Fellowship - Computer Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth Sciences and Computer Applications

Barcelona Supercomputing Center-Centro Nacional de Supercomputación

Spain

Closing Date: Saturday, 15 March, 2014

Description

INTERNATIONAL PHD PROGRAM FELLOWSHIPS BSC_LA CAIXA

Since 1982, the “la Caixa” Foundation has offered several fellowship programmes aimed at allowing students to undertake postgraduate studies in Spain and abroad. Over the years, thousands of students have advanced their training thanks to “la Caixa” Foundation fellowship. In 2008, the “la Caixa” Foundation launched a new programme addressed to national and international students. As part of this programme, each year fellowships are awarded to students who wish to complete work toward their doctoral degrees.

BSC-CNS is at the service of the international scientific community and industry that require High Performance Computing resources. The multidisciplinary research team and the computational facilities –including MareNostrum – make BSC-CNS an international center of excellence in e-Science.

Under a collaborative Framework Agreement, the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the “la Caixa” Foundation continue the fellowship programme started last year with a 2nd call. This programme aims to help the recruitment of talented students from across the world by doing their doctoral thesis work in one of the accredited “Severo Ochoa” centres of excellence. The objective of this joint activity is to boost the research capacity of the best research institutions in Spain. For this year, the “la Caixa” Foundation has selected the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS) to offer four grants more for the academic year 2014-2015 addressed to PhD students. This grant is renewable up to four years.

BSC-CNS is looking for young scientists from the national and international community who wish to do their PhD in a stimulating environment, rich in technological resources and campus life. We encourage applications from highly motivated engineers and computer scientists with outstanding qualifications. Successful candidates will join research groups with top-level scientists and will carry out their research in cutting-edge areas of Computer Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth Sciences and Computer Applications in Sciences and Engineering.

Requirements

• Ability to take initiative, prioritize and work under set deadlines and pressure.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• High level of English.
• Skills in programming.

The programme is addressed to students (european and international) who have completed one of the following options by September 2014: studies that lead to an official Spanish (or from another country of European higher Education Area) university degree in Computer Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Sciences or related areas and that have 300 credits (ECTS) of an official university degree, of which at least 60 must correspond to master level.

Degree in a non-Spanish university not adapted to the European Higher Education Area with access to doctoral studies in Computer Sciences, Biology, Biochemistry, Physics, Environmental Sciences or related areas.

Applicants should not be PhD students at BSC-CNS. Candidates are selected exclusively on merit, on the basis of their curricula. The academic grades and curricula of applicants are evaluated, as well as recommendation and motivation letters. No selection criteria for positive or negative discrimination are applied.

More information

Conditions and benefits:

The training programme will last 4 years to complete the PhD thesis. The grant will be renewable on a yearly basis and will last 2 + 2 years. Therefore the first two years will be covered by a fellowship, after which this initial period will be evaluated for renewal for a maximum of two more years through an employment contract.

The grant will be 18,069 € gross per year during the first two years and 26,700 € gross per year during the following 2-year employment contract, will include the social security systems contributions during the 4 years.

BSC-"la Caixa" fellows will benefit from the Training Programme and BSC staff benefits:

• International multidisciplinary scientific environment.
• Advanced research training.
• Advanced computational facilities.

Additional funds:

The awardees of “la Caixa” grants will receive additional funding of 1500€ per year during the grant period and 1700€ per year during the contract period. This funding is assigned to cover the PhD tuition fees, in addition to expenses derived from congress attendance, training sessions or any other activity related to the scientific or academic activity of the awarded.

Applications

Interested candidates, please enter in the next link and  submit:

http://www.bsc.es/about-bsc/employment/vacancies/phdstudentlacaixa2014

• Curriculum vitae
• A motivation letter
• A scanned copy of the student’s certified Academic Record. These documents must show the grades attained in exam periods.
• Two recommendation letters from university lecturers or scientists with who the applicant has studied or worked.

Any additional files considered relevant to the application:

Students will be required to provide a brief summary of work experience and to request letters of recommendation from two scientists who are familiar with their academic work and who can judge their potential as a PhD student. Only letters with official letterhead and signature will be accepted.

Applicants should indicate up to two research programmes in which they would like to work, in order of preference. Moreover, if candidates have interest in a particular research group, they should indicate it in the motivation letter. More information on the research activities of each group can be found on the BSC-CNS web pages.

Applicants should submit information wherever possible in English (CV, motivation letter, summary of work experience). If the certified academic records are not in Catalan, Spanish or English applicants should also attach a sworn translation in one of the above mentioned languages.

Selection procedure:

Students are selected from a pool of highly qualified international applicants on the basis of academic and technical excellence.

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee consisting of BSC-CNS group leaders and with the support of Human Resources Service. Short-listed candidates will receive invitations to visit BSC-CNS for interviews during May 2014. Travel expenses and accommodation will be reimbursed according to BSC internal travel procedure. Offers of admission will be made to the successful candidates shortly after the interview period. Students should expect to take up their positions at BSC-CNS by September 1st, 2014.

Applicants who have not been successful but have received a positive evaluation will be put on a waiting list to cover possible renunciations.