WTI/NCCR FP7 Postdoctoral Fellowships

Jointly funded by the NCCR, the Ecoscientia Foundation and the EU’s FP7 People Programme, the positions will last for 2 years and be based at one of the four institutions in the NCCR network – the Universities of Bern, Lausanne, Zürich and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich.  
The WTI is an interdisciplinary centre of advanced studies and research in international trade regulation and policy, based in at the University of Bern. Detailed information may be found at: www.wti.org/portrait-wti/


Responsibilities:
The holders of COFIT fellowships will be embedded into the NCCR research network, working independently within one or more of its six work packages (WPs): 1. Trade Governance, 2. Preferential Trade, 3. Innovation and Creativity, 4. Trade Development and Migration, 5. Trade and Climate Change, and 6. Impact Assessment. The affiliation assures the candidates’ potential to contribute to WTI/NCCR research and personally benefit from the various contacts and opportunities with which they will be presented at the WTI. For detailed information about the WPs and their subprojects, see www.nccr-trade.org


Requirements:
The minimum academic requirement for the COFIT scholarship is a PhD (or its equivalent) in law, economics, political science, or a closely related field. Candidates whose PhD degree has yet to be formally granted will only be considered eligible if they have submitted their thesis at the time of application and defended it by the time they take up the WTI/NCCR assignment.

Applicants for the COFIT Incoming Mobility Fellowship must be nationals of the EU 27 Member States or an Associated Country. Excluded are all Swiss nationals or residents currently residing in Switzerland.

Applicants for a COFIT Re-Integration Fellowship must be nationals of the EU 27 Member States or an Associated Country, who have carried out research in a third country for at least three years.

Candidates are assessed against their research record, and/or publications, and the submitted research proposal. The topic of the proposed research agenda should relate to the fields of research pursued within the NCCR and the WTI. The presentation of the candidate’s research or work-in-progress at conferences, workshops, etc. will also be considered. We do not seek to discourage candidates who are just starting to build up a publication record.

NCCR research takes a strong policy focus, and highly values candidates with a demonstrated exposure to policy work, particularly in the field of international trade regulation.


What we offer?
All COFIT fellows based at WTI/NCCR will benefit from employment conditions in line with those of the University of Bern regulations for post-doctoral employees, including university pay scales. The interdisciplinary and innovative team at WTI/NCCR and its worldwide network of renowned researchers and international organisations offers the highest standards in terms of facilities and amenities available to researchers working in Switzerland.


To apply:
Those who fulfil the specific requirements outlined below should apply via email to nccr(at)wti.org, or by post to the address on our letterhead. Please enclose:


• a detailed curriculum vitae,

• cover letter,

• your publication record,

• concise research proposal, and;

• 2 letters of reference, at least one of which must be from an academic


The closing date for all applications is 31 March 2011.
 

Incomplete applications or late submissions will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Interviews will be held in May 2011.

The WTI/NCCR is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to the advancement of women in academia. We also encourage returnees from a career break to apply.

Successful applicants will be expected to take up their positions in September 2011.