Secondment Opportunities
Fostering European Talents for Widening Circular Economy
Welcome to the official Talent Pass secondment announcement – your gateway to a cross-border professional experience in the field of circular economy!
As part of the Horizon Europe project “Fostering European Talents for Widening Circular Economy”, Talent Pass offers structured secondment opportunities designed to strengthen the careers and mobility of Research & Innovation (R&I) professionals, and Research Managers & Administrators (RMAs).
These secondments aim to accelerate capacity building, promote knowledge transfer, and consolidate long-term collaborations between academic and non-academic institutions across Europe.
What is a Talent Pass Secondment?
A Talent Pass secondment is a temporary, funded mobility placement carried out at one of the project’s Host Institutions in Europe. The secondments are designed to have a minimum total duration of 2 months for researchers, and 1 month for management, administrative or technical staff. Each secondment focuses on skills development, exposure to new environments, and hands-on experience in domains related to – but not limited to – the following areas:
• Circular economy innovation
• Sustainable materials and processes
• Research management and administrative excellence
• Cross-sectoral collaboration
• Technology transfer and innovation support
Information about all Host Institutions participating in the Talent Pass secondments can be accessed directly through the Talent Pass project website HERE. By clicking on each partner’s logo, applicants can view the institution’s profile and basic details. Additional information - including short description, location, infrastructure, Project Management and Knowledge & Technology Transfer offices, available facilities and equipment, ongoing projects, and key research themes - is available in the presentation files uploaded for each institution HERE.
Upon return, secondees are expected to integrate newly acquired knowledge skills, and tools into their Home Institution, contributing to long-term institutional strengthening.
How Does the Selection Process Work?
Entering a Talent Pass secondment begins with an Open Call launched on the project’s official website, and published by your Home Institution and the official Talent Pass social media channels.
The application and selection process follows the official Talent Pass Selection Methodology, ensuring fairness, transparency, and equal opportunities:
1. Key eligibility conditions (to ensure compliance with the Talent Pass requirements):
First, Employment Status is verified. Candidates must be formally employed or enrolled as researchers, innovators, or R&I managers/administrators within one of the Widening-country partner institutions (ICMPP, ECOIND, IST-ID, NIC, CRC). Their employment contract — whether a labour contract or another legally valid form of contractual collaboration — must cover the entire proposed secondment period, falling within the overall implementation window of February 2026 to November 2028. This condition is checked internally by each home institution using existing HR records.
Second, English Language Proficiency is required to ensure effective communication, reporting, and collaboration within an international environment. Proficiency is assessed by the Evaluation Committee of each home institution during the interview stage.
Finally, Institutional Support must be demonstrated. Applicants are required to obtain a formal Letter of Support from their home institution, confirming endorsement of the application and commitment to implement a structured return plan following the secondment. This document is uploaded during the application stage through the official submission platform.
2. Submission of Application Documents (only if you self-assessed as eligible):
CV (Europass)
Letter of Support from your Home Institution (template provided via application form)
Integrated Career Development Plan (a 5-section, general framework to be filled via application form).
3. Evaluation Criteria and Scoring - All eligible applicants will be evaluated according to a transparent scoring system, with a maximum of 50 points (for each evaluation phase: documents review & interview). The assessment considers the overall quality and coherence of the full application package, including the CV, Career Development Plan (CDP), Letter of Support, and the match with the selected secondment opportunity.
Long-Term Goals (0–10 points) – You should demonstrate quality and consistency in your proposed long-term career goals. Evaluators will assess them considering your current status, self-assessment, and goals, as defined in your CV and in Sections 1 and 2 of the Career Development Plan framework.
Strategy (0–10 points) - You should clearly and realistically describe your proposed career development plan and explain how it will enhance your employability and support sustainable career prospects. Evaluators will examine it as defined in section 3 of the Career Development Plan framework and in relation to your CV.
Roadmap (0–10 points) - You should demonstrate the practicability of your proposed action plan. Evaluators will look for it as defined in Sections 4 and 5, and in relation to Section 3 of the Career Development Plan framework.
Benefits (0–10 points) - Show your potential and capacity to support career growth and to advance your R&I organisation’s objectives and support capacity. Evaluators will assess them based on the content provided in Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Career Development Plan framework and in the Letter of Support.
Flexibility and Compatibility (0–5 points) - Show your flexibility, including openness to new knowledge, knowledge transfer, and adaptability to new environments, as well as your compatibility with the host institution in terms of common points and potential for collaboration. Evaluators will assess them as resulting from the CV, the Career Development Plan framework, and the Talent position applied for.
Contribution to Circular Economy (0–5 points) – You should underline the expected contribution of your proposed action plan to the field of circular economy. Evaluators will assess it as defined in the Career Development Plan framework.
4. Final Selection & Nomination as Talent Pass Secondee. Secondment Agreement & Pre-Secondment Phase – Administrative Preparations, Home–Host Coordination, and Training Plan Development
This phase formalises the mobility arrangement between the selected talent, the home institution, and the host organisation. It establishes mutual obligations, defines the training and mentoring framework, and ensures that all administrative, ethical, and logistical aspects are in place before the secondment begins. The Secondment Agreement serves as the official reference document throughout the secondment.