value to the Institution and their entry into the
organization must contribute to its strategic objectives. Their expertise in their subject
matter must be compatible with as many of VHIR’s research areas as possible.
The number of positions to be filled by the year 2020 will be limited to 1. The vacancy
can be declared void if the initial criteria are not met.

2.- RESERACHERS

2.1.- Eligibility criteria:

Researchers who meet the criteria according to VHIR’s scientific career policy, and who
also have an ERC grant of any type can apply. Researchers awaiting the outcome of
an ERC application can also apply, taking into account that hiring will only take place if
their ERC application is successful.
VHIR will give preference to individuals with junior profiles that have applied for an "ERC
Starting Grant" or who are in the 1st and 2nd year of the grant.

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2.2.- Conditions:
   -   A total budget of €100,000 per year during the first 3 years and after ERC grant,
       a gross annual salary of €45,000 (Social Security not included) renewable
       according to VHIR’s salary scales.
   -   The researcher and their team will be entitled to a laboratory of 50 m2.
   -   Their continuity in the Institution will be consistent with internal guidelines that
       regulate research careers at VHIR.

2.3.- Evaluation Process:
Evaluation criteria are the following:

   2.3.1.- Candidate (0-90 points):
    a.- Research articles from the period 2013-2019 (0-60 points), indexed in the 2018
    Journal Citation Report. A maximum of ten publications will be scored, from those
    in which they appear as the main author (*) for a special evaluation. Only original
    items will be accepted. Reviews, book chapters, opinion pieces, consortiums or
    editorial letters will not be accepted.

               Main Author 1D                    6
               Main Author 1Q                    3
               Main Author 2Q                    1
               Main Author other Q               0.5
               Publication 1D (No Main           1
               Author)
               Publication 1Q (No Main           0.5
               Author)
               Publication 2Q (No Main           0.25
               Author)
               Other publications (No Main       0.20
               Author)

               * Main author: sign as a first, in the latest position or corresponding author

    b. If the candidate is the main author of at least two research articles published in
    high-impact journals their score will increase by 10 points, providing those articles
    have more than 15 impact factor points.
    c. Other merits in the period 2013-2019 (0-20 points):

       (i) Competitive research projects obtained as a Principal Investigator in the 7
       years immediately prior to the date of publication of this call will be viewed
       favorably. Both national and international projects will be valued (up to 10 points):

               Discontinued funding within 1
               the period
               Continued and overlapping 3
               funding

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Funding of excellence       5
            European            Project 1
            coordinator    or     work
            package leader, or NIH
            grant awardee or PI

    (ii) Knowledge transfer capacity (clinical guides and patents) (up to 10 points)

 The period of assessment will be extended if the candidate justifies any of the
 following cases:

    a) Maternity or paternity leave period;
    b) Be a caregiver of persons who depend on the beneficiary and require special
       dedication including children under six years of age, people with physical,
       psychological or sensory impairments, or people over 65 years of age.
    c) Have suffered a serious illness or an accident with a medical leave equal to,
       or exceeding, six months.

 In the case of a), the extension is one year for each child. In the case of b) or c) the
 extension is one year in total. These periods of interruption must be indicated and
 credited at the time the application is submitted.

2.3.2.- Research Project (0-10 points): the cross-cutting interests and the strategic
impact of the project will be taken into account. The following points will be valued:
A. Innovative nature and potential impact of the research project:
    A.1. Assess the extent to which the objectives are ambitious and go beyond the
        state of the art (for example: new concepts and approaches or development
        over several disciplines)

    A.2. Assess the extent to which the proposed research is feasible and
         translational in a short and a medium term.

    A.3. Assess the extent to which the research project is high-risk or high-gain

B. Scientific approach:
    B.1. Assess the feasibility of the stated approach.
    B.2. Assess the adequacy of the proposed research methodology to achieve the
         project objectives.
    B.3. Assess the extent to which the proposal implies the development of a new
        methodology.
    B.4. Assess the extent to which the time and resources stated in the proposal
        have been duly justified.

The evaluation of the scientific trajectory and the research project will be carried out
by the members of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of VHIR, who will be asked
for their approval and ranking of the candidates.

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2.4.- Documentation to submit:
 Candidates must submit the following documentation within the established period:
   1. A full standardized CV (download)

   2. A work report which forecasts the next 5 years, and must contain a list of
      competitive research projects, existing collaborations with VHIR groups and / or
      future ones that are planned, as well as the added value and strategic
      contribution that the new candidate will bring to VHIR.

   3. A detailed report that outlines the added value the candidate will bring to the
      scientific group at VHIR that they would like to join. The report should also
      address spatial requirements, human resources (in particular those related to the
      needs of space), scientific equipment and services.

   4. Two letters of support.

3.- INTERVIEW PHASE
A single list with the score of all candidates will be drawn up based on the results
obtained in points 2.3.1 and 2.3.2. This list will be sorted according to the overall score.

The interview will be based on a maximum score of 30 points. In this phase, the strategic
interest of the candidate's research by VHIR will be evaluated.
It will be positively valued that the candidate has, at the time of the interview, the
endorsement of a clinical service at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (HUVH) to
which the candidate would adhere if selected.
The members of the Internal Scientific Council of VHIR will carry out the interview.
The final decision will be the responsibility of the Trustees of the Foundation based on
the report issued by the Internal Scientific Council, which the External Scientific
Committee will ratify.
The vacancy can be declared void if the initial criteria are not met.

4.- PROVISIONAL RESOLUTION AND CLAIM

Once all candidates have been evaluated and rated, the candidates will be duly informed
whether they have passed the interview phase or not. A claim period of three days will
be opened and cannot be extended so the candidates can make the allegations that they
consider appropriate.

Candidates who wish to make statements should address their allegations to the
coordinator of the Evaluation Committee (chair of the VHIR evaluation committee).

The Evaluation Committee will review the allegations presented and will be competent
to resolve the allegations by a simple majority.

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The Evaluation Committee will have to resolve the allegations through a reasoned
resolution.

In case of major discrepancies, the competent body to resolve the allegations will be
VHIR’s Internal Scientific Council in the manner provided for its own regulation.

The resolution of VHIR’s Internal Scientific Council will not be subject to any other
appeal.

5.- ACCEPTANCE OF THE VACANCY GRANTED AND INCORPORATION OF THE
CANDIDATE

Once the call has been resolved, the candidate to whom the vacancy has been awarded
will have a maximum period of 15 days to accept. In the case that the candidate rejects
the offer, the position will be awarded to the second candidate in line with the highest
score, and so on. VHIR reserves the right to leave the position vacant.

6.- DEADLINE TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS
Those interested may submit their applications from October 7, 2019 until January 15,
2020 (5 pm) to ajuts@vhir.org.

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