The Empa Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship 2027 offers women scientists four years of research funding in Switzerland, covering their salary and a PhD student position under their supervision. The programme supports experienced researchers who want to establish independent research programmes and develop the leadership experience needed for future scientific group leader roles. Hosted by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), the fellowship is open to qualified women researchers with a doctorate, postdoctoral or equivalent independent research experience, and an excellent scientific track record. Applications close on December 31, 2026, with up to three fellowships available in the first evaluation round.
However, applicants must first secure support from an Empa laboratory that has a realistic prospect of a group-leader-level opening within the next five years. This institutional requirement can determine eligibility even for researchers with outstanding academic records.
Empa Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship 2027: Quick Overview
| Fellowship details | Official information |
|---|---|
| Programme | Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship |
| Host institution | Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Fellowship duration | 4 years |
| Funding | Fellow’s salary and one PhD student position |
| Number of fellowships | Up to 3 in the first round |
| Eligible applicants | Women scientists with a doctorate and relevant research experience |
| Research fields | Research aligned with an Empa laboratory’s strategic direction |
| Host laboratory support | Mandatory |
| Application deadline | December 31, 2026 |
| First evaluation | January 2027 |
| Evaluation frequency | Twice yearly, in January and June |
| Application method | Online through the Empa jobs portal |
What is the Empa Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship?
The Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship is a research funding programme that helps qualified women scientists move towards independent scientific leadership.
Unlike a conventional postdoctoral position focused primarily on completing a defined research project, this fellowship provides an opportunity to develop and lead a research programme while supervising a doctoral researcher.
The four-year fellowship is described by Empa as comparable in scope and ambition to a Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) or European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant.
However, it is an Empa fellowship with its own funding arrangements, eligibility conditions and selection process. Applicants are not applying for an SNSF or ERC grant.
The programme aims to help fellows establish the research and leadership record needed to compete for future tenure-track group leader positions at Empa.
A future appointment is not guaranteed. The fellowship is intended to prepare candidates for such opportunities, subject to the institution’s staffing needs and recruitment decisions.
Researchers interested in building independent research careers in Switzerland can also explore the Branco Weiss Fellowship 2027, which provides up to CHF 600,000 over five years. Unlike the Empa programme, it follows a different host institution and research funding model.
Fellowship Funding and Benefits
Selected researchers receive four years of institutional support to pursue independent research and gain experience managing a small research team.
The confirmed funding includes:
- Four years of fellowship support: A defined period to establish and develop an independent research programme.
- Fellow’s salary: Funding covers the selected researcher’s own salary.
- One funded PhD student position: The fellow can lead and supervise a doctoral researcher as part of the research programme.
- Research leadership experience: Fellows can develop practical experience in research supervision, scientific planning and project leadership.
- Access to Empa’s research environment: Fellows work within an established research institution with infrastructure and connections across academia and industry.
Empa does not specify a fixed salary amount or an overall fellowship budget in the supplied announcement.
The important distinction is that the fellowship funds both the principal researcher and a doctoral position. This provides a direct opportunity to demonstrate research leadership through supervision rather than relying solely on individual research outputs.
Another option for researchers comparing long-term scientific career development funding is the Royal Society Career Development Fellowship 2027, which offers up to £703,800 over four years in the UK. It has different eligibility requirements, including specific criteria related to Black heritage and UK research or education experience.
Who Can Apply for the Empa Fellowship?
The fellowship targets outstanding women scientists who have already developed substantial research experience and are ready to pursue greater independence.
Academic qualifications and research experience
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Hold a doctoral degree.
- Have postdoctoral or equivalent independent research experience.
- Demonstrate an excellent scientific track record.
- Present an ambitious research profile.
- Propose research aligned with the strategic direction of an Empa laboratory.
The programme accepts both internal and external candidates.
Existing Empa researchers may apply through their current laboratory or another laboratory that offers a suitable strategic fit.
Women researchers from industry can apply if they hold a doctorate and have a strong scientific track record, relevant independent research experience and a proposed project that fits an eligible Empa laboratory.
Can international researchers apply?
Yes. The announcement explicitly accepts external candidates and does not state a nationality restriction.
Empa has an international research environment, with employees representing more than 60 nations.
International applicants should assess whether their research expertise aligns with an Empa laboratory and whether they can secure the required institutional support.
Applicants considering relocation can consult Empa’s official Working in Switzerland guidance.
Is the fellowship suitable for recent PhD graduates?
