Working in research

Politecnico di Torino, in compliance with the principles set out in the European Charter for Researchers, the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers and the Code of Ethical Conduct of the university community and thanks to support of the Permanent Observatory on Academic Careers, ensures that the recruitment process for all researchers is broad, open, transparent, rigorous and merit-based.

Ph.D. candidates

A Ph.D. degree is the highest academic qualification and it is internationally recognized. A Ph.D. programme lasts three years and requires a full-time committement. It provides the necessary competence and skills to conduct high-level research in public or private organizations or to work as a self-employed professional, thus contributing to the creation of the European Higher Education Area and the European Research Area.

More information about Ph.D. programmes at Politecnico di Torino and the link to the annual Call for applications for admission to Polito Ph.D.programmes are available here.

Research fellows

A research fellow (“assegnista di ricerca”) is a PhD holder or a Master's graduate with adequate scientific andprofessional skills to conduct research in the Departments. There are different types of research fellowships (“assegno di ricerca”) such as professionalizing, postdoc and senior fellowships.

The duration of a research fellowship (including possible contract renewals) cannot exceed six years.

Information on recruitment of research fellows is available here.

Assistant Professors

Assistant professors are faculty members of the university. They are hired on a fixed-term contract to do research, teach and support students.

There are two types of research contracts (RTD contracts):

RTD Postdoc - three-year contract with a possible extension of two more years (non-permanent researchers as provided for by lettera a), comma 3, articolo 24 of the Italian law L. 240/2010).
RTD «tenure track» - three-year contract with the possibility to become associate professor if the researcher earns the National Scientific Qualification (non-permanent researchers as provided for by lettera b), comma 3, articolo 24 of the Italian law L. 240/2010). If the University has the necessary resources in its budget, it may decide to hire the Assistant Professor as an Associate Professor at the end of the fiirst year of the contract subject to a positive evaluation of his/her job. In this case, the Assistant Professor is also required to give a teaching demonstration on a topic pertaining to his/her scientific disciplinary field.

Information on recruitment of fixed-term researchers is available here.

Associate Professors

Since 2011 it is the entry-level tenured position in Italy. Assistant Professors who have earned the National Scientific Qualification become Associate Professors following a local-level comparative assessment. The evaluation is aimed at certifying that the candidate's research results have a good level of quality and originality and that the person is a researcher of nationally-recognized standing. Other evaluation criteria are the proven capability to coordinate or lead a research group, the ability to attract competitive funds as a local principal investigator and the ability to promote technology transfer.

Information on recruitment of Associate Professors is available here.

Full Professors

Full professor is the highest tenured academic position in Italy. Associate Professors become Full Professors following a local-level comparative assessment. The assesment is aimed at certifying that the candidate's research results have an outstanding level of quality and originality and that the person is an internationally-recognized researcher. Other evaluation criteria are the proven capability to direct a research group, the ability to attract competitive funds as a project principal investigator at international level and the ability to promote technology transfer.

Information on recruitment of Full Professors is available here.

Professors conduct research, teach courses and provide guidance to students.

Full Professor (Professore Ordinario - I fascia): is the highest tenured academic position
Associate Professor (Professore Associato - II fascia): is the entry-level tenured academic position

Types of selection processes to recruit Full and Associate Professors

Selection process based on article 18, paragraph 1 (Law no. 240/2010)
Selection process based on article 18, paragraph 4 (reserved to individuals who have not worked at Politecnico di Torino in the last three years as full professor, associate professor, fixed-term assistant professors – art.24 letter a) and b) – and to individuals who have not received a research fellowship or have not been enrolled in a degree programme at Politecnico in the last three years)
Selection process based on article 24, paragraph 6 (reserved to Politecnico tenured faculty members who have obtained the National Scientific Qualification in the Academic Recruitment Field which is object of the call or in another Academic Recruitment Field included in the same Group of Academic Recruitment Fields)

The selection process to recruit Full and Associate Professors is based on:

Assessment of CV, publications and qualifications in the following sections:
1. Scientific Activity
2. Coordination of research groups and projects and committment to boost research in the “third mission”
3. National and international reputation and supporting activity for the scientific community
4. Teaching
5. Institutional roles at Italian and international universities and/or public and private institutions
Public seminar (compulsory for associate professors)
Teaching demonstration (if required)

Evaluation procedure for Associate Professors

Evaluation procedure based on article 24, paragraph 5 (reserved to tenure-track fixed-term Assistant Professors under art.24, letter b) upon conclusion of the three-year period required to be recruited as an Associate professor)

The University may hire a tenure-track Assistant Professor (under art. 24, letter b) as an Associate Professor after the conclusion of his/her first year of employment and upon positive outcome of an evaluation procedure. This is possible if the University has the necessary resources and complies with the maximum number of associate professors who can be recruited by the institution according to the law. In this case, the researcher is required to give a teaching demonstration on a topic pertaining to his/her scientific disciplinary field.

Direct recruitment - Full and Associate Professors

a) scholars who have been working abroad in research or teaching at university level for at least three years and have an equivalent academic position in a non-Italian university or research institution;
b) scholars who have worked in research or teaching in an Italian university for at least three years after receiving a direct job offer (approved by the Ministry of Education, University and Research) in the framework of the “Brain Gain” programme; they also need to have achieved scientific results that are consistent with the position for which the direct call is made;
c) Scholars who have won specific high-level research programmes which are identified with a decree of the Ministry of Education, University and Research

Direct Recruitment - Full Professors of academic renown

Scholars who meet at least one of the following requirements (in accordance with Ministerial Decree 25 July 1997):

scholars who have had an equivalent position in a non-Italian university for at least three years;
scholars who have been honored with international scientific awards;
scholars who have served as managers/directors in high-level international research centres for at least three years.

You can also send your expression of interest for Direct Recruitment for Full and Associate Professors at this web page: Submit your Application Form.

SEE OPEN, ONGOING AND CLOSED POSITIONS

Permanent Observatory on Academic Careers

In 2021 the Board for strategies development established the Permanent Observatory on Academic Careers.

The Observatory seeks to collect and examine all data regarding the distribution of fixed-term research contracts (research grants, research fellowships, collaborations, fixed-term researcher contracts).

The Observatory is also in charge to forecast how these contracts will be distributed, based on the resources assigned to Politecnico and the evolution of the legal framework. The goal is to inform the Governing Bodies and the Departments and help them to develop a recruitment plan for the teaching staff.

In particular, the Observatory has the task of curbing the number of project-based contracts in order to foster a linear and transparent career path starting from the Ph.D. level.

Regulations

In compliance with Law no. 240/2010, Politecnico di Torino has adopted specific regulations which govern:

recruitment procedures for associate and full professors (in compliance with art. 18 and 24);
recruitment procedures for fixed-term researchers (art. 24);
recruitment procedures for research fellows (art.22).

The above-mentioned regulations regulate the whole recruitment process, from the publication of the calls for applications, to the participation requirements, the criteria for the composition of the Evaluation Boards and the duration of the selection process.

In accordance with the provisions of these regulations, Politecnico di Torino has established a broad-based evaluation process with specific calls for applications that seek to emphasize the whole scientific path of the applicants.

Applications must be submitted online only in order to ensure a broader participation.