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I.1.2. Excellent Researchers for Research Excellence

Note: new deadline for proposal submissions.
Competition rulesSelection committe

Competition Rules for the leader of a research team – Red Giant

Terms used in these rules:

  • Action – Action I.1.2 “Excellent Researchers for Research Excellence” implemented as part of the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” (IDUB) programme at the University of Warsaw;
  • Red Giant – an experienced reearcher with a high capability for stimulating research activities and managing small teams, the research project manager;
  • Rising Stars – a team of excellent young researchers with high-quality research experience.

Objective of the call

In conjunction with the implementation of the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” (IDUB) programme and Action I.1.2 “Excellent Researchers for Research Excellence”, the University of Warsaw hereby announces a competition for the employment of a researcher whose task it will be to create a new research team. The employee will perform the function of the Project Manager, in accordance with Ordinance No. 115 of the Rector of the University of Warsaw from 1 June 2020, on the implementation of the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” (IDUB) Programme at the University of Warsaw (UW Monitor: item 246).

The team under the supervision of the winner of the competition will be obliged to implement a project proposed by the winner and approved, in an area of ground-breaking research in the field of social sciences, in particular in the area of increasing mobility, multidimensional inequalities, demographic crisis, or digital transformation.

Indicators to be achieved:

  • publications in peer-reviewed materials from international conferences,
  • normalised citation index for scientific articles written in international collaboration,
  • percentage of scientific articles written in international cooperation,
  • staff mobility.

Addressees of the competition

The head of a research project (Red Giant) may be a person who holds at least a doctoral degree, who will create a new research team (Rising Stars) and will endeavour to achieve indicators.

The manager of the research project, throughout its implementation, will be employed as a full-time academic teacher, among the group of research staff in the unit.

Scientific discipline: disciplines within the field of the social sciences

Position: assistant professor

Number of positions: 1

Responsibilities:

  • conducting research in accordance with the research area of the competition and the submitted application,
  • carrying out activities aimed at obtaining external funds to finance the team’s activities after the funding from the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” Programme ends.
  • carrying out activities aimed at establishing cooperation with leading research groups in the team’s field of inquiry,
  • organisation of the work of the research team, substantive supervision of team members,
  • active participation in academic life at the University of Warsaw, including the organisational unit hosting the research team, and ongoing activity in establishing cooperation with other research groups at the University of Warsaw.

Candidate profile, requirements, qualifications:

  • at least a doctoral degree in the field of social sciences and at least 3 years of research experience after obtaining the doctoral degree,
  • outstanding scientific achievements, in accordance with the research area specified in the competition, and confirmed by publications,
  • an original idea for the research topic of the new team, in accordance with the research area specified in the competition,
  • experience in team management, taking care of students, and the ability to establish cooperation.

Planned starting date: first quarter of 2022 / second quarter of 2022

Planned period of employment: until 31 December 2023, with the possibility of an extension after successfully passing an evaluation.

Anticipated outcomes

The planned research project aims to establish a research team that will conduct ground-breaking research in a specific research area, obtain external funding for research, and establish cooperation with leading research centres that are conducting research in a similar area. It is also expected that the winner of the competition will cooperate with research teams operating at the University of Warsaw.

Deadline for recruitment

The deadline for submitting applications is 5 weeks 7 weeks from the opening date of the competition.

Period of financing

Until 2025 (with an evaluation after 2023)

Application

The Red Giant candidate should attach an application which describes professional experience (among other things), as well as the research project which is planned for implementation at the University of Warsaw, for which a new research team, Rising Stars, will be established. This team will subsequently conduct ground-breaking research in the area of increasing mobility, multidimensional inequalities, demographic crisis, or digital transformation. The application form template is available at https://inicjatywadoskonalosci.uw.edu.pl/en/ and comprises Annex 1 to these rules.

Another part of the application is a short description of expenditures planned in the amount granted, the formulation of which should be stated in accordance with cost regulations, constituting Annex 6 to these rules.

Applications should be submitted in English. The research plan and cost estimate will be made more precise after the competition has undergone evaluation.

The application containing all the required attachments should be sent in PDF format by e-mail to the following address: rekrutacja.idub@uw.edu.pl.

An applicant may withdraw the application at any stage of the competition.

The following documents should be attached to the application (Annex 1) :

  1. Stage I:
    1. The candidate’s CV confirming his/her scientific and professional career (containing the necessary identifiers, e.g., ORCID number),
    2. A statement in which the candidate confirms having read and accepted the rules of conducting competitions at the University of Warsaw (Ordinance No. 106 of the Rector of the University of Warsaw, from 27 September 2019) (Annex 4 to these rules),
    3. Signed consent to the processing of personal data (Annex 5 to these rules).
  2. Stage II (only qualified persons):
    1. Full application form (Annex 1a),
    2. A letter with references from the candidate’s last immediate supervisor (obligatory among applicants who will be leading their first research team after the completion of a postdoctoral fellowship) and contact details (with e-mail addresses) of up to 3 researchers who can provide information about the Candidate (obligatory for all Candidates),
    3. Max. 3 publications from the last 5 years which document the most important achievements of the candidate (in PDF format).

