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The programme follows the success of its 2017 predecessor, Career-Fit, which attracted 50 international researchers to work with 40 Irish companies.
On Thursday (5 September), Enterprise Ireland launched a new €14m programme called Career-Fit Plus, which aims to attract experienced international researchers to Ireland.
Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan, TD, appeared at the launch. He said the initiative seeks 50 highly skilled researchers to work on collaborative projects in Ireland. These researchers will be selected through two calls for proposals and hired for three years.
Halligan called the Career-Fit Plus programme a “unique opportunity for companies to access international R&D talent”.
The scheme follows on from its predecessor, the 2017 Career-Fit programme, and is co-funded by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, in partnership with Enterprise Ireland.
In a statement, Enterprise Ireland said that the aim of the programme is to “enhance the training and career opportunities of the recruited fellows through the undertaking of individually driven, market-focused research projects”.
“The projects will be centred around the domain areas of the designated technology centres and technology gateways operating in Ireland and will include a mandatory secondment in the partner companies.”
Innovation and competition
Julie Sinnamon, CEO of Enterprise Ireland, said: “Innovation is a key driver of global growth for Irish companies and crucial to maintain competitiveness.
“Career-Fit Plus aims to connect highly qualified researchers with Irish companies to support industry-focused research projects. Through programmes like Career-Fit Plus, companies can undertake research and development to diversify and reach new international markets.”
Gearoid Mooney, divisional manager of research and innovation at Enterprise Ireland, added: “This programme contributes to addressing the skills shortage in Ireland’s companies in the fields of RD&I, by attracting research experts from around the world to collaborate on projects with Irish enterprises.
“The Career-Fit programme launched in 2017 attracted 50 experienced researchers from 30 different countries, bringing expertise to 40 Irish companies. We are hoping to build on this success with Career-Fit Plus and encourage experienced researchers worldwide to apply.”
Applications can be made here.
