Online application form: https://fondazionemach.ilmiotest.it/

Online payment portal: https://www.eventbrite.it/e/recruitment-notice-tickets-1990372251985?aff=oddtdtcreator

Maximum number of candidates on the list: 200.

The Research and Innovation Centre offers approximately 30 fixed-term positions per year depending on funding, project requirements and organizational needs.

Researchers: are expected to advance knowledge in their scientific discipline by carrying out basic and/or applied research, publishing scientific results, and applying for competitive funding.

Technologists: are generally responsible for designing, developing and managing complex laboratory protocols, data analyses, technological infrastructures/facilities, workflows or databases necessary for research activities, thereby providing strategic and advanced support.

Level IV: The fourth level Researcher/Technologist position is for staff with a Master Degree or equivalent, at the start of their scientific career, classified at the European level as a “First Stage Researcher”.

Level III: The third level Researcher/Technologist position is for staff with considerable research experience and scientific autonomy holding a PhD, classified at the European level as a “Recognized Researcher”. 

1. English Language: minimum B2 level, assessed during the pre-selection online test, and, for shortlisted candidates, during an interview that will be conducted entirely in English.

2. Fourth level access:

- At least a four-year degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in fields relevant to the Research and Innovation Centre.

3. Third level access: 

- A PhD in fields relevant to the Research and Innovation Centre.

Candidates must declare that:

• they meet the requirements specified in the notice;
• they do not have grounds for incompatibility as defined by Italian law, and do not have any conflict of interests regarding employment by the Fondazione E. Mach;
• they have not been convicted of any criminal offences and are not subject to any measures arising from the application of preventive measures, civil judgments or administrative orders; that is, that they do not have a criminal record;
• the declarations made in the application/curriculum vitae are accurate and that they undertake to notify Fondazione E. Mach of any subsequent changes. 

The following individuals are excluded from participating in the selection process:

• those who have already held fixed-term contracts with the Foundation as a third-level Researcher/Technologist for a duration of 36 months;
• those who have already held fixed-term contracts with the Foundation as a fourth-level Researcher/Technologist for a duration of 36 months and do not hold a PhD.

The application form includes a specific section where you must declare your length of service with the Fondazione E. Mach.

Staff members employed at the Research and Innovation Centre may be involved in some or all of the following:

• Designing, conducting, and coordinating (only for third-level Researcher and Technologist positions) scientific research projects and activities.
• Supporting the training of students and early-career researchers (only for third-level Researcher and Technologist positions).
• Managing experiments and data collection in the laboratory and in the field.
• Analyzing experimental data and modeling.
• Publishing scientific results in international scientific journals, drafting technical reports, and preparing conference presentations.
• Collaborating with national and international partners and participating in competitive research projects.
• Supporting the drafting of project proposals and the scientific reporting of projects.

Roles by area:

Agrosystems and Bioeconomy

• Designing and conducting research on sustainable agricultural systems, crop production and plant breeding.
• Contributing to the development of technologies and protocols for crop genomics, digital agriculture, automation, and precision farming.
• Analyzing and optimising agricultural supply chains with a focus on sustainability.
• Coordinating field trials and supporting research at the experimental farm.

Biodiversity, Ecology, and the Environment

• Designing and conducting research on forest, alpine, aquatic, and agro-environmental species and ecosystems.
• Contributing to the development of technologies and protocols for remote-sensing, genetics and genomics, and movement ecology.
• Analysing the impact of climate and anthropogenic changes on plant, animal and microorganism biodiversity (including species and genetic diversity), behaviour, physiology, and ecosystem function.

Food and Nutrition

• Designing and conducting research on food quality, traceability, and safety.
• Contributing to the development of technologies and protocols for metabolomic and physico-chemical analyses of food matrices;
• Assessment of the sensory and nutritional properties of food products. 

Keywords

(applicant’s  fields of interest or experience) 

Online test to draw up a list of successful candidates:

A remote digital test will be administered by our external partner SELEXI , a leading provider in the field of personnel selection. 

