Are you an early career researcher who wishes to lead and manage an independent project at a Swiss higher education institution? This call is for you! Ambizione supports postdocs from all disciplines with 1 to 4 years of experience after their PhD, helping them consolidate their scientific career.

At the call deadline
• Max. 4 years since PhD + min. 12 months of postdoc, or max. 9 years since medical degree (MD) + min. 3 years clinical work.
• NEW: be CH national, or hold CH degree, or min. 12 months of research/clinical work at a CH research institution after PhD/MD.
• You can resubmit once

Internal and external candidates must submit their candidature to servizio.ricerca@usi.ch by 28.08:
• Eligibility form
• CV + publication list
• Motivation letter
• Letter of support from host professor (NEW: host professors can only support 1 applicant per call).
The procedure lasts approx. 1 month

The grant covers the grantee’s salary for a max. 4 years, along with project-related costs of up to CHF 250’000. These costs may include a 1-year research stay abroad, participation in conferences, and personnel (e.g. technicians or scientific collaborators, but not PhDs or postdocs).

After ‘26, Ambizione will be discontinued and replaced by a new funding scheme combined with Postdoc.Mobility. The instrument, to be launched in early ‘28, will enable researchers to lead a project at a CH institution while developing international collaborations and conducting research stays abroad

Curious to see what projects have been funded at USI or in your discipline? Check out the SNSF grant database!

Candidates without “Swiss link” (who are not CH national, or do not hold CH degree, or do not have min. 12 months of research/clinical work in CH after PhD/MD) are not eligible for Ambizione, but can apply for a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship.