With €5m in EU Horizon 2020 funding, Enterprise Ireland has launched a new programme called Career-FIT that will try to lure 50 international research experts to Irish tech centres.
Career-FIT is a postdoctoral fellowship programme, part-funded by Horizon 2020 and Enterprise Ireland with the aim of bringing 50 high-level research fellows to Ireland to work in the Enterprise Ireland Technology Centres.
Having secured €5m in funding under the programme, it will attempt to help fill the skills gap in some of the technology centres’ 482 member companies based here in Ireland.
These centres which are jointly supported by IDA Ireland deliver industry-focussed research to the 482 company members.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Mitchell O’Connor said; “The Career-FIT programme is the first of its kind, addressing the skills shortage in industry-focussed research in Irish Technology Centres. This programme will benefit both the successful academic researchers and the Irish companies connected with the industry-focussed Technology Centres”.
Julie Sinnamon, CEO Enterprise Ireland said; “Enterprise Ireland connects business and academic research to drive new innovative products, processes and services, helping Irish companies to develop a competitive edge in international markets. The Career-FIT programme will facilitate the placement of 50 international academic experts in 13 Technology Centres where they will work on industry-led research of direct relevance and value to Irish businesses. The outputs of the collaboration will help Irish companies to build scale, and expand their reach in global market”.
An intrinsic feature of Career-FIT is the opportunity for experienced researchers from outside Ireland to develop their careers in market focused applied research, through 3 year fellowships with secondment into industry through Ireland’s Technology Centres.
Under the Career-FIT programme, two calls will be issued to potential researchers, each of which will see 25 fellowships awarded.
The first call has an application deadline of 31 March 2017, while the second call will open in 2018.
