Laurent Cousin
The University of Lyon subsidizes companies that recruit young PhDs. Only the top 10 projects will qualify for funding.
The PhD consultant scheme aims to support the recruitment of a PhD from the University of Lyon by a company in the Rhone-Alps region in the year following his/her thesis defense on a 6-month work contract.
The company agrees to pay the young graduate a salary above or equal to 14,041 euros and receives lump-sum subsidy of 6,000 euros during the 6-month period paid by the Lyon research and higher education consortium (PRES).
It also agrees to entrust the young PhD with a high added value assignment in the innovation field (research, economic intelligence, forecasting, technology transfer, etc.).
Only 10 projects will be funded in 2009. An evaluation commission in charge of the selection process will meet at the end of January.
PhDs interested in the scheme should file their résumés on the University of Lyon website. Companies can also submit their proposed missions.
The Grand Lyon consortium and Rhône-Alpes region funding the scheme hope it will bring together PhDs and innovative companies in the regional private sector.
Applications will be examined in late January 2009. The full conditions for awarding the subsidy have not yet been defined but for more information, check out
the University of Lyon website.