College of Research Associates
In order to streamline our peer review process and ensure the continued high quality and responsiveness of our services, ESF recruits Research Associates on an ongoing basis across all scientific disciplines.
Research Associates collaborate with ESF remotely (home-based), on a consultancy basis and on a limited-time project basis. This includes supporting our Research Quality Assessment & Grant Evaluation team by :
- Identifying scientific peers in order to assess research projects proposals and fellowships applications;
- Providing quality check of peer-review reports;
- Performing other related tasks as appropriate (ie: supporting review panels and their Chairs)
Selected Research Associates will receive appropriate training and mentoring as well as recognition for projects satisfactorily completed, in the form of a certificate delivered by ESF. They will learn more as to how successful award applications are written and how selection processes work.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to join our College of Research Associates, you will need to fulfill certain criteria. We seek individuals who have direct knowledge of the academic sector including early-career researchers (advanced doctoral or postdoctoral researchers) with research expertise in a variety of disciplines:
- Humanities
- Social Sciences
- Physics, Engineering and Material Sciences
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Computer Sciences
- Life Sciences
- Earth Sciences
- Environmental Sciences
- Biomedical Sciences
Research Associates need to be active researchers in their field (academia or R&D) as testified by a recent publication record or other recent research outputs.
As a Research Associate you are required to invoice your services to ESF, as you would collaborate with ESF on a consultancy basis.
Frequently asked questions
Training
Prior to any concrete work engagement with us, selected Research Associates will be provided with:
- Documents and information describing the processes that they could be assigned to work on
- Appropriate training/briefing on these processes.
More information about our Peer Review and grant evaluation processes can be found in the European Peer Review Guide (Integrating Policies and Practices into Coherent Procedures) published by ESF in 2011.
Applications
Please note that this is a Consultancy role and that selected candidates are required to provide invoices for consultancy services.
During the period covered by the consultancy contract, Research Associates cannot act as reviewers for any of the grant evaluation activities implemented by ESF.
We welcome your applications via the form hereafter. Applications will be processed by our HR and scientific teams and you shall expect a response within 2 months.
ESF will not discriminate, nor allow its staff to discriminate, against any member of staff or applicant for employment or ex-employee on the basis of gender (including in cases of pregnancy or maternity); age; ethnic, national or social origin; religion or belief; sexual orientation; disability; political opinion; social or economic condition or health.
Contact Us!
Do you have a question regarding the College of Research Associates? Don't hesitate to reach out to us by email!

Julia Boman
Grant Evaluation Partnerships Manager

Nathalie Biessy
Head of Human Resources