The fellowship is aimed at researchers with postdoctoral or equivalent independent research experience, rather than applicants whose only research experience is their doctoral work.
A recently graduated PhD researcher would therefore need to demonstrate that they meet the stated experience and research independence expectations.
The programme is particularly relevant to researchers who can already formulate an independent research agenda and are prepared to supervise a doctoral student.
Researchers looking for postdoctoral opportunities with different career-stage requirements may consider the TIES2 Fellowship Finland 2027. The programme offers three-year research positions with a gross monthly salary of €4,592 and an intersectoral research component.
Research Areas and Host Laboratories
Empa conducts interdisciplinary research in materials science and technology, with activities connected to engineering, applied sciences and industrial innovation.
The fellowship does not provide a fixed list of eligible research topics in the announcement. Instead, applicants must identify a laboratory whose strategic direction fits their proposed research.
Prospective applicants can explore Empa’s official website and research activities to identify relevant laboratories.
Research alignment alone, however, is insufficient. The prospective laboratory must also satisfy the fellowship’s specific leadership-position requirement.
Careers Help Desk Counter Angle: Why the Host Laboratory Requirement Matters Most
The most important application decision is not simply choosing a research topic. It is identifying an Empa laboratory that can realistically support the applicant’s future leadership development.
Empa states that applications are accepted only when the host laboratory has a concrete, realistic prospect of a group-leader-level opening within the next five years.
This requirement has two practical consequences.
First, a highly qualified researcher may still be unable to apply through a laboratory that has no foreseeable leadership opening. Scientific excellence cannot replace the institutional requirement.
Second, obtaining general encouragement from a professor or research group is not enough. Applicants need a formal letter from the prospective laboratory head confirming the strategic fit and addressing the potential leadership opening.
Before investing substantial time in the research and leadership plan, candidates should establish whether the laboratory can meet these conditions.
A practical approach is to contact a relevant Empa laboratory head with a concise research profile, a short description of the proposed research direction and an explanation of how it could complement the laboratory’s work.
Your initial message should be specific and focused on research alignment rather than a general request for funding. Our guide on how to email a professor about research opportunities provides examples of professional academic inquiries. Fellowship applicants should adapt this approach to reflect their established research experience and the programme’s leadership requirements.
The initial discussion should clarify whether the laboratory is willing and able to support a fellowship application under the programme’s rules.
The key takeaway: This fellowship requires both scientific excellence and an eligible institutional pathway towards leadership. Applicants should establish the second condition early, rather than treating the support letter as a routine document to collect at the end.
Required Application Documents
Applicants must prepare three main components.
1. CV and scientific track record
The CV should demonstrate academic qualifications, research experience and evidence of scientific excellence.
Relevant achievements may include peer-reviewed publications, research contributions, independent projects, collaborative research and experience supervising or mentoring junior researchers.
Applicants from industry should explain their scientific contributions clearly, particularly where their achievements are not represented by conventional academic publications.
2. Research and leadership plan
The plan must explain:
- The objectives of the proposed research.
- The scientific approach and how the project will be conducted.
- How the proposed work advances the field.
- How the fellowship will help the candidate develop research leadership experience.
A convincing plan should connect the scientific programme to the applicant’s development as an independent research leader.
For example, it should make clear how the doctoral researcher’s work contributes to the proposed project and how the applicant will take responsibility for research direction and supervision.
If you need help structuring the scientific part of your application, our guide on how to write a research proposal for a PhD application explains how to develop research objectives, methodology, feasibility and expected contributions. For the Empa fellowship, you must also explain how the proposed research will develop your independent scientific leadership.
3. Letter of support from the laboratory head
This is a mandatory component of the application.
The prospective Empa laboratory head must address:
- The strategic fit between the proposed research and the laboratory.
- The prospect of a future group-leader-level opening.
- The laboratory’s mentoring commitment.
- Continuity arrangements for the doctoral student.
The final point deserves attention. The fellowship funds a PhD student whose research and supervision must be considered within the host laboratory’s longer-term planning.
A generic recommendation letter does not necessarily satisfy these requirements.
How to Apply for the Empa Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship 2027
Applications must be submitted through the official Empa online recruitment system.
Step 1: Identify a suitable Empa research laboratory. Review the institution’s research activities and identify a laboratory whose scientific direction matches your expertise and proposed project.
Empa Departments and Research laboratories with Supervisor Details
Step 2: Contact the prospective laboratory head. Discuss the proposed research, strategic alignment and whether the laboratory meets the future leadership-opening requirement. You can review our How to Email a Professor for PhD Opportunities (Examples & Tips) guide.
