Science careers

• Author: Tornasi, Zeno; Delaney, Niamh
• Pages: 16-24

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2. SCIENCE CAREERS

The European Research Area (ERA) priorities underline the importance of an open labour

market for researchers. This includes the removal of barriers to researchers’ m obility as

well as enhancing their training and career opportunities. As stated in the Swa fS 2016

work programme, Europe will need around 1 million more researchers in the coming

years. Students and young researchers need to be better informed about European

opportunities for the pursuit of their career.19

One of the main challenges across the EU is to ensure transparent, open and merit-

based recruitment where this is still not the case. A lack of open recruitment not only

does injustice to individuals but also prevents universities from putting together the best

possible research teams.

Member States have signed up to removing any outstanding barriers to mobility and

stakeholder organisations are committed to filling their research positions according to

open recruitment procedures and to advertise all vacancies on EURAXESS. This will make

research careers more attractive and foster mobility and ultimately research quality.

The European Research Area ( ERA) launched ‘EURAXESS – Resea rchers in Motion’

initiative to address barriers to researcher mobility. The initiative strives to become the

global support and career development tool for European and international researchers,

both in terms of their mobility within and beyond Europe as well as networking with

researchers from all over the world. Designed as a comprehensive tool-set, it provides

access to information and support services structured around the following five pillars:

 EURAXESS SERVICES is a network of more than 600 centres in 40 European

countries providing relocation assistance to ensure a smooth transition of Europe-

bound international or expatriate European researchers. This free service helps with

logistical matters including accommodation, visa and work permits, language

courses, schools for the researcher’s children, social security and medical care as well

as facilitating integration into the culture of the new host country. Today the centres

deal with about 450,000 mobility related issues per year.

 EURAXESS PORTAL is a recruitment tool for research personnel. The portal lists

research job vacancies, funding and hosting opportunities.

 EURAXESS NATIONAL PORTALS amounting to 40 national websites complement the

main EURAXESS Portal with country specific information on living and working

conditions for researchers.

 EURAXESS RIGHTS aims at better employment and working conditions for

researchers throughout Europe through the implementation of the ‘European Charter

for Researchers’ and the ‘Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers’.

Together both documents set out the rights and obligations of researchers, research

institutions and funding providers, with the aim of ensuring equitable treatment of all

researchers in Europe and increasing transparency in their selection and recruitment.

The ‘HR Excellence in R esearch’ is awarded to r esearch institutions or funders

actively implementing the Charter & Code20. EURAXESS hosts the Human Resources

Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) e-tool, the entry point for entities to apply for the

‘HR Excellence in Research’ award.

19 SwafS work programme 2016-2017, SwafS-20-2016

20 European Commission website for HRS4R