Purpose
Grants intended to fund contracts for initial training in health sciences and technologies through the completion of a doctoral dissertation in a setting that combines a company and a facility within the Spanish National Health System (SNS).
The purpose of these hires is to:
- Promote the start of professional careers by incorporating young researchers into the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System.
- To promote public-private collaboration by conducting part of the training programs at business entities’ workplaces, thereby complementing the activities of the doctoral program in the field of health sciences and technologies.
- Encourage the hiring of doctors by businesses that collaborate with accredited IISs.
This grant includes a mandatory training placement starting in the third year (without additional compensation) at a company in the health sciences and technologies sector, lasting between one and two years.
During the internship period, the candidate will carry out activities directly related to the topic of their doctoral dissertation, in accordance with the schedule and program provided by the collaborating company, under the supervision of a training supervisor designated for that purpose by the company.
Requirements
Requirements for applicants:
Only Health Research Institutes (IIS) accredited by Ministerial Order may participate.
The recipient research groups may belong to any of the institutions that are signatories to the agreement establishing the IIS.
All proposals submitted for this type of contract must fall into one of the following categories of research groups:
- Groups led by researchers born in 1981 or later, with a track record of scientific output that suggests they have the potential to become highly competitive groups, must submit proposals for distinctive and innovative research initiatives that do not involve the breakup of preexisting groups.
- The usual groups of this modality, which must comply with the general conditions established in the different sections, without any other specific conditions.
Individuals who are currently supervising the work of PFIS and i-PFIS pre-doctoral researchers under active contracts awarded through the 2023, 2024, and 2025 calls for proposals from the AES, nor may group leaders who are currently carrying out a Río Hortega or Sara Borrell contract.
Applications submitted by the same group to the two AES predoctoral modalities (PFIS and i-PFIS) will not be eligible.
A minimum of 10% of the contracts to be awarded will be reserved for applications whose group leaders are active Miguel Servet and Juan Rodés contractors, provided that they obtain a favorable evaluation of their application.
The civil servant, statutory or labor relationship of the group leaders with the applicant entity must be maintained at least until the publication of the final award decision.
Applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral program for the 2025–2026 academic year or have been admitted or provisionally admitted to an officially accredited doctoral program for the 2026–2027 academic year at a Spanish university; proof of this may be provided after the application is submitted and up until the end of the appeal period.
The following are not eligible to be candidates:
- Have begun their pre-doctoral training with funding from other grants for pre-doctoral training through the development of a doctoral thesis that has been awarded under the State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation or any of the previous State Plans.
- Hold a doctoral degree from any Spanish or foreign university.
- To have enjoyed, prior to the presentation of the application, a pre-doctoral contract for a period of more than twelve months.
Application
Applications and all other required documentation must be submitted exclusively through the ISCIII’s online portal.
The application forms will only require the signature of the legal representative of the applicant entity, who will collect the signatures of the rest of the interested persons (candidates and principal investigators), taking responsibility for their custody and veracity.
Applications must be accompanied by the following documentation:
They are an integral part of the application and cannot be amended at a later date:
- Abbreviated Curriculum Vitae (CVA) in Spanish or English, automatically generated by the FECYT resume editor for the group leader and the candidate.
- Proposal report, in Spanish or English, using the standard template for AES 2026.
In addition, the applications must be accompanied by (documentation that can be corrected):
- Copy of valid passport, only in the case of foreign citizens not residing in Spanish territory.
- Document accrediting enrollment and payment, admission or pre-admission to a doctoral program at a Spanish university, issued by the unit responsible for that program, or by the doctoral or graduate school, if applicable.
- Responsible declaration signed by the candidate, in a standardized model, which accredits:
- Not having benefited, prior to the submission of the application, from a grant awarded under the PEICTI 2024-2027 or any of the previous State Plans for pre-doctoral training through the development of a doctoral thesis.
- He is not in possession of a doctorate degree.
- Not having held a pre-doctoral contract for more than twelve months prior to joining the program.
- For applicants who have held or will hold a pre-doctoral contract prior to joining the program, for a period not exceeding twelve months
- Document signed by the director of the IIS certifying the membership of the research group, when applicable.
- In the case of having completed a Specialized Health Training Program (hereinafter referred to as ESF) abroad, an ESF diploma approved or recognized by the competent body.
- Full text of the selected publications, unless they are open access.
Call for Applications Guidelines
The complete terms and conditions of the call for applications can be viewed by clicking here.