Research Talent Attraction Initiative - MSCA-PF
The Pablo de Olavide University (UPO), Seville (Spain), invites excellent postdoctoral researchers to explore hosting opportunities and to apply jointly for the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) under Horizon Europe — covering both European Postdoctoral Fellowships (12–24 months, hosted in Spain) and Global Postdoctoral Fellowships (24–36 months, with an outgoing phase in a non-EU/Associated country and a mandatory 12-month return phase at UPO).
> Info fact sheet MSCA-PF 2026.
The Research Talent Attraction Initiative is a proposal support programme specifically designed to increase the success rate of MSCA-PF applications hosted by UPO. Through structured feedback aligned with the main proposal sections (Parts B1 and B2), the Initiative supports competitive researchers in developing stronger applications. Candidates with a confirmed UPO Supervisor are invited to submit an Expression of Interest.
WHO CAN APPLY
Candidates are eligible for this initiative if they meet the following requirements by the MSCA-PF submission deadline (September 09, 2026):
- POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER (Candidate): Must hold a PhD and have no more than 8 years of full-time research experience since obtaining the degree. For details on how to calculate research experience, see the Guidelines on calculation of 8-year research experience.
- SUPERVISOR: Candidates must secure the commitment of a Principal Investigator at UPO to act as their Supervisor. A list of researchers currently seeking candidates is provided below; however, any eligible UPO researcher may act as Supervisor, regardless of whether they appear on this list.
- HOST INSTITUTION: Candidates must formally confirm Pablo de Olavide University (UPO) as their Host Institution for the implementation of the research project.
- MOBILITY RULE: Candidates must comply with the MSCA-PF mobility rule. Specifically, candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain (for MSCA-PF-European) or in the host country for the Outgoing Phase (for MSCA-PF-Global) for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately before the call deadline.
- NATIONALITY of the candidate:
- For MSCA-PF-European: Candidates from any nationality can apply.
- For MSCA-PF-Global: Only nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or HE Associated Countries can apply to this modality.
- RESTRICTION: Proposals previously submitted with UPO as the HI are only eligible for resubmission if they achieved a score of 70% or higher in the preceding call.
We welcome highly qualified candidates interested in any area of research who are eligible for MSCA funding — see MSCA-PF elegibility conditions. Applicants are expected to submit a proposal with strong potential to succeed and to engage actively in improving their drafts throughout the support programme.
HOW TO APPLY TO THE UPO's INITIATIVE (Expression of Interest - EoI)
Step 1 - Find a Supervisor: Contact a UPO researcher and obtain their agreement to act as your Supervisor for the MSCA-PF application.
To help you identify potential supervisors, we provide a list of UPO Principal Investigators who have expressed their willingness to receive proposals:
This list is not exhaustive. Any member of UPO's academic and research staff (PDI) may act as Supervisor, even if they do not appear on it. Candidates are encouraged to explore UPO's research groups and contact any researcher whose profile matches their project idea.
Once the candidate has contacted the supervisor and obtained their agreement to support the application, those wishing to benefit from our Initiative are invited to submit the Expression of Interest (Step 2) no later than May 10th, 2026.
Step 2 - Submit your EoI by 10 May 2026: Once you have your Supervisor's agreement, submit your EoI by completing both of the following:
(1) >> Download, complete and obtain the Supervisor's signature on the Supervisor's acceptance letter.
(2) >> Fill in the Online application form / Candidate's information.
Note: After 10 May 2026 and until 30 June 2026, UPO may still connect potential MSCA-PF candidates with Supervisors. However, candidates who apply after the EoI deadline will not be eligible for the full Initiative support programme — they will only receive basic support from the EU R&D Project Office at UPO.
MSCA-PF 2026 - Procedure and the Proposal Support Programme
HOW THE INITIATIVE WORKS
Before the support programme begins, two preliminary steps must be completed:
A) Document review - All submitted documents and information will be thoroughly checked for accuracy and completeness, including the Supervisor's Acceptance Letter and the Online Application Form.
B) Eligibility verification - The following supporting documents will be required:
- Digital copy of your PhD certificate (to verify a maximum of 8 years of research experience)
- Certificate of employment or residence (to comply with the Mobility Rule)
- Marriage certificate or equivalent document (if applicable, for the top-up allowance)
Once steps A) and B) are successfully completed, the proposal support programme begins according to the agreed schedule (see timeline above).
1) Part B1 - Section 1. Excellence (deadline: Jun, 01)
[Candidate with the support of the Supervisor(s)]
This is the most critical section, accounting for 50% of the overall evaluation score. Prepare it in close collaboration with your Supervisor(s) and apply the guidance provided by UPO's EU R&D Project Office. Submit this section to proyectosEU_OTRI@upo.es to receive detailed feedback with suggestions to strengthen this part of your proposal.
2) Part B1 - Sections: 2. Impact + Section: 3. Implementation (deadline: Jun, 11)
[Candidate with the support of the Supervisor(s)]
Submit both Section 2 (Impact) and Section 3 (Implementation) to proyectosEU_OTRI@upo.es following the same procedure. Tailored feedback will be provided for each section.
3) Part B1 + Part B2 - Full Draft (deadline: Jun, 25)
[Candidate with the support of the Supervisor(s)]
At this stage, Part B1 should be complete and revised. Make any final adjustments to polish the proposal as much as possible, then submit the full draft — including Part B2 — to proyectosEU_OTRI@upo.es. A comprehensive final review will be provided upon receipt.
4) The possibility of a proposal final draft review by a consulting firm (deadline: Jun, 29)
[Supervisor at UPO]
By completing Step 3, candidates will have a consolidated proposal draft ready to be further refined alongside their Supervisor(s) and colleagues during August and the opening days of September.
As a complementary measure, the Initiative offers the possibility of an expert review by an external consultancy firm. Supervisors interested in this option may request dedicated university funding through an internal call. This opportunity is exclusively available to candidates who have gone through the full proposal support programme.
