Ministry of SMEs and Startups Supports Science and Engineering Researchers in SMEs

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] The Ministry of SMEs and Startups is recruiting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to participate in the '2022 SME Research Personnel Support Project.'

The 'SME Research Personnel Support Project' is designed to strengthen the research and development capabilities of SMEs and assist those facing difficulties in securing research personnel by supporting SMEs with research personnel who hold bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees in science and engineering fields. Eligible applicants are SMEs with corporate research institutes or dedicated R&D departments, and support is provided in two ways: recruitment and dispatch of research personnel.

For recruitment support, when an SME hires research personnel with bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees in science and engineering, the government supports 50% of the annual salary for up to three years. For dispatch support, research personnel from public research institutions such as the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute are dispatched to SMEs for up to six years (3+3 years) to transfer technical know-how and conduct technology development work, with the government supporting 50% of the dispatched research personnel's annual salary.

This year, with a budget of 6.5 billion KRW, the project plans to support approximately 360 personnel, including 250 newly hired research personnel and 118 dispatched from public research institutions. In particular, to strengthen the technological competitiveness of SMEs in the materials, parts, and equipment sectors, these companies can receive support for up to two research personnel per company.

SMEs wishing to participate in the project can apply through the SME Technology Development Project Integrated Management System from the 7th to the 18th of next month. Detailed information about the project can also be found on this system.

Won Young-jun, Director of Technology Innovation Policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, stated, "In a rapidly changing environment of corporate technology and management, driven by the 4th Industrial Revolution and digital transformation, the key players leading this change are excellent research personnel. We hope that this recruitment and dispatch support for research personnel will strengthen the R&D capabilities of innovative SMEs."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.