National Researchers

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Eligible applicants

• Researchers who have received a Research Scholar Award or a Clinical Research Scholar Award from the FRSQ or from a health-care research granting organization recognized by the FRSQ for a maximum of 13 years and still hold the award at the time of submission.

  This program is intended exclusively for research scientists in the final year of a Senior Research Scholar award from the FRSQ or an equivalent award from a granting organization recognized by the FRSQ.

• Canadian citizens or permanent residents (as defined in section 1.1. of the Common Rules and Regulations) domiciled in Québec for at least three years as of the submission deadline for this award.

Not eligible:

• Directors or associate scientific directors of research centres funded by the FRSQ or senior managers in university-level teaching institutions (unless permission in writing has been obtained from the FRSQ)

Terms and conditions

• Must be recognized by the FRSQ as an independent researcher.
• Must devote at least 75% or 50% of his or her working hours to research, depending on whether the applicant holds a Research Scholar or Clinical Research Scholar Award.

Basic training in research ethics

Basic training in research ethics is compulsory for all FRSQ awardees when their research project involves human subjects.

The term "research project involving human subjects" applies when the research project involves:

• living human subjects
• cadavers, human remains, tissues, biological fluids, gametes, embryos or fetuses, cells or genetic materials
• personal information on file. Personal information is defined as information that enables a person to be identified.

This basic training consists of successful completion of Levels 1 and 3 of the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux On-line Tutorial in Research Ethics.

Awardees must complete this basic training within a year of receipt of a positive response concerning the FRSQ award.

In addition, career researchers must attend a Research Ethics Board (REB) meeting as observers. The REB must be affiliated with a university or with an institution within the health and social services network. Participation must occur within two years of receipt of a positive response concerning the FRSQ award.

RESEARCH LOCATION

Choice of research location

• at an FRSQ group or centre, an institution administered by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) or a Québec university

  Applicants may conduct their research outside the MSSS network or outside the FRSQ network of research centres if they belong to a team or laboratory working on health-care issues recognized by the FRSQ.

• in an industrial setting

  An agreement may be signed between the FRSQ, the host company and a university, depending on the applicant's particular case. Under such an agreement, the applicant will conduct an innovative research program and train graduate students.

Change of research location

The FRSQ presumes that the Research Scholar will work at the institution or university that approved his or her application throughout the award period.

Awardees wishing to change their research location must send the FRSQ a written request detailing the reasons for the change and describing how it could affect their research project.

University authorities must give the FRSQ written notice that they have approved the change.

The director of the new research centre or university department must give the FRSQ written notice that he/she agrees to host the applicant.

DURATION OF AWARD

Effective starting date

Between July 1 and September 30, 2012

Duration

4 years, non-renewable

Parental leave

Awardees are entitled to take parental leave (maternity, paternity or adoption leave).

The award may be deferred for a maximum of two years.

The awardee must give the FRSQ written notice of his/her intention to take parental leave.

Sabbatical leave

Research Scholars will receive their full stipend during a sabbatical year as long as they meet the following requirements:

• Send the FRSQ a request for a sabbatical of up to 12 months
• Send the FRSQ a complementary training program or program of activities that will advance the research project
• The program must be accepted in writing by the FRSQ at least 60 days before the starting date of the sabbatical.
• Send the FRSQ a copy of the sabbatical approval signed by the university authorities or by the administrators of the institution where he/she works.
• If applicable, send the FRSQ official notice that the laboratory has agreed to host the Research Scholar.

Sick leave

The awardee may defer the award in case of serious illness (his or her own or the illness of a close family member) upon presentation of a medical certificate that includes the precise length of leave prescribed by the physician. Payments will be suspended during that period.

AMOUNT OF AWARD

Amount

From $30,000 / year

This amount must be supplemented by the university (see University authorities’ agreement).

Training grant

In addition, the FRSQ will fund a training grant of $20, 000/year for 3 years to support a doctoral student or to support a candidate at the postdoctoral level. The FRSQ scales for the remuneration of a postdoctoral fellow must be adhered to. An award of $30,000/year will have $20,000 coming from the FRSQ and $10,000 from the researcher's own research funds.

The student will be chosen by the researcher, but must meet FRSQ criteria for excellence.

The training grant may be used at any time during the four-year term of the National Researcher Award.

OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME

Concurrent funding

See Common Rules and Regulations, art. 6.13

REVIEW

Process

All applications are reviewed by a peer-review committee made up of members representing various health disciplines and research methodologies and recognized for their expertise in recruiting high-level researchers.

Criteria

The specific evaluation criteria applicable to national researchers are listed in the following grid:

• National researchers (in French)

AWARDEE'S AGREEMENT

 

In accepting this award, the awardee agrees to observe the Common Rules and Regulations, the Policy regarding open access to published research outputs as well as the terms and conditions stipulated in this program description.

The award will be revoked if the awardee fails to observe these rules.

The awardee must notify the FRSQ of his/her acceptance of the award within 30 days of receiving the offer.

Failure to give notice of acceptance will be regarded as refusal of the award.

UNIVERSITY AUTHORITIES' AGREEMENT

Approval

Universities approve applications and assume the responsibilities listed below jointly with the heads of the department with which the applicant is affiliated and the research centre where the research will be conducted (if applicable).

Salary supplement

• University authorities supporting an application for a Research Scholar must ensure that the applicant will receive a salary supplement equal to the difference between the award and the remuneration that the applicant would receive from the university as a full-time professor, to the satisfaction of the FRSQ.

  Should the applicant have a mixed affiliation involving a company, the university and the partner must jointly endorse the Research Scholar's application.

  Under such circumstances, the partners must ensure that the applicant will receive a salary supplement equal to the difference between the award and the remuneration that the applicant would receive from the university or from the partner as a full-time professor or employee. A protocol of agreement must be signed with the FRSQ to cover this partnership.

Confirmation of position

Upon expiry of the award and if not already done, the university undertakes to appoint the researcher to a regular position with tenure.

Benefits and laboratory or research premises

The applicant must be eligible to join the pension plan and enjoy other benefits available to full-time staff working at the university. These obligations imply that the researcher's salary will be administered by the university even if he or she works at a research centre.

The host institution agrees to provide the functional laboratory or research premises and basic equipment the applicant requires for research purposes.

Protection of research time

The university and hospital authorities must jointly ensure that:

• the applicant Clinical research scholars is released from his or her clinical duties in order to meet the obligation to spend 50% of his or her working hours on research. The applicant must also have access, if applicable, to outpatient clinical premises and a sufficient number of beds to complete the clinical research project
• To enable them to fulfill the obligation to spend 75% of their professional time on research, the Research Scholars who apply must be freed from their administrative and teaching duties accordingly.

IMPORTANT MODIFICATIONS SINCE LAST COMPETITION

 

• Required documents
• Evaluation grid now available in the toolbox.

Updated: 04-07-2011