What’s the big deal?
Innovation in SMEs is often hampered by a lack of access to specialised skills and knowledge. At the same time, many companies find it difficult to manage innovation processes effectively and struggle to recruit specialised knowledge as they don’t tend to have extensive international Networks or the well-known brand names of large enterprises.
This is where the SME Associate programme comes in. By developing such enterprise-led mobility programme, the EU aims to increase access to talent for SMEs and start-ups by encouraging mobility. Because of this experimental nature it applies a fixed period for the recruitment of the researcher aligned to Academic year in most European countries.
So who is it for?
The SME Associate is accessible to all SMEs and start-ups established in the EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon 2020. The researchers must at least hold a PhD (or equivalent), have demonstrated expertise in line with the job advertisement, and comply with the transnational mobility criteria.
The SMEs will receive an individual grant covering salary and related costs of employing a post-doctoral research associate, including full training costs. This could allow the company to employ the right talent from anywhere across the globe to conduct research for their innovation idea.
If you are a researcher, on the other hand, you will be able to partake in the business’s innovation process, learn industrial innovation and business management skills, as well as boost your CV with business experience abroad.
What’s next?
Read more about the programme; see whether you meet the requirements and apply as of 11 February 2016!