Candidates who pass this test, achieving at least the required minimum scores for each Section, will be included in a list of successful candidates, ranked in descending order of combined final score, up to a maximum of 200 people or, in any case, until the number of candidates meeting the specified criteria is exhausted if fewer than 200. Candidates tied for 200th place will all be included in the list of qualified candidates.  The list of qualified candidates will be made available to the Research and Innovation Centre, and does not constitute a right or guarantee of employment.

Assessment interview, in person or via videoconference, to rank suitable candidates for a specific position:

The recruitment of a member of staff from the list of qualified candidates for a newly funded position, will take place via an interview with a dedicated committee. To identify the candidates to be invited for interview, the Committee will select the most appropriate candidates from the list, based on the test scores of the profiles most relevant to the available position. Following the interview a ranking will be drawn up for the specific position, and hiring will follow. 

The online test consists of multiple-choice questions in English and is divided into two sections:

1. Section 1: Verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning, basic knowledge of statistics and digital skills (maximum 70 points);
2. Section 2: Test of  specialist knowledge in the fields of either Agrosystems and Bioeconomy, or Biodiversity, Ecology and the Environment, or Food and Nutrition (maximum 30 points). Candidates may choose only one field of interest.

The candidates will receive a ‘pass’ if they achieve a score of at least 35 points in Section 1, and a score of at least 10 points in Section 2; therefore an overall score of at least 45 points. Candidates who pass the test will be included on the list of qualified candidates, which will remain valid for two years.

In addition, only candidates holding a PhD who have achieved an overall score of at least 65/100 in the admission test may be selected for third-level Researcher/Technologist positions, subject to an interview.

The interview procedure and the topics to be covered will be communicated to the shortlisted candidates as indicated in the section ‘Selection Procedure’, and will vary in relation to the position available within the Foundation. Candidates will be given at least 10 days’ notice.

The interview, which will be conducted in English, is designed to assess the candidate’s knowledge, as well as their skills and aptitudes, in relation to the duties they will be required to perform.

After interviewing the candidates, the Selection Committee will draw up summary assessments and produce a final merit-based ranking.

Language skills

according to the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR):

Level of proficiency and methods of assessment

Knowledge of English (minimum level B2) will be assessed in the online test and also during any subsequent interview, which will be conducted in English.

To understand the required proficiency levels, please consult the dedicated page on the EUROPASS website:

https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages

Failure to demonstrate English language proficiency at a level corresponding to B2, either during the online test phase or during the interview, will result in exclusion from the selection process.

All the specified requirements and qualifications must be met by the deadline for submitting applications, as well as by the date of recruitment or appointment. Candidates are required, in all cases, to promptly notify FEM of any changes to the information provided in their application.

Failure to meet the specific and general requirements will result in exclusion from the selection process. The Foundation reserves the right to verify the aforementioned requirements and may, at any time, exclude from the selection process any candidates who do not meet the prescribed requirements.

Should any inconsistencies, doubts or uncertainties arise from the declarations, the Foundation reserves the right to request clarifications and documents to be submitted by the deadline set by the Foundation itself.

The assessment of whether the specific and general requirements for admission to the test are met is based exclusively on the information provided in the online application form.

All communications to candidates will be sent by email to the address provided on the online application.

Candidates must present a valid photo ID, or have sent a copy in advance if the tests are conducted remotely via videoconference. Failure to attend the test venue or the remote videoconference link, or late arrival not accepted by the Selection Committee, will result in exclusion from the selection process.

• Invitation to the test:

A few days before the online test, SELEXI will send an email with detailed instructions regarding the steps for attending the online test.

●     Invitation to the interview - for shortlisted candidates only:

The Fondazione E. Mach will send an invitation by email with at least 10 days’ notice. 

Alphanumeric code of the National Collective Labor Agreement (CNEL code): “CDIV”.

Depending on the candidate’s profile, qualifications, test results and interview performance, contracts will be offered in accordance with the CCPL Collective Labour Agreement for Research Foundation Staff

(https://trasparenza.fmach.it/Amministrazione-Trasparente/Personale/Contrattazione-collettiva/CCPL-Personale-Fondazioni-di-Ricerca ) at the level of Fourth-Level Researcher/Technologist, with a current gross annual salary of €41,245.00; or as a third-level Researcher/Technologist, with a current gross annual salary of €47,182.01.

