Work-life balance

MARVEL is committed to enhance work-life balance for students and staff. Information about existing measures, daycare facilities and advice about work-life balance in the different institutions involved in MARVEL are listed hereafter.

Flexibility grants

The Flexibility grant is a measure proposed by the SNSF to increase the flexibility in the scientific career of young parents. This measure is applicable to PhD students and postdocs employed with a work-time percentage of at least 80% in an NCCR, regardless of the funding source, as well to PRIMA, Ambizione or Doc.CH grant awardees.

  • The flexibility grant can provide funding to help cover the external child care costs charged to the researcher.
  • The flexibility grant can be used to help finance the salary of a support person, allowing the grantee to reduce his/her work quota (PhD students are not eligible for this measure) .

The two measures can also be combined.

Interested MARVEL junior researchers must submit their application to the MARVEL management team. Please contact Lidia Favre-Quattropani to receive the application form.

Robert Gnehm Grant for parent postdocs at EPFL

The Robert Gnehm Grant for parent postdocs at EPFL (women & men postdocs eligible) aims to support parent postdocs in their first year of parenthood, allowing them to devote more time to their child while alleviating a temporary decrease in scientific productivity.

Parent Network for Doctoral Candidates and Postdocs @EPFL

The Parent Network for Doctoral Candidates and Postdocs is a new initiation since November 2023 aiming to create a networking space where doctoral candidates and postdoc parents or those who plan to have a child can share their experience and exchange with peers on the challenges to be parent having an academic career. The idea is to exchange information, experience and advice and to serve as a support network for the times when it feels too challenging. Through regular meetings, the participants can share their parental triumphs and hardships, discuss policies at EPFL, and maybe even set up play dates for their kids! 

Work-life balance in institutions involved in MARVEL

The list below gives a general view of the institutional webportals providing information on measures promoting a balance between professional life and private/family life in the different institutions involved in MARVEL.