The competition procedure

The competition consists of two stages.

Stage I: formal and substantive assessment

The competition is the first stage of the recruitment procedure for the position of an academic teacher, as specified in the Statute of the University of Warsaw, and its positive outcome provides the basis for further proceedings.

At this stage of the competition, the selection committee will review the documents submitted by the candidates, assess their completeness, and decide on admitting those candidates who meet formal conditions to further proceedings.

Subsequently, there is a complex assessment of the project and the scientific achievements of the candidate.

Only those candidates who obtained at least 51% of the maximum number of points in the first stage of the competition may be qualified to the second stage. In the event that none of the candidates receive a minimum of 51% of the maximum number of points, the competition is closed without a winner.

Stage II: Interview

In the second stage, the interview is assessed. The interview may be conducted partially or entirely in English. It will be aimed at assessing the candidate’s predisposition for conducting research under Action I.1.2 and for managing a research team and its research and grant plans for the following 2 years. A necessary condition on qualifying for employment is obtaining a minimum of 75% of points in the second stage of the competition.

Evaluation criteria

The criteria for the evaluation of applications submitted to the call are attached as Annex 2 to these rules.

The Selection Committee

The composition and formation procedure for the Selection Committee, as well as the set of rules on which its work is based are specified in Annex 3 to these regulations.

Settlement of competition

After the second stage of the competition, a list of qualified Candidates will be drawn up by the Selection Committee.

The decisions of the Selection Committee made under its competences are final.

The results of the competition will be published on the website of Action I.1.2 within 30 days of completing the evaluation of the competition.

Final remarks

  • In matters not covered by these Rules, the provisions of Ordinance No. 106 of the Rector of the University of Warsaw of 27 September 2019 on the determination of detailed rules and procedures for conducting a competition for the position of an academic teacher at the University of Warsaw (UW Monitor 2019, item 282) are binding.
  • The Programme Manager of the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” (IDUB) programme reserves the right to cancel the competition without stating the reason.
  • The results of the research carried out under the project should not be directed toward commercial applications (taxable sales).

Annexes

The Selection Committee

  1. The Selection Committee functions as part of the Centre of Migration Research, and its task is to conduct and evaluate competitions as part of IDUB Action I.1.2.
  2. The composition and chairperson of the Selection Committee are appointed by the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” (IDUB) Programme Manager.
  3. The Selection Committee evaluates the research projects and documents submitted with candidates’ applications.
  4. The work of the Selection Committee is overseen by the chairperson of the Committee.
  5. The Selection Committee consists of at least five people, with at least one fifth of the group being people from outside the Centre. In addition, in the case of a competition for a position in the group of research staff and research / teaching staff, the composition of the Selection Committee is augmented by a person or persons designated by the scientific council of the discipline representing a field of the social sciences and comprising at least one-fifth of the composition of the Committee.
  6. If necessary, the Programme Manager shall appoint an additional member or members to the Selection Committee.
  7. The provisions of par. 6 do not apply to members of the Selection Committee who were appointed by the scientific council of the discipline.
  8. The composition of the Selection Committee will be made public immediately once all recruitment applications have been received and will be posted on the website of the Excellence Initiative (IDUB) at https://inicjatywadoskonalosci.uw.edu.pl.
  9. Committee meetings are called by the chairperson of the Selection Committee.
  10. The Committee may deliberate with the use of electronic communication tools.
  11. The meeting of the Selection Committee must be attended by at least half of its members, but not fewer than 5 people, including at least one person from outside the organisational unit in which the winner of the competition is to be employed, at least one person appointed by the scientific council of the discipline, and at least one person from abroad.
  12. In the event of the resignation or removal of a Selection Committee member, the vacancy will be filled. In the event of reasonable doubts regarding the impartiality and objectivity of a Selection Committee member in relation to an applicant, the Committee will deliberate as a whole, less the member that the previously-mentioned circumstances concern.
  13. The chairperson of the Selection Committee may exclude any member of said Committee, in the event of reasonable doubts concerning his or her impartiality and objectivity, with respect to an applicant who is participating in the competition, and particularly if:
    1. the committee member is a spouse, relative, or in-law to the second degree of the applicant;
    2. the committee member is related to an applicant through adoption, custody, or guardianship;
    3. the committee member has an existing legal or factual relationship with an applicant which may give rise to justifiable doubts as to the committee member’s impartiality;
    4. together with the Candidate, the committee member has co-authored publications and / or patents within the 5 years preceding the year of submitting the application.
  14. A committee member will inform the Selection Committee of any special circumstances, such as those referred to in the above point, before beginning the evaluation process of the applications.
  15. A Selection Committee member who has been excluded from the evaluation process of a given applicant will not take part in scoring that person’s application and will leave the room during the deliberations of the Committee. The exclusion of a member of the qualifying team during the evaluation of a particular application will be noted in the minutes from the meeting, along with a statement of the reason for that member’s exclusion.
  16. It is allowed for members of the Selection Committee to take part in committee meetings using electronic means of communication.
  17. The chairperson of the Committee appoints a secretary who draws up minutes of the work of the Committee (template in Annex 2 to the Ordinance) and provides administrative and technical support to the Committee.
  18. The secretary may be a person appointed from outside the members of the Committee. If the secretary is a person appointed outside of the existing Committee, that person shall participate in the meetings of the Committee without the right to vote.
  19. Minutes from the Selection Committee meetings may be signed with signatures obtained by circulation, as well as electronic signatures.
  20. A copy of the minutes, signed by the chairperson and the secretary, with the attachments required by Ordinance No. 106, will be forwarded to the Coordinating Office of the IDUB Programme for archiving, within 14 days of the end of the competition.
  21. Detailed evaluation procedure:
    • Stage I:
      1. the evaluation of applications is carried out by the Selection Committee and focuses on:
        1. the potential of the proposed research, including its innovativeness and possible contribution to the research being carried out at the University of Warsaw, and the feasibility of creating a new research team;
        2. competencies, experiences, and the potential of the applicant in research team management, preparation of high-quality scientific publications, and preparation of applications for external financing (and meeting IDUB indicators).
      2. on the basis of the evaluation of applications, the Committee prepares a ranked list of candidates and decides on the selection of projects qualified for the second stage. All unqualified applicants receive a brief note on the evaluation of their application.
    • Stage II:
      1. full versions of the application are assessed by two external reviewers (in the event of a significant discrepancy in opinions, the application is sent to another reviewer);
      2. reviewers evaluate:
        1. the quality of the proposed research idea and its innovativeness;
        2. the likelihood of implementing the research plan (as well as implementation of Programme indicators);
        3. the candidate’s scientific competencies and his potential to create and manage a research team;
      3. the Selection Committee makes their final evaluation on the basis of submitted reviews, creates a ranked list, and conducts interviews with selected candidates;
    • the final score is the sum of points received in the evaluations by external reviewers and the evaluation of the interview.
  22. An application may qualify for the second stage of the competition, on the condition that it receives at least 51% of the points possible at the first stage.
  23. A necessary condition on qualifying for employment is obtaining at least 75% of points possible in the second stage of the competition.

