Postdoctoral Fellowships

Applicants must meet all the following conditions at the deadline of the call to be eligible for the program:

• Have completed a Ph.D. less than five years prior to application or be in the process of doing so within six months¹
• Demonstrate an intention to pursue research activities that clearly lead to results and impacts that have a scioe and potential applications in the North, and are consistent with Sentinel North’s research program and conceptual framework
• Be supervised by a Université Laval professor, or have concluded an agreement with a professor from Université Laval for the completion of the proposed postdoctoral fellowship
• Be supported by a team of researchers from different disciplines or have received a letter of invitation to join a multidisciplinary research team
• Provide proof of co-funding from the research supervisor or from other sources (private funds, foundations, etc.) to cover at least the costs of benefits for a postdoctoral fellow in order to meet the requirements of the collective agreement in effect².

This competition is open to all applicants interested in pursuing studies within Sentinel North’s research program with no citizenship or residency restrictions. Applicants whose research proposals are not covered by projects already funded by Sentinel North are eligible and encouraged to apply.

¹ The date on which the degree is considered to be obtained is the date on which all degree requirements have been met, which includes successful defense of the thesis and submission of the corrected version.

² At Université Laval, postdoctoral fellows funded by research projects are unionized and covered by a collective agreement. Under the collective agreement, benefits equivalent to approximately 20% of the salary paid must be added to the budget, as well as an annual 2% salary increase at the end of March each year.

No competition is currently open. Thank you!

No competition is currently open. Thank you!

Fellowship validity period

• A postdoctoral fellowship has a minimum term of six months and a maximum term of 24 months. A fellowship is awarded for the maximum duration of the validity period, subject to the presentation of annual progress reports deemed satisfactory by the Sentinel North evaluation committee and the recipient's research supervisor.
• The tenure of a fellowship begins on the date selected by the applicant, within eight months after the fellowship is awarded. For applicants who have already begun their postdoctoral fellowship at Université Laval, the tenure may begin on the date the Sentinel North fellowship is awarded. Applicants should, however, allow a few weeks for payment. Fellowships are not retroactive.
• The fellowship validity period can be extended up to 36 months under certain conditions (see Concurrent fellowships).
• The term of the award cannot extend beyond the deadline for which the Canada First Research Excellence Fund is funding Sentinel North.

Value of a postdoctoral fellowship and payment arrangements

• The maximum value of a Sentinel North postdoctoral fellowship is $40,000 per year. During the eligibility period, fellowship holders receive their fellowships in the form of a salary paid every two weeks according to the Université Laval payroll schedule. A fellowship holder may receive amounts  totaling $80,000 within the eligibility period.
• Fellows must pay administrative fees to Université Laval and the costs of health and hospitalization insurance for international students, if applicable. Tax deductions and union dues will also be withheld from each pay in accordance with the rules of the current collective agreement.

Required documents

• Fellowships are conditional to proof of registration at a full time postdoctoral internship at Université Laval.
• Fellowships are awarded on the condition that fellows obtain the required legal travel documents (visa, work permit, etc.), if applicable. Obtaining such documents is the sole responsibility of fellows.
• Fellowship payments will not be authorized without proof that the required legal documents have been obtained.

Change in project

• Fellowship holders must request permission from Sentinel North in writing prior to making any change to their project proposal. Sentinel North will verify whether the nature of the change affects the results of the evaluation the applicant received so that it can recommend whether their funding should be maintained.

Concurrent fellowships / Financial support

• Applicants who receive scholarships from a provincial or federal agency, or any other private sources, including universities, research chairs, consortiums, private, international, and foreign foundations, governments of other Canadian provinces, and foreign governments, and/or loans and bursaries from MÉES may combine such sources of support with a Sentinel North postdoctoral fellowship if permitted under the rules of concurrence of such bodies. However, the accumulation of a Sentinel North scholarship is not authorized with funds from the CFREF Program, including Sentinel North.
• Recipients of postdoctoral fellowships holding a major nominative award may also request the spread of Sentinel North’s financial support over a third year by making an agreement with the Sentinel North Administrative Centre, upon approval by their research supervisor and in accordance with the rules of the collective agreement in effect.

Compensation

• Fellowship holders may take a position that does not exceed 150 working hours per semester (equivalent to a period of four months or 15 weeks) provided that the research supervisors approve and such activities do not hinder their research program.
• The salary that a fellow receives from their director of studies to work solely on their research proposal is considered to be a fellowship that may be held concurrently until the authorized cumulative sum is reached.
• Applicants who are on paid sabbatical or educational leave that represents more than 50% of their base salary are not eligible. However, applicants who receive a deferred salary are not subject to this restriction.

Parental leave

• Postdoctoral fellows benefit from parental rights as described in their collective agreement. If they interrupt their research activities for the birth or adoption of a child, they may request parental leave under the terms and conditions of that agreement. The period of validity of the support offered by Sentinel North cannot, however, extend beyond the deadline for which Sentinel North is funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund.
• Individuals affected by this situation must notify the Sentinel North Administrative Centre as well as the administrative unit of the supervisor as soon as possible so that administrative steps can be taken.

Further details on the procedure for awarding fellowships

• The number of postdoctoral fellowships available is different for each competition. However, the selection committee reserves the right not to grant all available fellowships in the event that the number of available fellowships exceeds the number of applicants who meet the requirements of their programs.
• Fellowship holders must meet program conditions throughout the term of their fellowships to remain eligible.
• Applications presented by a supervising team where at least one member (research supervisor or co-supervisor) has not received research funds from Sentinel North are encouraged.
• The selection criteria and the specific program terms and conditions are subject to change from one competition to the next. In such cases, modifications will be duly posted at the start of each competition.