Enterprise Partnership Scheme (Postdoctoral)

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Overview

The Irish Research Council’s Enterprise Partnership Scheme is a unique national initiative linking excellent researchers in all disciplines to enterprise; in the context of this call, enterprise partners can range from multinational corporations to SMEs, non-governmental organisations, and, where justified, public sector agencies. The scheme provides researchers with the opportunity to pursue research in collaboration with enterprise while based at an eligible higher education or research-performing institution.

Through this co-funded programme, researchers develop new, advanced knowledge and skills linked with industry and employer needs. The programme trains early-career researchers for the diversity of employment opportunities in industry, the public sector and the non-government sectors. For enterprise partners, the scheme provides a low-risk, flexible route to research talent and innovation in an area closely aligned with its strategic interests.

With consideration to national and global challenges, the involvement of those organisations, both large and small, who seek technological, social and sustainable solutions and opportunities for people and planet is welcomed.

Information for applicants

The award will support suitably qualified postdoctoral candidates intending to pursue full-time research in any discipline for two years and comprise:

  • a salary of €42,033 in the first year of the award and 42,783 in the second year of the award*;
  • employer’s PRSI contribution; and
  • eligible direct research expenses of €5,000 per annum.

The logos below represent some enterprise partners that have expressed an interest in supporting researchers under this scheme. Their contact details can be found to the right of this page.

Enterprise partner logos

Information for enterprise partners

  • An enterprise partner can be a company, registered charity, social, cultural or not-for-profit civic organisation, state-owned enterprise or an eligible public body** that will co-fund the researcher for the duration of the award.
  • The enterprise partner is expected to commit €17,224*** in the first year of the award and €17,502 in the second year of the award towards the cost of funding the researcher. The Irish Research Council contributes the remaining funds.
  • The enterprise partner can be based nationally or internationally.
  • Eligible NGOs can request a fee waiver in respect of their contribution for the first year of the award. Waiver approval is subject to the availability of funding, is at the sole discretion of the Irish Research Council and may be offered on a ranked or limited basis, with priority given to organisations with limited resources.
  • If your organisation would like to feature on this page in order to attract researchers, please send your details to schemes@research.ie.

How to apply

Potential applicants should carefully read the 2024 Call Document to ascertain whether or not they are eligible to apply. Indicative versions of the applicant, academic mentor and enterprise mentor forms are provided for information purposes only. All participants must create and submit their forms via the online system.

Key dates

DetailsDates
Call open12:00 (Irish time) 5 October 2023
FAQ deadline16:00 (Irish time) 9 November 2023
Applicant deadline16:00 (Irish time) 16 November 2023
Academic mentor and enterprise mentor deadline16:00 (Irish time) 23 November 2023
Research office endorsement deadline16:00 (Irish time) 30 November 2023
Waiver deadline16:00 (Irish time) 31 January 2024
Outcome of schemeEnd of April 2024
Award start date1 September 2024

Please note that the timings provided here are indicative and may be subject to change. If you do not find the answer to your query in the call documentation, you should contact the research office in your proposed institution which will provide information and clarification on the call. Research offices can send any queries they are unable to clarify to schemes@research.ie.

For reasons of transparency and fairness to all applicants, we will not enter into written or telephone correspondence with any individual about the assessment process or their eligibility to apply.

* This corresponds with points 1 and 2 respectively on the IUA’s researcher salary scale at the time of call opening but may be subject to change under the current national pay agreement. Any such changes will be applied in line with updates to the IUA’s researcher salary scale.

** An eligible public body is a public service body with specific scientific or cultural infrastructure that is integral to the conduct and completion of the proposed research. If a public body or higher education institution is an eligible research-performing organisation, it is not an eligible enterprise partner under this scheme.

*** This corresponds with one-third of the award value based on the IUA’s researcher salary scale at the time of call opening. This scale may be subject to change under the current national pay agreement and any such changes will be applied in line with these updates.

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