Project expenses

Catalogue of authorised expenses allowed in the project. The catalogue is open-ended.

An eligible expense in a project is one which may be funded, provided that it meets the following cumulative conditions:

  • it is essential to the project,
  • it is purposeful and economical,
  • it is identifiable and verifiable,
  • it complies with applicable rules, including those specified in this document.

Remuneration expenses – this category includes salary costs, along with non-wage labour costs, provided exclusively to members of the research team, i.e., the Project Manager and other project workers.

As part of the remuneration (based on a contract of employment and full-time work for the implementation of the project), the total costs of remuneration are qualified, along with other, non-wage labour costs.

Equipment expenses – this category includes purchases or the manufacturing costs of scientific and research equipment, other equipment, and software necessary to conduct scientific work.

Other expenses – this category includes costs which do not fall under “Remuneration expenses” or “Equipment expenses”, e.g.,:

Materials and small equipment – the purchase of materials and non-durable assets which are intended for direct use during project implementation, including but not limited to raw materials, semi-finished products, reagents, office supplies and stationery, small laboratory devices, IT/office equipment.

External services – this category includes expenses concerning services from external entities (institutions and persons conducting business activity), such as purchasing research services (laboratory analyses, statistical studies, surveys, etc.), costs of purchasing other specialised services necessary for proper project implementation (corrections of foreign language texts, editing, graphic design, consultation, monitoring services, etc.), the costs of postal, courier or transport services directly related to the implementation of a specific research task, and translation and manuscript editing costs.

Business trips – the costs of business trips taken by research team members, among others the costs of participating in seminars/conferences related to the subject matter of the project, the costs of travel (trips) necessary for the project implementation, e.g., queries, field research, etc.

The costs of business trips may include subsistence allowances, conference fees, other justified and necessary costs such as visas, vaccinations, etc.

Visits, consultations – the costs of individual visits of external collaborators and/or consultants closely related to the subject of the project. In this category, only personnel costs in the form of allowances, travel and accommodation expenses are eligible.

Other – other expenses not falling under the above categories, including (but not limited to) the costs of purchasing or accessing data/databases, specialised publications, and scientific/professional assistance.

  1. dr hab. Paweł Kaczmarczyk, prof. ucz. (Faculty of Economic Sciences, Centre of Migration Research) – przewodniczący komisji
  2. dr hab. Natalia Letki (Faculty of Political Science and International Studies)
  3. dr hab. Michał Bilewicz, prof. ucz. (Faculty of Psychology)
  4. dr hab. Mikołaj Pawlak, prof. ucz. (Faculty of Applied Social Sciences and Resocialisation)
  5. prof. Renate Meyer (Vienna University of Economics and Business)
  6. dr hab. Agnieszka Helman-Ważny (Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies)
  7. dr hab. Michał Bitner (Faculty of Law and Administration)