CALL FOR APPLICATION n° 431/2024 - "Spatial Communication and Ageing across LAnguages”

A public selection is announced, by qualifications and interview, for the awarding of n. 2 Grants for carrying out research activities at the Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione of CNR (at the  University of Firenze), under the scientific responsibility of dr. Olga Capirci  within the project HORIZON-MSCA-2023-DN-01– Grant Agreement n. 101169131 for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (MSCA DN) titledo “Spatial Communication and Ageing across LAnguages” (Acronym “SCALA”), CUP B53C24004390006  for the following topics:

Topic 1 / DC2 “Spatial communication in Sign Languages in Typical Ageing”

Topic 2/ DC3 “Understanding the relative importance of pointing, eye gaze and language in object reference in spoken and sign languages in older adults”

Eligibility Criteria

Those who hold one of the following degrees at the deadline of the call may apply for the competition, without age or citizenship limits:

1. master's degree obtained in accordance with Ministerial Decree 270/2004;
2. master's degree obtained in accordance with Ministerial Decree 509/1999;
3. degree obtained under the educational systems prior to Ministerial Decree 509/1999, the legal course of which has a duration of at least four years;
4. second-level academic degree awarded by institutions that are part of the AFAM (High Artistic and Musical Education) sector;
5. academic degree from foreign universities equivalent to the Italian degree required for access

f) The position is open to candidates (of any nationality) who meet the requirements for Doctoral Candidates (DC) funded by Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). An equal opportunities policy will be applied without distinctions on the basis of gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.

g) Funded researchers must be Doctoral Candidates (DC), i.e. not in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of recruitment. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but have not yet formally obtained the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.

h) Researchers are required to undertake transnational mobility (i.e. to move from one country to another) at the time of taking up the position.

i) At the time of selection by the host organisation, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Italy, the country of the host organisation, for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately preceding recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into consideration.

j) Excellent knowledge of written English.

Preferred qualifications:

a) basic knowledge of a Sign Language;

b) experience in transcribing, coding and analyzing data related to gestures and/or Sign Language;

c) experience in using video transcription software (e.g. ELAN);

d) experience in statistical analysis and in the use of dedicated software (e.g. R)

The research grant cannot be combined with scholarships awarded for any reason by the CNR or by other research bodies and institutions, except those granted by the CNR or national or foreign institutions useful for integrating the research activity of the research fellows with trips abroad. Holders of research fellowships can attend research doctorate courses that do not give rise to scholarships. CNR employees with permanent or fixed-term contracts cannot be holders of research grants, permanent staff working for other subjects as per art. 22, paragraph 1, of the aforementioned law no. 240/2010 and involves the unpaid placement for the contractor / employee in service with public administrations. According to the art. 22, paragraph 3, of the aforementioned law, the entitlement to the grant is not compatible with participation in degree courses, specialist degrees or master's degrees, research doctorates with scholarships or medical specialization, in Italy or abroad.

Applicants with foreign academic degrees (equivalent to a master's degree) may apply for admission by attaching the qualifications obtained, accompanied by their translation into Italian or English. Such candidates are admitted to the competition with reservation and will be excluded from the competition, or, if they pass it, from the doctoral program in which they are enrolled if it turns out, upon verification, that the degree does not comply with the requirements of this notice and does not, therefore, permit enrolment in the doctoral program.

By the beginning of the PhD Course, however, the translated degrees, legalized in Italian and accompanied by a "Dichiarazione di valore in loco" (declaration of value) issued by the competent Italian Representations of the country in which the degree was obtained, or else the Statements of comparability and verification of the foreign university degree  issued by the ENIC-NARIC center in Italy (CIMEA) containing all the information required to evaluate the degree, must be delivered to the Doctoral Office together with the application form. For academic qualifications obtained in a country of the European Union, a diploma supplement is sufficient.

For the purpose of entry into Italy, citizens of non-EU states residing abroad must register on the Universitaly portal and apply for an entry visa (type D postgraduate visa) at the appropriate Italian Embassy or Consulate.