Applicant Profile
To qualify, you must be at the postdoctoral level to senior faculty level with an advanced doctoral (e.g., M.S.E.E., Ph.D., D.Sc.) degree in a quantitative area of science (e.g., engineering, chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer sciences), show evidence of productivity in your field and a desire to expand your research capability with the goal of making significant contributions to behavioral, biomedical (basic or clinical), bioimaging, or bioengineering research.
Former principal investigators on NIH research projects or subprojects and previous recipients of certain awards are not eligible; see the funding opportunity announcement for a complete list of exclusions.
Funding Opportunity Announcement
Award Specifics
Duration of three to five years (minimum of three), not renewable.
Salary up to $75,000 (if institutional base salary is equivalent or more) plus fringe benefits.
Research development costs of $20,000 each year.
Facilities and administrative costs based on eight percent of modified total direct costs.
Minimum nine person months (or 75 percent) effort required each year. Learn more about Percent Effort and Concurrent Salary Support for Research Career Development (K) Awards.
Application
Reviewers expect less detail in your Research Plan because they recognize your limited experience; most K25 applicants aren't highly experienced researchers in the biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research areas.
NIAID will not accept K25 applications proposing an independent clinical trial. Learn more at Clinical Trials and NIAID Research Career Development (K) Opportunities.
Also see our Application Advice for Research Career Development (K) Awards.
During Your Award
In the last two years of a K25 award, NIH permits concurrent salary support from a peer-reviewed grant from any federal agency if 1) your K award is active, and 2) you are a principal investigator on a competing research project grant or director of a subproject on a multicomponent grant from NIH or another federal agency.
More Information
Learn more on the NIAID Research Career Development (K) Awards main page.
Email your questions to AITrainingHelpDesk@mail.nih.gov.
She can also advise you on your eligibility for a particular K program and whether your proposed research aligns with NIAID if you send her your NIH-formatted biosketch and Specific Aims page. Learn more at Create Biosketches and Draft Specific Aims.