Mandate ECFA Early-Career Researcher Panel

Approved by Plenary ECFA on 9 July 2026

The objective of the ECFA Early-Career Researcher (ECR) Panel is for its members to discuss all aspects that contribute in a broad sense to the future of the research field of particle physics. In its advisory role to ECFA, the panel reports to ECFA on a regular basis. A report of the ECFA ECR Panel is added as a standing item to the agenda of Plenary ECFA meetings.

Panel members are early-career particle physics professionals, typically postdocs and PhD students, who are within ten years of their PhD or most recent relevant degree (including engineering or equivalent technical qualifications), with due diligence for career breaks. 

Up to three members can be nominated by each ECFA country and one member by each major European Particle Physics Laboratory represented in the LDG for a mandate of 2 years, extendable with another 2 years. New panel members begin their term once RECFA endorses their selection. Members are nominated by and assigned to the quota of the country in which they are professionally affiliated at the time of their nomination. If a member of the ECFA ECR Panel changes their country of professional affiliation or ceases to be professionally active in particle physics during their term, their mandate ends when either a replacement is nominated by the appointing country or their original term expires, whichever occurs first.

Members act as individuals but should be able to represent the views of early-career researchers in particle physics in the country from which they were nominated.

Up to five ECR panel members are elected by the panel as observers to Plenary ECFA meetings. One of the observers to PECFA meetings is elected by the panel as observer also to Restricted ECFA meetings.

The ECFA ECR Panel would normally hold two plenary (tele-)meetings per year among its members. Each meeting is to be split into two parts, one open to all interested parties, including non-ECRs, and a closed part for ECR panel members. 

To achieve their aims, the ECFA ECR Panel can proceed among others with regular meetings, topical working groups and studies related to the early-career researchers’ community in particle physics in ECFA countries.

The ECFA ECR Panel can invite observers to its meetings, for example to seek adequate diversity among the participants to conduct its business.

The activities of the ECFA ECR Panel are organised by a smaller group, the Organising Committee (OC), which consists in the five elected PECFA members. The OC shall meet with the ECFA Chair and Scientific Secretary on a regular basis.