The Government opens 25 TEC2026 grants to hire technical research personnel

The Department of Education and Universities of the Government of the Balearic Islands has opened the call for TEC2026 grants to hire technical research support staff, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). The call is published in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (BOIB) no. 115, of September 15, 2026, through Resolution 9099 of the counselor Antoni Vera Alemany, electronically signed on September 9.

The grants are awarded on a competitive basis and are financed, in part, by the ESF+ 2021-2027 program, which includes as a priority the development of capacities linked to the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP). The call is framed within Law 7/2022 on science, technology, and innovation of the Balearic Islands and the regulatory bases of the Order of January 26, 2010, and has been included in the Annual Plan for the Promotion of Decent Employment 2027 (PAFED 2027).

25 grants in two modalities

25 grants are announced, with a duration of three years from the technician’s incorporation, distributed in two modalities:

• Modality A: 20 grants for experimental technical research support staff, to join research groups in the Balearic Islands.
• Modality B: 5 grants for technical research management staff, to join a research unit.

The maximum allocation for each grant is 121,047.30 euros for the three annual periods, with a minimum annual gross remuneration of 30,640.66 euros. The total budget credit assigned is 3,026,182.50 euros, distributed between the 2026 to 2029 fiscal years.

STEP priority areas

The call prioritizes the incorporation of technical staff in areas considered relevant to the STEP program, with a specific allocation of 1,815,709.50 euros for a maximum of 15 grants:

• Digital and deep tech innovation technologies.
• Clean and resource-efficient technologies, including those for climate neutrality.
• Biotechnologies.

Contracts granted in STEP areas must make express reference to the funding as a “Contract co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)”.

Deadlines and procedure

Applications must be submitted electronically via the Electronic Office (seucaib) for the TEC2026 call, within a period of 15 business days from the day following publication. The scientific evaluation will be carried out by the University Quality Agency of the Balearic Islands (AQUIB), and the award resolution must be notified within a maximum of six months.

The Governing Council, in the session of August 7, 2026, has authorized the advance payment of 100% of the amount, which will be paid in three installments. Eligible beneficiaries may include public R&D centers, including public universities, public research organizations, and public health entities, as well as non-profit associations with R&D among their objectives.

The call reinforces the research capacity of research groups in the Balearic Islands, one of the most requested demands by scientific centers, and contributes to the strategic positioning of the community in the priority technological sectors of the European Union.

Source: Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands, no. 115, September 15, 2026, Section III, p. 49909 (official reference: Resolution 9099).