Open Call for Applications

The BIOMICS Women’s Leadership Pilot Programme is a career and leadership development initiative designed to support women postdoctoral researchers at GIMM in reflecting on their professional development, exploring career progression opportunities, strengthening their leadership potential, and preparing for positions of increased responsibility within science and research-related careers.

Developed within the framework of the BIOMICS Twinning project, the programme responds to the needs identified through the recent BIOMICS survey  on women’s leadership and career development at GIMM, including strategic career planning, confidence, negotiation, visibility and recognition, career progression, mentoring and access to professional guidance.

The pilot will bring together a maximum of 15 participants for an extended development journey combining individual reflection, peer learning, mentoring and leadership development.

1. Who can apply?

Applicants must:

• be women postdoctoral researchers at GIMM at the time of application;
• be expected to remain affiliated with GIMM until at least July 2027, covering the full duration of the programme;
• have an interest in their professional and career development; and
• be willing and available to actively participate in all programme activities throughout its duration, including the Onboarding day, individual mentoring, peer-support activities, and the closing and reflection session.

No previous formal leadership experience is required.

Eligibility is determined exclusively on the basis of the criteria listed above.

2. What does the programme include?

The programme will combine four complementary components:

• Individual self-assessment — Participants will reflect on their strengths, competencies, career interests, development priorities and professional goals through a guided self-assessment exercise during the programme Onboarding Day.
• Peer support — Participants will be organised into small peer groups of three. These groups will provide an informal space for reflection, exchange of experiences and mutual support throughout the programme.
• Individual mentoring — Each participant will be matched with an experienced professional from the BIOMICS mentor pool. Mentor–mentee pairs will be expected to meet at least four times over the six-month mentoring period, with the possibility of meeting more frequently if mutually agreed. Meeting dates, frequency and format will be agreed directly between each mentor and mentee, according to their availability and the mentee’s career goals and development needs.
• Leadership development — The programme will provide opportunities to strengthen leadership-related competencies through reflection, mentoring and dedicated development activities.

3. Indicative timeline

Open Call	30 September – 30 October 2026
Evaluation and selection	2 – 13 November 2026
Selected participants notified	18 November 2026
Onboarding Day	December 2026 – date TBC
Mentor–mentee matching	December 2026 – date TBC
Six-month mentoring & peer-support cycle	January–June 2027
Closing & Reflection	July 2027 – date TBC

Final dates will be communicated to selected participants.

4. Meet the Mentors and Mentor-Mentee matching

During the programme Onboarding Day, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the professional journeys, expertise and mentoring interests of the confirmed mentors.

Following the Onboarding Day, participants will be invited to identify up to three preferred mentors, ranked in order of preference, within a defined timeline, and briefly explain their choices. 

The Organising Committee will consider participants’ preferences alongside their career goals and development needs, mentor expertise, availability and mentoring capacity when establishing the final matches.

While every effort will be made to accommodate individual preferences, a specific mentor cannot be guaranteed.

5. What is expected from participants?

The programme is designed as an active development experience. Selected participants will therefore be expected to:

• attend the programme Onboarding Day;
• actively participate in the individual self-assessment and peer-reflection activities;
• participate in at least four individual mentoring meetings over the six-month mentoring period, with additional meetings possible if mutually agreed between mentor and mentee;
• participate in at least four peer-group meetings over the six-month period, scheduled independently by each peer group;
• engage with the programme’s light-touch monitoring and evaluation activities; and
• attend the Closing and Reflection Session.

Meeting dates and times will be agreed directly between mentor–mentee pairs and, separately, among peer-group members, allowing flexibility according to participants’ availability.

By applying to the programme, applicants acknowledge the expected level of commitment and confirm their availability to actively participate throughout the programme.

Mentoring discussions will remain confidential. Monitoring activities will focus on programme implementation and participant experience and will not require disclosure of confidential discussions between mentors and mentees.

6. How to apply

Applicants must complete the BIOMICS Women’s Leadership Pilot Programme Application Form and submit a motivation letter.

Applications must be submitted by 23:59 (Lisbon time) on 30 October 2026 through the online Application Form.

The motivation letter should be no longer than one A4 page (Arial 11 pt, 1.2 line spacing) and should address:

• the applicant’s motivation to participate in the programme;
• their current career aspirations, questions or development priorities;
• what they hope to gain from participating in the programme; and
• how mentoring and peer-support could contribute to their professional development.

Incomplete applications or applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

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Guide for Applicants

Before submitting your application, please read the BIOMICS Women’s Leadership Pilot Programme – Guide for Applicants, which provides detailed information on eligibility, participation requirements, the application and selection process, mentor–mentee matching, and the programme timeline.

→ Download the Guide for Applicants [PDF]

7. Selection process

Applications will first undergo an eligibility check based on the requirements described in this Open Call.

Eligible applications will then be reviewed by the Programme Organising Committee and the BIOMICS General Assembly according to predefined evaluation criteria.

The assessment will consider:

• motivation for participating in the programme;
• clarity of career-development interests and/or needs;
• expected benefit from participation;a
• lignment with the programme’s objectives; and
• demonstrated willingness to commit to the programme activities.

Selection will be based on an overall qualitative assessment of the application and motivation letter. Eligible applicants will be selected where their application demonstrates sufficiently strong motivation for participation, clear potential to benefit from the programme, and an appropriate level of commitment to its activities.

Meeting the eligibility requirements alone does not guarantee selection.

Where the number of suitable applications exceeds the number of available places, applications will be compared based on the evaluation criteria above to determine the final cohort.

The selection process will also seek, where possible, to establish a cohort representing a diversity of career experiences, aspirations and development needs.

A maximum of 15 participants will be selected.

All applicants will be informed of the outcome of the selection process by 18 November 2026.

8. Programme language

The working language of the programme will be English. Participants should therefore be comfortable participating in mentoring, peer-support and programme activities in English.

 9. Participation costs

Participation in the BIOMICS Women’s Leadership Pilot Programme is free of charge for selected participants. For the Onboarding Day, lunch, snacks and refreshments will be provided. No formal coffee breaks are planned; refreshments will remain available throughout the day, and participants will be free to take short breaks as needed.

Questions?

For questions regarding the programme or application process, please contact: biomics@gimm.pt