The CIRCE Technology Centre firmly adheres to the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, both of which were produced by the European Commission to target researchers, employers and funders in both the public and private sectors.

The two documents have since become instrumental in EU policies, making a career in research much more appealing, as well as boosting financial growth and employment in Europe.

• The European Charter for Researchers is a general document that defines the role and responsibilities of researchers and their employers. The aim is to ensure that the relationship between these parties effectively builds towards a more fruitful process of generating, transferring and exchanging expertise, as well as bolstering the researcher’s professional development from the outset.
• The Code of Conduct for the recruitment of researchers was introduced to improve recruitment by making the procedures fairer and more transparent. The researcher’s achievements will be assessed based not only on the number of publications they make, but also on broader criteria including qualifications, teaching experience, supervision, team work, knowledge transfer, management, awareness raising, etc.

These two documents contain 40 principles with recommendations concerning the responsibilities and duties of researchers, employers and funders in relation to four topics: ethical and professional aspects, recruitment (open, transparent and merit-based), working conditions and social security, and training.

In an effort to make it easier for research centres to implement the principles set out in the Charter and Code, the European Commission issued a common procedure known as: the Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R).

The Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R) was defined to help develop a more attractive career outlook for researchers, affording all research professionals the same entitlements and obligations in every Member State of the European Union, no matter what country they live in.

CIRCE adhered to the strategy in July 2015 to further strengthen its pledge to enhance HR policies in line with the European Charter and Code, on the one hand, and to create a more stimulating and favourable working environment, on the other hand. The HRS4R seal is awarded to research centres that thoroughly assess their HR practices and policies and undertake regular detailed plans to improve them. The action plan developed by CIRCE is available for download from the link below. Please note that it is assessed and amended regularly.

CIRCE thus became one of over 600 European institutions certified with this seal as at 2021, which represents yet another step towards internationalising research and attracting top talents.

In connection with the Charter and Code, the European Commission designed a tool to help carry out selection and recruitment processes. That tool is known as OTM-R, which stands for Open, Transparent and Merit-based Recruitment in accordance with the principles it is based on. The OTM-R Policy  implemented at CIRCE is fully aligned with those principles and ranges from the offer and application stage through to appraisal and selection and, finally, recruitment.

• CIRCE Action Plan
• OTM-R Policy
• CIRCE Self-Analysis

• Link to EURAXESS
• Guidelines for the management of the mobility of the foreign researcher in Spain 2017
• European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the recruitment of researchers