MOLECULAR UNIVERSE

Each ESR and ER will be assigned a supervisor at their host institution, normally the local team leader, who will inform the fellows of their contractual rights and obligations, on the possibilities offered to them to contribute to the network-wide training events, workshops, and conferences. They will also provide support on practical matters relating to their mobility in particular in dealing with any bureaucratic matters, as well as for any dependents moving with them.

The supervisor will also be responsible for guiding the training and research aspects of the appointed ESR/ER. Together they will develop a Career Development Plan within approximately two months of taking up the position. In order to be actively involved in drawing up the plan it is important that the appointed ESR/ER has a good overview of the whole of the project activities and research programme before this happens. The Career Development Plan will be updated annually and collected centrally by the Training Network Co-ordinator at the time of the compilation of the Annual Report.

The Career Development Plan will identify individualised training/ToK objectives, taking into account the specific needs of the ESR or ER. These individualised objectives will naturally include the scientific activities of the researcher, but will also address the possibility for local training in management skills (enrolment in courses on project management, involvement in research policy of the Consortium), educational skills (involvement in the supervision of junior students), presentation skills (specific training in writing scientific papers and proposals, as well as making oral presentations), and language skills. Also, a plan will be made at this point for visits/secondments to other Contractors that the appointed ESRs/ERs will be expected to undertake.

In the case of an ER, the Career Development Plan will be used to assess the implementation of the knowledge transfer aspects that the employment of this researcher is expected to facilitate. The Career Development Plan is re-assessed every 12 months.

In the case of researchers whose employment ends within 18 months from the time that the Career Development Plan is formulated, the practical implementation of their career development after the termination of their employment will be an important aspect of the Plan.