One of the primary aims of the Croatian Science Foundation is strengthening the capacities in the Croatian science system. In accordance with this, special emphasis is placed on employing young researchers, primarily doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers. In order to ensure and stimulate the development of new positions for young researchers in scientific organizations in Croatia, the Foundation promotes employment through several of its programmes (calls); moreover, we developed a special programme for funding career development of young researchers – “Young Researchers’ Career Development Project – Training New Doctoral Students”.

Principal Investigators of Installation Research Project can employ a doctoral student for the period of four years as well as a postdoctoral researcher (depending on the specific Call). Principal Investigators of Research Projects may cover the tuition fee for the employed doctoral student for a three-year period and employ a postdoctoral researcher for two years maximum (depending on the specific Call). In addition, Principal Investigators financed within the two programmes above may also include a doctoral student recruited through the “Young Researchers’ Career Development Project – Training New Doctoral Students”.

Possibilities and terms for employing doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers are defined in the calls to which the Principal Investigators are submitting their calls. Apart from Installation Research Projects and Research Projects and the Young Researchers’ Career Development Project, recruitment is possible within some of the Foundation’s other programmes, such as collaboration or bilateral programmes, depending on the terms and conditions of specific calls.

When employing doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers to project (co-)funded by HRZZ, the Principal Investigators are obliged, as soon as possible and in writing, to notify the Foundation that young researchers have been employed or to ask for its approval.

The recruitment of associates to the Foundation’s projects should be implemented pursuant to the Act on Scientific Activity and Higher Education and other acts and according to coefficients in force in the recruiting organization. When applying to the Foundation’s open call, the Principal Investigator shall propose the desired candidate’s profile, while the selected doctoral student or postdoctoral researcher should meet the competencies described and evaluated in the application documents.

Persons whose salaries are financed from project funds should be employed at the institution employing the Principal Investigator, i.e. their employment contract should be concluded with the said organization.

Before concluding an employment contract, the Principal Investigator is obliged to deliver the application documents to the Foundation and obtain its approval.

The employment contract may be concluded only after receiving written approval by the Foundation.