Research Ireland Investigators Programme

Supporting excellent researchers to undertake cutting-edge research, create training and employment opportunities, increase Ireland’s capacity and reputation for excellent research, and promote innovation in the Irish research system. Career stage: Independent Investigator Led Programme type: Individual-led Eligibility: Full details on eligibility are available in the Call Document and handbooks. In summary:  Applicants must have held a PhD or equivalent qualification for at least three years by proposal submission.  Applicants must be independent investigators.   Applicants must be hosted by an Eligible Research Body. A list of Eligible Research Bodies is available here.  Postdoctoral researchers are not eligible to apply to this call  For details on the criteria around the employment status of applicants, please see the Call Document and the Stage 1 Handbook.  Further restrictions may apply if the applicants currently hold an SFI/IRC/Research Ireland grant or are under review for another Research Ireland Programme. Please see the Call Document for further details.  Emerging Investigators  For the Stage 2 application process only:  Applicants who are invited to submit a full proposal (Stage 2) for review, can choose to be evaluated as an Emerging Investigator if, in addition to meeting all eligibility criteria, they:   Have not previously held a SFI, IRC, or Research Ireland research award of over €500,000 in direct costs;   Have had a period of eligible leave from research (e.g., following time spent in industry, statutory maternity leave, statutory adoptive leave, statutory parental leave, statutory paternity leave, carer’s leave, long-term medical illness, conscription).    Although an applicant may meet the criteria of an Emerging Investigator, there is no obligation to apply under this category.  At Stage 2, an Emerging Investigator will be assessed alongside and against the same criteria as all other applicants; however, the weighting of the review scores will mean that there is increased emphasis on the quality of the research over the track record.