Applications must be received by 11:59 CET (just before midday) on July 21, 2026.

The selection process will be completed by January 21, 2027.

Under penalty of exclusion, candidates must submit their application for this selection procedure exclusively by electronic means through the Portal https://fondazionemach.ilmiotest.it/ , by completing the relevant application form, following registration on the same Portal using their credentials.

No other method of completing or submitting the application for participation in the selection procedure will be accepted. The application submission deadline is mandatory and final. The date of submission of the application for participation in this selection procedure will be certified by a specific receipt, downloadable at the end of the submission process from the Portal. Once the final deadline for submission has expired, it will no longer be possible to submit the application. Until the application deadline, the online system will allow candidates to modify the information entered in the application. For the purposes of participation in the selection procedure, in the event of multiple submissions, only the application submitted most recently in chronological order will be considered valid, with all previous submissions deemed revoked and without effect. For technical assistance regarding the online application procedure, candidates may contact the secretariat and technical support service at convocazioni@ilmiotest.it.

Requests submitted through methods other than those indicated above will not be taken into consideration. Candidates are advised not to submit their application close to the deadline, in order to avoid system overloads, for which the Foundation does not take responsibility. Please note that technical assistance provided by operators will only be guaranteed until 11:00 a.m. on the closing day for application submissions.

Together with the application form, candidates are required to attach: 

• a professional curriculum vitae;
• the payment receipt;
• copy of a valid ID document/passport.

To participate in this selection procedure, candidates are required to pay a non-refundable administrative and secretarial fee of € 30:

• The fee must be paid in full prior to submitting the application;
• Payments must be made through the designated online payment portal: https://www.eventbrite.it/e/recruitment-notice-tickets-1990372251985?aff=oddtdtcreator ;
• Candidates must attach the payment receipt issued by the portal to their online application form. Applications submitted without the attached payment receipt will be considered incomplete and will not be processed.

For the correct administration of the online test, the following minimum requirements are necessary: 

1. A PC (Windows 8 or later, or LINUX) or a MAC (MAC-OS 10.14 or later) equipped with a webcam and microphone, with 

• the latest version of Google Chrome as the browser. Company devices may not guarantee full compliance with this requirement and, therefore, are  not recommended;
• an Internet connection with a minimum upload and download speed of 1.5 Mbps will be needed. 

2. A smartphone or tablet (Android min. v.8 – iOS min. v.15.8) capable of accessing the Google Play Store (for Android) or the Apple Store (for iOS), equipped with a webcam, and suitable for installing a support application (ProctorExam, 34 MB) connected to the electronic exam environment. Please note that many Xiaomi and Huawei devices do not support the ProctorExam application required to take the exam.

Access to the online test is subject to the successful completion of a system check, which will be scheduled by SELEXI in the days prior to the exam. At that time, candidates will be required to carry out a verification session of the equipment and Internet connectivity available in the exam environment;

N.B. Tablets may be used ONLY as a replacement for the smartphone, not for the PC (or Mac). For further specifications regarding the remote examination procedure, please refer to attachment “Supplementary regulations for the administration of the Computer-Based Test at Home ” available also in the webpage of the call.

The results of the test will be communicated as follows:

• Publication of a list of only those candidates admitted to the next stage, in anonymous form and identified by a code, on the webpage dedicated to this recruitment notice;
• Notification to all candidates, whether admitted or not, at the end of the test procedure, sent individually by email (NOT certified email), to the contact details used for submitting the application;

The outcome of the interview and the final merit ranking for each position will be communicated via:

• Publication of only those candidates deemed suitable on the webpage dedicated to this recruitment notice, in order of merit and indicating their surname and first name;
• Candidates, whether successful or unsuccessful, will be informed at the end of the selection process individually via email (NOT certified email), using the contact details provided when submitting their application.

The publication of a candidate’s name on the list of eligible candidates following the interview does not fall within the candidate’s right to privacy; therefore, the candidate may not request to be removed from the aforementioned list.