The Romanian Institute of Science and Technology fully endorses the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. In line with this endorsement, the institute is committed to the principles of open, transparent and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R).
At the national level, the recruitment of researchers is regulated by Law no. 183/2024 regarding the statutes of research, development, and innovation personnel. This law was published on June 12, 2024, replacing the previous corresponding law, which had been in force since 2003. Following the new law, the regulation for organizing competitions for research positions is to be established through methodological norms approved by government decision (art. 21 para. (4) of Law no. 183/2024). Since these methodological norms have not yet been approved, and only a preliminary version has been subject to public debate, this document was drafted based on this preliminary version of the norms and will be revised after the final version is adopted. Some aspects regulated by these norms or by law contradict the HRS4R guide, and in cases of discrepancies, we will comply with legal obligations.
Advertising and Application Phase
a) Advertising the Post
In line with the principles of “Recruitment” and “Transparency” of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, the job advertisement and description of requirements should be kept as concise as possible while detailed information should be available online, linked from the advertisement. Applicants should be able to find information on:
- Organization and recruiting unit;
- Job title, specifications, and expected starting date;
- Researcher career profiles (R1-R4) with the respective ‘required’ and ‘desirable’ competencies;
- Selection criteria (and possibly their respective ‘weight’), including knowledge and professional experience (distinguishing the ‘required’ and ‘desirable’);
- Number of available positions;
- Working conditions, workplace, entitlements (salary, other benefits, etc.), type of contract;
- Professional development opportunities;
- Career development prospects.
It must also include:
- The application procedure and deadline. According to art. 18 para. (5) c of Law no. 183/2024, applications for the competition must be submitted within 30 calendar days from the date the announcement is published;
- A reference to the institution’s OTM-R policy (this page);
- A reference to the institution’s equal opportunities policy;
- Contact details.
All vacancies for researcher positions should be published on EURAXESS, where the advert should be published at least in Romanian and in English.
b) Keeping the Administrative Burden to a Minimum
The request for supporting documents should be strictly limited to those which are legally required and really needed in order to make a fair, transparent, and merit-based selection of the applicants.
According to the draft methodological norms, the competition file is submitted by the candidate electronically to the email address indicated in the competition announcement.
c) Acknowledging Receipt and Providing Additional Information
All applicants should receive an (automated) email acknowledging that their application has been received and providing them with further information on the recruitment process, indicating the next steps and including an indicative timetable (interview period, if any, appointment date). According to the draft methodological norms, the selection process of candidates takes place within 15 days from the date the competition application period ends.
Evaluation and Selection Phase
a) Setting Up Selection Committees
In line with the principle “Selection” of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, and with the applicable regulation, filling a vacant research position is done through a public recruitment competition, and the evaluation of candidates is carried out by an evaluation committee, for all profiles (R1-R4). The size and composition of the committees may differ according to the profile and type of contract, according to applicable regulations. The process to nominate and appoint the selection committee is transparent and made public: it is defined by the methodological norms and, according to them, the nominal compositions of the competition committee and of the committee for resolving appeals are published on the institute’s website.
The selection committees should be independent, members should not have any conflict of interest, and the decisions must be objective and evidence-based rather than based on personal preference. The committee should make the best use of the expertise of external members. The composition of the committee should be appropriately diverse. In order to achieve this, the following elements should be considered:
- A minimum of 3 members;
- Gender balance, e.g., not less than one-third of one gender in the committee;
- Inclusion of external expert(s) where possible (external meaning outside the institution);
- Inclusion of (or contribution from) international experts, who should be proficient in the language(s) in which the process will be conducted, where possible and complying with the applicable regulations;
- Inclusion of experts from different sectors (public, private, academic, non-academic), where appropriate and feasible while complying with the applicable regulations, in particular art. 18 para. (7) of Law no. 183/2024;
- The committee as a whole should have all the relevant experience, qualifications, and competencies to assess the candidate.
b) Screening and Interviewing
All applications should be screened. Depending on the position and the applicable regulations, the process may involve one or more steps, e.g., pre-screening to check eligibility, remote interviews by telephone or Skype, face-to-face interviews. All candidates should be treated equally and in the same way.
According to the proposed national regulations, the same selection committee is involved in all steps.
c) Assessing Merit and Future Potential
The criteria for selecting researchers are defined by the proposed national regulations.
In line with the principles “Judging Merit”, “Variations in the Order of CVs”, “Recognition of Mobility”, and “Seniority” of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, the evaluation criteria should be consistent with the requirements of the position as regards research, supervision, or teaching competencies.
Merit should be judged qualitatively as well as quantitatively, focusing on results within a diversified career path, taking into account career breaks, lifelong professional development, and the added value of non-research experience.
It is strongly recommended to make use of the European Framework for Research Careers, which identifies both necessary and desirable competences for each of the four broad profiles for researchers (R1 to R4).
Appointment Phase
a) Feedback
In line with the principle “Transparency” of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, all applicants should receive electronic notice at the end of the selection process. According to the draft methodological norms, the result of the competition is displayed at the research organization’s headquarters and on its website within two working days of the competition’s conclusion.
It is strongly recommended to inform all applicants about the strengths and weaknesses of their application. All applicants must be entitled to further feedback upon request.
b) Complaints Mechanism
According to the draft methodological norms, if a candidate holds information that can demonstrate non-compliance with the evaluation procedure, non-compliance with the competition’s own regulations, and/or incorrect calculation of scores, they may file an appeal within two working days from the date the competition result is published on the institute’s website. The resolution of appeals is regulated by the draft methodological norms.