BNMI Job Shadowing

BNMI Job Shadowing Program:

BNMI Job shadowing is a program where a Nordic imaging core facility will host facility staff member coming from another Nordic partner imaging facility to share with him/her experience and knowledge on a certain type of work related to the facility itself: technical of managerial. This is accomplished by providing the guest with an experienced local staff who accompanies him/her while performing the job. This allows facilities to establish or strengthen collaboration and to learn from each other on how to improve their efficiency in various aspects of their work functionality. 

The job shadowing can cover one or more of the following aspects related to management of imaging facilities:

• Aspects related to user access and open access provision (access modalities and procedures, offered services, management of ethical issues, practical issues, user access costs etc).
• Quality management and quality control (instruments maintenance and upgrades, costs, quality assessment).
• Image data management: processing, analysis, storage and management (general procedures, users’ data storage and management).
• Facility general organization and management.
• Advanced technologies (hands-on training will be possible).

Funding, Execution and Duration – Job shadowing can have a duration of between 2 to 10 days. The financial support granted by a Job shadowing is a contribution to the costs of the project/visit and may not necessarily cover all the costs. 

The following funding conditions apply and must be respected: A Job shadowing grant usually covers travel and accommodation and is paid in the form of a Grant. In general, grants will represent a maximum contribution of about 8 500 NOK from BNMI to the applicant. Please, note that the Job shadowing grant will be paid to the successful applicants on completion of the Job shadowing and after evaluation of the final report.

Eligible ‘Home-&-Host’ Combinations – Applicant and Host Imaging Core Facility:

• The applicant must be engaged in a imaging core facility in a Nordic country.
• The BNMI Host imaging core facility: The host imaging core facilitiy can be located anywhere in Nordic countries. Applicants typically agree with the imaging core facility of their choice to host the job shadowing. Please, note that the applicant is responsible for choosing and contacting the host imaging core facility and for organizing the application process. 

List of potential Host imaging core facilities Nordic countries, go here

Registration and deadlines – Applications may be submitted according to the schedules stipulated by the BNMI Board, bearing in mind that delays must be considered for the assessment and administrative procedures. The application should be sent to the Mobility grant coordinators at least 4 weeks before the visit starts.

HOW TO APPLY

The steps to apply are straightforward: 

Step 1 – Formal Job Shadowing application and annexes

1. Obtain a written agreement of the host imaging core facility before applying & submit to the mobility grant coordinators with the other documents listed below (Letters of support from the Home and the Host institution).
2. Submit a Detailed work plan / project description.
3. Submit a Motivation letter.
4. Submit a short CV with list of publications (if applicable).

Please contact the BNMI Mobility Grant Coordinators, Julia Fernandez-Rodriguez (juliafer@cci.sahlgrenska.gu.se) and Sigurður Rúnar Guðmundsso(srg@hi.is) for further questions.

Step 2 – Assessment of the Job Shadowing

Upon each Job Shadowing Call Closing date, the BNMI Evaluation Committee will perform the scientific and budgetary assessment of the applications and the previously defined evaluation criteria. The committee will also define an acceptable funding level for the approved applications. The amount of the awarded Grant can never be higher than what the applicant requested. 

If the application is rejected, the Evaluation committee and the Mobility grant coordinators must provide a justification to guide the applicant in her/his resubmission.

Job shadowing selection criteria

1. The application serves the goal of fostering collaboration among the Nordic countries in the field biological imaging strengthening the existing networks by allowing imaging core facility staff to visit an imaging core facility in another Nordic Country.
2. The job shadowing serves for the exchange of know-how, meaning that staff either exchange expertise due to the planned scientific visit, get practical skills by learning a technology, learn new theoretical methods or experimental approaches, image analysis and/or facility general organization and management.
3. The scientific quality of the proposed job shadowing is high, potential for dissemination and technology transfer back at home country.
4. Methodological importance and impact on the future development (Are the outcomes important for the development of the research facility and improvement of service usability?).
5. Feasibility of the project when considering the research approach, team size and duration of the project.
6. The application should be financially justified meaning that the estimate of expenses is reasonable.

Score

• Relevance of the job shadowing goals with BNMI objectives (25 %)
• Feasibility of the project as compared to its targeted duration (20 %)
• Methodological importance and impact on the future development at the home facility (15 %)
• The application should be financially justified (10%)
• Scientific quality and adde value: Potential for dissemination and technology transfer back at home country. The job shadowing serves for the exchange of know-how (30%)

Criteria considered for final decision after evaluation 

• If the applicant was involved in a previous BNMI job shadowing.

• Geographical distribution of applicants across the same job shadowing call.
• Gender balance across the same job shadowing Call.

Step 3 – Final report after the Job Shadowing

Formal final report after the job shadowing – Successful applicants must submit a scientific report to the hosting imaging core facility and to the Mobility grant Coordinators within 20 days from the end date of the job shadowing. The applicant will be responsible for acquiring from the Head/Director affiliated to the hosting imaging core facility confirmation of formal acceptance of the scientific report. The report should describe:

• Purpose of the visit (Statement of the project aim(s) and objectives).
• Description of the work carried out (Describe the work that was undertaken).
• Future collaboration with hosting imaging core facility (Describe any likely follow-on work with the hosting facility arising from the visit- if applicable).
• Confirmation by the host of the successful execution of the mission (Provide a brief affirmation by the Host Head/Director -with their signature- that the STSM was carried out successfully. It can be included in the report or as a separate accompanying document).
• Other comments (if any).

NOTE: No payment will be made from the BNMI Hub until this report is submitted. The scientific report will also require the approval of BNMI Mobility grant Coordinators in order to affect the payment of the Grant.

Successful applicants will be asked to submit a brief of the job shadowing outputs for the BNMI’s website describing in summary the final report which will also be made available online and be prepared to participate in the BNMI’s events with a poster about their job shadowing when applicable or when requested by the Mobility grant coordinators.

A brief synopsis for the BNMI website containing

• Name
• Institution
• Hosting imaging core facility
• Summary of the completed job shadowing (<400 words) 
• Wider benefit of the job shadowing to the participant (<200 words) 
• Key Outputs 
• If possible, please include a photograph of you alongside your collaborators and a short quote describing your experience

Some points must be respected both by the host and by the visitor. 

The guest should: 

• Provide the host imaging core facility with an outline of what they are expecting from the shadowing prior to the shadowing taking place. 
• Provide information of the background and expertise of the visiting staff so that shadowing can be structured in most productive manner. As a preliminary step, a short introduction of the guest to the hosting facility staff is encouraged to facilitate communication and exchange during the visit. 
• Always maintain confidentiality during and after the visit; preliminary confidentiality agreements may be signed at the beginning of the job shadowing period (at host discretion). 

The host should: 

• Agree with the guest about the type of job shadowing that will take place and related modalities (timetables, access to laboratories/instruments etc.) prior to the visit. 
• Assist the visitor in travel and lodging arrangements, if needed. 
• Provide the visitors with information on the host imaging core facility at their arrival (infrastructure description, local rules, safety issues etc.). 

Any other practical arrangement is at the host/guest discretion.