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Frequent asked questions

Applicants must be in possession of a doctoral degree (PhD) or have successfully defended their thesis and obtained the doctoral certificate before the call deadline. Only degrees that confer the title of “Doctor” in accordance with national legislation or academic practice will be accepted.

Applicants must be considered R2 Recognised Researchers, and they should be able to demonstrate that they are at the initial stage of their research career, as the objective of the programme is to develop researchers in their early pot-doc years, offering them the opportunity of an international career.

You shall demonstrate mobility, i.e. you must not have resided or carried out your main activities (work, studies etc.) in the country of your chosen host/implementing organisation for more than 12 months during the 3 years immediately prior to the deadline for submission, to be able to choose a University/research center located in one of those countries. Please account for your mobility during the last 3 years prior to the application deadline. It applies to the main applicant/researcher. It does not consider nationality, but rather physical location and main activity.

In case you are restarting our research career or reintegrating into Europe, or you have a refugee status under the Geneva Conventions, please describe your circumstances in the application form and upload supporting documentation in the “Proof of Residence” section of the Attachments Section.

In the call, up to 16 fellowships are available.

You will receive a receipt directly from the application system, after correct submission of the application, directly to the email you have used when registering. The receipt may end up in the junk folder of your inbox, so please check that folder as well.

No. It will not be possible to submit additional material or information once you have received confirmation that your application was successfully submitted.

The Terms of Application of the Sustainable Energy for Society (“SE4S”) Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme require that applicants who are not nationals, or long-term residents of a country where English is the official language, will need to provide at least one of the following certificates accrediting their level of English:

– TOEFL: minimum score of 95 for the Internet-based test.

– University of Cambridge: minimum C1 Advance

– IELTS: minimum score of 7

-Official Language Schools (EOI) in Spain: C1 level completed and passed.

If applicants are not in possession of the required certificate at the date of submission of their application, they should list, in the corresponding section of the application form, any relevant detail that demonstrate an advance command of English.

No, the fellowship period is fixed.

Offers/rejection will be given by email during the month of March 2027, thus it is important that you have access to and regularly check your email account during that period.

No, fellows will be hired by the Implementing Partner Organisation.

Specific amount of the fellowship will be established individually, considering each awarded fellow’s background and experience, and ensuring they are competitive with the terms offered by the Implementing Partner to fellows of similar experience and background.

Yes, the 3 to 6 months compulsory secondment must be in one of the associated partners included in the Terms of the Applications:

There is an optional academic secondment at one of the 11 implementing partners, offering secondments or at another organization proposed by the applicant (you will have to include a letter of Commitment in your application).

In this case the breakdown of the Fellowship will be as follows:

– 30 months at the implementing partner organization

– 3 months compulsory secondment at one of the Iberdrola group companies (associated partners)

– 3 months optional secondment at one of the academic partners offering secondment position or at other organization of your choice

No, you do not have to contact your proposed secondment organization. If your application is one of the 16 awarded, FIBE PMO will coordinate and manage the industry secondments for you.

Yes, you will find the template in the application form.

Bridging the gap between academia and industry is a common concern, and it is precisely one of the core objectives of the SE4S programme. While we fully recognise that research and innovation will never be identical to industrial reality, SE4S is intentionally oriented towards projects that are closer to applied contexts. We are particularly interested in proposals that sit within a mid-range Technology Readiness Level , rather than very early-stage, exploratory research. For applicants with a predominantly academic background, the key is not to deliver a fully industrialised solution, but to show awareness of real world constraints and opportunities. Strong proposals typically link sound scientific methods to practical challenges faced by industry and articulate how the research outcomes could be taken forward beyond the fellowship. In this context, we are particularly interested in applicants who are open to stepping outside the traditional academic comfort zone, and who see value in engaging with industry as a learning opportunity. Curiosity, adaptability, and a genuine interest in understanding how research translates into real world decision making are considered key assets within the programme.

No, the specific tasks to be carried out during the Iberdrola secondment do not need to be fully defined at proposal stage. The secondment is conceived as a flexible and tailored experience that will be jointly designed by the fellow and the assigned industry mentor, with the coordination and support of the SE4S Project Management Office. This definition will take place after the fellow has completed at least the first year of the fellowship, once the research project has sufficiently advanced and the most relevant industrial application pathways are clearer. The Project Management Office will actively work with the fellow, the academic supervisor, and the Iberdrola Group to identify the most suitable secondment within the Group, ensuring strong alignment with the fellow’s research objectives, the programme’s goals, and the expected impact. This approach guarantees that the secondment is meaningful, well-timed, and effectively contributes to bridging research and industrial application.