Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find a selection of the most frequently asked questions regarding the role of Research Associate:

1. How much time do I need to be available to work as Research Associate ?

Time commitment is flexible depending on your availability.   According to the number of hours you can be available on a month, we will allocate a certain number of research proposals to you. 
 

2. How long does it take to work on a Research Proposal ?

In average a Research Associate spends 3h-4h per research proposal.  This time involves reading the proposal, identifying Experts Reviewers, doing the quality check of their assessments and validating them on our online platform.

3. How many Experts do I need to identify ?

For each proposal allocated, Research Associates need to provide between 4 to 6 Experts. This number allows us to secure at least 2 Expert evaluators per research proposal.

4. Do I have to contact Experts to check their availability and liaise with them ?

No. Research Associates do not have direct contact with Experts.  Once they have provided Experts’ names (and email addresses), it is the ESF team who will contact Experts, invite them to participate to a grant evaluation mission and do all required follow-up. 

5. What does the “quality check” of research proposals involve?

The quality check involves reading the assessment provided by an Expert Reviewer in order to make sure the Expert complied with the guidelines provided.  This is not a second evaluation on the scientific point of view.  The quality check also involves a brief proofreading to correct any typo mistakes, and takes in average 15-20 minutes.

6. Where do I find Expert evaluators?

ESF provides access to internal and external databases of scientist across all scientific disciplines. We mainly rely on our Community of Experts, that gathers more than 10K scientists who have already agreed to collaborate with ESF on grant evaluation missions.   Research Associates are also welcomed to suggest Experts from their network that comply with the Expert criteria provided.

7. What is the timeline of a grant evaluation mission?

A  grant evaluation mission lasts between 2 to 4 months and follows three stages:

  • Research Associates identify Expert evaluators 
  • Expert Reviewers evaluate research projects
  • Expert Reviewers upload their assessments on the online platform and Research Associates can then proceed to do the quality check and validation of their assessment reports.

8. When can I expect to be contacted once I have been accepted to join your database of Consultants?

As soon as we have a grant evaluation mission involving research proposals in your field of expertise, we will contact you with more details about the number of research proposals allocated to you and dates involved.  Upon your availability, we will establish a consultancy contract accordingly.

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