FAQs – Early Career and Visiting Scientists
WHAT IS AN ECVS?
ECVS stands for an “Early Career and Visiting Scientist” who is coming to IARC within the framework of the IARC Research Training and Fellowship Programme.
The categories of ECVSs at IARC are the following:
- Master students or below
- Continuing Professional Development Trainees (recent graduates)
- Doctoral students
- Postdoctoral Scientists or IARC Postdoctoral Fellows
- Visiting and Senior Visiting Scientists and also IARC Mid-Career Visiting Scientists Awardees
WHAT ARE IARC's HOSTING CONDITIONS?
ECVSs do not have the status of an IARC/WHO employee nor will the period of training create an employee/employer relationship. From the administrative point of view, ECVSs will retain the status of Early Career and Visiting Scientist within the IARC Research Training and Fellowship Programme, which is subject to the rules and regulations governing trainees, students, postdoctoral scientists and visiting scientists at IARC, as described in the IARC Research Training and Fellowship Programme Handbook – available on the IARC intranet upon arrival.
ECVSs will not be entitled to benefit from the United Nations pension fund, the WHO staff health insurance (SHI) nor from the French social protection system (i.e. unemployment benefit / French state pension, etc.). It is the responsibility of ECVSs to make their own arrangements in this regard should they wish. However, during the hosting period at IARC, insurance for accident and emergency illness, accidental death or partial or total disablement will be provided automatically by the Agency.
ECVSs have a normal workday of 8 hours / 40 hours per week, not including the time taken for lunch break (a minimum of 30 minutes and typically 1 hour). The training period of ECVSs is full-time, except for research stays of Visiting Scientists and Senior Visiting Scientists that can be hosted part-time, because of professional obligations. Stays on a part-time basis may be authorized for family (e.g. child, elderly care) or study (university courses) reasons.
ECVSs may be named in grant applications submitted by IARC subject to the conditions specified in the IARC Research Training and Fellowship Programme Handbook as CO-PIs in grant applications on behalf of IARC. In any case, all grant applications must follow the established IARC internal clearance and approval procedure.
A contract within the IARC Research Training and Fellowship Programme can in principle not be granted to anyone bearing any of the following relationships with an IARC personnel (IARC/WHO employee or ECVS): father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister (by blood or marriage) and needs to be disclosed in the application process.
ECVSs may keep an affiliation with their present/former institute, however, should they continue to be paid, the Fellowship Office would need to study their application in more detail to determine their exact status and the amount of required stipend (if applicable).
HOW CAN I JOIN IARC AS ECVS?
Open Postdoctoral or Visiting Scientists opportunities are advertised on the IARC webpage “JOBS & CAREERS”: https://www.iarc.who.int/cards_page/postdoctoral-opportunities/
In case there is no Postdoctoral or Visiting Scientist opportunity published, more information on the Research Branches at IARC is provided here:
Unsolicited applications (CV and motivation letter in English) can be sent directly to the Branch which best matches the applicant’s profile and research interests. Potential IARC supervisors can be contacted via the generic e-mail address displayed under
“Personnel” – “contact information” in each Research Branch:
https://www.iarc.who.int/branches/
Open IARC/WHO staff positions and consultant opportunities are advertised here and are not linked to the IARC Research Training and Fellowship Programme.
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED FOR MY ONBOARDING (ONCE I WAS OFFERED A TRAINING PERIOD/RESEARCH STAY AT IARC)?
Certain documents such as copy of a valid passport/ID must be provided to IARC regardless of the sort of stay of the ECVS at IARC. Depending on the length of stay and the category, the ECVS can be asked as well for e.g. medical certificate, proof of enrolment at university, proof of completed Master’s/PhD studies, proof of external funding. The medical certificate of fitness, which is required for stays of any duration in IARC laboratories and for all stays of duration equal or for more than 3 months.
If laboratory activities are planned during the ECVS’ stay, the applicant is to provide his/her vaccination record and positive results of immuno-serology for Hepatitis B. In case the results are unclear, the Fellowship office will request the advice of the Staff Physician. If the immuno-serology results are negative, the application will not be validated; a fast-track vaccination scheme exists, in these cases, but clearance of the Staff Physician is still required.
Important condition for “Visiting Scientists”
Applicants must belong to the staff of a university/research institution and provide proof of an ongoing affiliation/post to return to.
Important condition for “Bachelor, Master and Doctoral students”
Proof of enrollment of the ongoing academic year at University is required.
Important condition for Postdoctoral Scientists and IARC Postdoctoral Fellows
They need to provide proof of their PhD degree (or if recently graduated, proof of the successfully passed PhD defence).
Dependants of Postdoctoral Scientists/IARC Postdoctoral Fellows
Entitlements regarding dependence allowance(s) are determined by the Fellowship Office, upon reception of, and as appropriate: marriage certificate/French PACS or equivalent, as well as a completed declaration of oath regarding spouse’s/partner’s income while being in Lyon, child/ren’s birth certificate(s).
FOR POSTDOCTORAL SCIENTISTS: IS THERE ANY FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR AGREED ACCOMPANYING DEPENDANTS?
Apart from the monthly IARC stipend and monthly health insurance allowance for fully-IARC funded Postdoctoral Scientists/IARC Postdoctoral Fellows, IARC provides a monthly dependence allowance of 150 euros to each agreed accompanying dependant (spouse/partner/children below 18 years of age). Condition: they have no income and accompany the Postdoctoral Scientist/IARC Postdoctoral Fellow for a minimum of 50 % of the duration of their training contract.
Round-trip travel will be provided for agreed accompanying dependants if joining the awardee in Lyon for at least 50 % of the duration of the contract.
No financial support for health insurance premiums for dependants will be provided by IARC.
No financial support for school fees (please note that public schools are free of cost in France) will be provided by IARC.
No financial support for costs associated with relocation (cost for moving company, rental truck, installation costs, buying new furniture etc.) will be provided by IARC.
WHAT ARE THE LIVING CONDITIONS LIKE IN LYON (WHAT ABOUT ACCOMMODATION)?
IARC can assist by putting the future IARC Postdoctoral Fellows/IARC-Mid-Career Visiting Scientist Awardees in contact with its relocation assistant who can provide help in finding appropriate accommodation.
However, IARC cannot provide housing to ECVSs.
Important note: Living costs in Lyon are generally considered very expensive.
For a “single” IARC Postdoctoral Fellow/ IARC-Mid-Career Visiting Scientist Awardee with no dependants or with one accompanying dependant, the stipend and dependence allowance is sufficient to cover living costs but would be very tight for more than 1 accompanying dependant.
A studio or apartment (1 to 2 bedrooms) can cost up 1,000 Euros monthly (charges/electricity/gas not included yet). An apartment for a family with two children costs around 1,500 Euros or even more. No further financial support can be provided to families and more affordable accommodation outside of Lyon might need to be considered.
Accommodation prices can be checked here: https://business.onlylyon.com/en/discover-lyon/quality-of-life. In addition to accommodation costs, other associated costs such as estate agent fees, security deposit, utility fees (water/gas/electricity/garbage/internet), home insurance fee (mandatory in France) need to be considered.
More information about Lyon, housing, schools etc. can be found in our IARC Welcome Pack-June 2024.