Through the Young Investigator Programme, EMBO identifies and supports some of the best young researchers in the life sciences. EMBO Young Investigators are group leaders in the early stages of setting up an independent laboratory in EMBC Member or Associate Member States. They receive financial and practical support for a period of three years to help them develop skills and connections that will help them during this career stage.

The Young Investigator Programme was started in 2000. EMBO Young Investigators are selected annually and the 132 current members, together with 367 former members of the programme, the EMBO Global Investigators and the recipients of EMBO Installation Grants, form a network of the world’s next generation of leading life scientists.

Candidates applying to become a Young Investigator must:

• Have been an independent group leader for at least one year and for less than four years at the pre-application deadline (no earlier than 01.04.2017 and no later than 01.04.2020).
• Have an excellent track record.
• Carry out research in the life sciences in an EMBC Member State, an EMBC Associate Member State (currently India and Singapore) or a in countries/​territories covered by a co-operation agreement (currently Taiwan and Chile)
• Have obtained sufficient funding to run their laboratory.
• Applicants must have published at least one last author research paper* in an international peer reviewed journal from independent work carried out in their own laboratory.
• For female candidates with children, the limit of four-years since independence is automatically extended by one year per child.
• For male applicants with children, the limit can be extended by the actual time taken off as pater- nity leave or – if their partner is working at least 80% FTE (full-time equivalent) – 3 months per child, whichever is longer.
• Illness and other care responsibilities are considered as exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Special provision may also be made for clinical scientists. If you feel your circumstances warrant an extension of the eligibility period, please contact the EMBO Young Investigator Programme office ( yip@​embo.​org) for advice before applying.
• Be able to attend an interview in Heidelberg, Germany (or optionally online) on 9 or 10 November 2021For detailed information on the eligibility criteria (including an extensive FAQ section), please see the application guidelines (pdf).

Applications to the EMBO Young Investigator Programme are accepted annually in a two-stage process and must be submitted through an online system.

Application process

• The deadline for pre-applications is 1 April 2021, 12:00 CEST.
• The Young Investigator Committee invites selected candidates to submit a full application and attend an interview.
• The deadline for full applications is 20 July 2021, 12:00 CEST.
• All invited candidates will be interviewed by the Young Investigator Committee on 9 or 10 November 2021.
• The final decision will be made at the Young Investigator Committee meeting.
• All applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by email.

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