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Carl Zeiss Foundation – CZS Nexus 2025

Funding for postdocs from STEM fields – interdisciplinary research groups! // Deadline for preproposals: 15.10.2024

The purpose of the CZS Nexus programme is to support young scientists on their path to an academic career. To this end, the Carl Zeiss Foundation offers postdoctoral researchers the opportunity to establish their own interdisciplinary research group. The prerequisite is that the research project is located at the interface between two or more disciplines in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The research project must also be related to one or more of the foundation's focus topics of "Artificial Intelligence", "ResourceEfficiency" or "Life Science Technologies". Please find the details of the call in the guidelines.

  • Eligibility: Postdoctoral researchers who completed their doctorate no more than 4 years ago and who are planning to establish their own research group at a host institution in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate or Thuringia 
  • Funding period: 5 to 6 years (projects must start between 1 October 2025 and 1 February 2026)
  • Budget: up to 1,5 million Euros for the position of the research group leader (mandatory), personnel and material costs as well as equipment plus 20% overhead of the total grant sum

It is a two-step application process. With the preproposal (step one) a letter of the support from the host institution is required (among other attachments). You can use the template provided below "Downloads & Links" on the right side. The letter for this step is to be signed by the department or Cluster of Excellence at which your research group will be hosted.

Deadline for preproposals is 15 October 2024. The preproposal together with all required attachments has be submitted online via the foundation's application portal. It is necessary to register beforehand in order to be able to submit your proposal. Please find the link to the application portal on the foundation's website. (Pre)Proposals can be submitted in German or English.

If you have any questions and if your project has been selected for the second step of the application process, please contact Annett Giebelhausen.