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Emerging Investigator Awards (EIA) 2024

The Emerging Investigator Awards (EIA) scheme supports talented individuals who can make a valuable contribution to knowledge in health research and who are capable of becoming independent and self-directed investigators. The Health Research Board (HRB) is specifically seeking individuals who are passionate about the application of knowledge in improving healthcare systems, policies, or practice.

Details of this scheme

The main objectives of this scheme are to:

  1. Support talented individuals at a critical career transition stage to establish themselves as independent health investigators in an academic or other research-based institution.
  2. Develop collaborative researchers who can facilitate actionable knowledge by:
    a.    Translating knowledge generated through research into the health care system, policies or practice
    Or
    b.    Generating research findings informed by policy and practice.

The call will be open to individuals currently working in health disciplines and those outside health who have an interest in moving into health research. It is open to individuals based in Ireland and also those not currently working in Ireland but who have the support of a HRB-approved host institution in Ireland.

Who can apply?

Lead Applicants eligible for this scheme are postdoctoral researchers from different disciplines who are engaged in health-related research activities typically in academic or other research institutions. This scheme targets individuals who have already consolidated their research knowledge, skills, methodologies, and capabilities, through a period of mentored postdoctoral research, and are currently progressing them by increasing or establishing strong national, international and/or cross-disciplinary and/or cross-sectoral collaborations and networks and are ready to transition towards becoming independent researchers.

Health and social care practitioners engaged in delivering clinical practice should apply to the Emerging Clinician Scientist Awards 2024.

Lead Applicants can be:

  • Working in Ireland.
  • Working overseas.
  • On a career break.

Lead Applicants must:meet all of the following criteria:

  • Have a PhD or have been granted PhD equivalent research experience by the HRB (at least four years of ‘fulltime’  research experience post-primary degree).
  • Have at least four years active post PhD (or equivalent) research experience. For the purposes of this call the official date of a PhD is defined as the year that the dissertation was successfully defended.
  • Be able demonstrate they have the skills, knowledge and supports necessary to direct the proposed research and to carry the research through to completion.

Lead Applicants must not

  • If employed in the Republic of Ireland
    • Hold a permanent position (academic).
    • Hold a fixed-term position (academic) with a contracted end date equal to or later than two years from the deadline of this call (14 September 2023).
      Please note that fixed term postdoctoral or other research-based positions are eligible.
  • Be as yet recognised as an independent investigator.

How to apply

All applications must be submitted using the HRB Grant Electronic Management System (GEMS) https://grants.hrb.ie. GEMS will close automatically at the submission deadline.

The Emerging Investigator Awards for Health scheme will use a two-stage application process consisting of:

  1. An open call for Pre-applications (Stage 1).
  2. Invitation of selected applicants to submit a Full Application (Stage 2).

The application must have been reviewed and approved by the signatory approver at the research office (or equivalent) in the host institution before it is submitted to the HRB. Therefore, applicants should ensure that they give the signatory approver sufficient time before the scheme closing date to review the application and approve it on GEMS. Please note that many host institutions specify internal deadlines for this procedure.

Apply for this award

Contact us

Dr Brian Nolan

Email: EIA@hrb.ie
Tel: +353 1 234 5108

Funding Available

Salary of the Lead Applicant up to a maximum equal to Level 3.4 on the IUA salary scale,  research-related costs up to a maximum of €300K, and overheads.