Official research staff of the scales of the Public Research Agencies

For access to the official research staff of the scales of the Public Research Agencies (OPI), the title of doctor or equivalent is necessary.

Spanish persons, nationals of the European Union, and their spouses, foreign persons included in the scope of international treaties concluded by the European Union, or foreigners who are regularly in Spanish territory, may participate at the time of the appointment or signing of the contract. The tests may be held in English for foreign persons.

The selective system is the competition based on the evaluation of the curriculum of the research staff: merits contributed related to the research activity, experimental development, knowledge transfer and innovation, as well as the adaptation of the competences and capacities of the candidacies to the characteristics of the positions.

The selection bodies will be composed mainly of personnel not belonging to the same IPO of the workplace. Those persons, Spanish or foreign, whether or not they have a service relationship with the Public Research Agency and regardless of the type of relationship, who may be considered professionals of recognized prestige in research, experimental development, knowledge transfer or innovation in the field in question, may be part of these bodies.

• Holder Scientific Personnel Scale (R3). Functions that include scientific or technological research activities.
• Scientific Research Personnel Scale (R4). High-level functions, within the various activities that constitute the specific purpose of the Agency.
• Research Faculty Scale (R4). Functions of special demand and responsibility, within the different activities that constitute the specific purpose of the Agency, with its own research work of singular relevance.

Evaluation by investigative merits (quinquenniums)

For activities and tasks carried out in the fields of research, technological development, direction, management and knowledge transfer in the IPAs during periods of five years.

The research staff can request its evaluation when the call comes out at the end of each year.

The favourable outcome of this assessment has an effect on remuneration, determining the amount of the specific complement component called the “investigative merit component”. In no case can it exceed the amount corresponding to the result of successfully exceeding six evaluations.

This evaluation takes into account the activities and tasks carried out in the fields of research, technological development, direction, management and knowledge transfer.

The Evaluation Commission of the Performance of the Scientific-Technological Activity is the collegiate body attached to the General Secretariat of Research, created by Royal Decree 310/2019, of April 26, whose main purpose is the evaluation of the performance of the scientific-technological activity developed by the official research staff of the OPI.

The Commission seeks the advice of members of the scientific community through advisory committees. The proposal of members of the advisory committees is made by the President of the Commission, after hearing the persons in charge of the IPOs, among official research personnel who have been accredited at least ten years in the scientific scales.