Step 3: Secure the mandatory support letter. Ensure the letter addresses strategic fit, the potential leadership position, mentoring and PhD student continuity.
Step 4: Prepare your application documents. Complete your CV, scientific track record and research and leadership plan.
Step 5: Submit your application online. Upload the complete application package through the Empa jobs portal before the deadline.
Apply Here for Empa Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship
Empa explicitly states that applications sent by email or post will not be considered.
Application Deadline and Selection Timeline
The Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship is an ongoing programme rather than a single competitive call.
Empa plans two evaluation rounds each year, in January and June.
For the first round, the confirmed schedule is:
| Stage | Date or information |
|---|---|
| Application deadline | December 31, 2026 |
| Evaluation round | January 2027 |
| Fellowships available | Up to 3 |
| Future evaluation rounds | January and June each year |
The announcement does not specify an exact closing hour for December 31, 2026. Applicants should therefore avoid leaving submission until the final hours.
Future rounds are part of the programme structure, but applicants should check the official portal for their corresponding submission deadlines.
How Are Applicants Selected?
Empa evaluates applications through a panel using criteria comparable to those applied in ERC Starting Grant assessments.
The assessment focuses on three main areas.
Candidate excellence: The applicant’s scientific achievements, research record and potential to establish independent research leadership.
Research and leadership plan: The scientific quality, ambition and feasibility of the proposed programme, including how it develops the applicant’s leadership experience.
Strategic fit: The alignment between the proposed work, the host laboratory’s research priorities and the institution’s potential future leadership needs.
Shortlisted candidates may be invited to an interview.
For applicants, this means that an excellent publication record alone may not be sufficient. The application must also demonstrate a feasible research programme and a credible institutional pathway.
Empa has not provided numerical weights for the individual assessment criteria in the supplied announcement.
Common Application Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should pay particular attention to the following issues:
- Approaching a laboratory without checking its leadership prospects. A laboratory may be scientifically suitable but unable to support an application because it lacks a realistic future group-leader opening.
- Submitting a generic research proposal. The fellowship requires a research and leadership plan. Applicants must explain both the scientific contribution and their development as independent leaders.
- Treating the support letter as a standard recommendation. The letter must address specific institutional commitments, including mentoring and doctoral student continuity.
- Assuming that the fellowship guarantees a permanent position. The programme supports preparation for future leadership opportunities but does not promise appointment to a tenure-track role.
- Submitting documents by email. Empa accepts applications exclusively through its online jobs portal.
Ready to Apply for Fellowships in Switzerland?
The Empa Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship 2027 offers an opportunity for experienced women researchers to develop independent scientific programmes in Switzerland while receiving four years of salary support and funding for a doctoral researcher. Its most important eligibility condition is the requirement for a host laboratory with a realistic future leadership opening. Applicants should confirm this institutional fit and secure the mandatory laboratory head’s letter before preparing their final submission.
Official programme and application: Empa Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship
For programme-specific questions, applicants can contact Dr. Vanesa Ayala, Programme Manager, Research and Strategy Support, at vanesa.ayala@empa.ch.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is the Empa Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship fully funded?
The fellowship covers the selected researcher’s salary and one PhD student position for four years. Empa does not specify a fixed salary amount or total research budget in the announcement.
Can international researchers apply for the Empa Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship?
Yes. The Empa Women Scientific Leadership Fellowship accepts external researchers and does not state a nationality restriction. Applicants must hold a doctorate, have relevant independent research experience and secure support from an eligible Empa laboratory.
Do applicants need to find a supervisor before applying?
Applicants must secure a letter from a prospective Empa laboratory head before applying. This is an institutional support requirement rather than the conventional PhD supervisor arrangement.
Can I apply without an Empa laboratory support letter?
No. Empa requires a letter from the prospective laboratory head confirming the research and strategic fit, including the potential future leadership opening, mentoring arrangements and continuity plans for the PhD student.
Is there an age limit?
The official announcement does not specify an age limit. Eligibility focuses on doctoral qualifications, relevant research experience, scientific excellence and institutional fit.
Does the fellowship guarantee a tenure-track position?
No. The programme helps researchers develop the qualifications and leadership experience needed for future tenure-track group leader roles. It does not guarantee subsequent employment in such a position.
What is the application deadline for the first round?
The deadline is December 31, 2026. Applications will be evaluated in January 2027, with up to three fellowships available.
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