The human resources program is a fundamental pillar of the Severo Ochoa Project, focussed in PhD and postdoc fellowships, reinforcing internationality and the number of additional human resources for the six major research lines at the IAC.

Every year some postdocs and students join the IAC for a 2-3 years period and a 4 years period respectively. Each of the Research lines of the IAC Program provide training on research-related skills, including hands-on observations using the largest telescopes and space missions, data reduction, analysis, and/or physical interpretation. Applications are received from all over the world. Under the working plan approved to the Severo Ochoa proposal we aim to consolidate this rate of trainees.

All Severo Ochoa's Research Fellows, through their direct group leader, permanent senior staff and the SO Director, are trained in high-level research and management. The latter will be done through research project management, supervision of more junior research staff, and organising workshops and conferences, among other possibilities. Fellows and the whole research staff will benefit from the interaction with the SO Visiting Professors.

The IAC offers all contracted staff bibliographical, computing and observing facilities, and access to its own and international research projects, as well as the necessary funding for the effective undertaking of research activity. They will be based at the IAC's headquarters (La Laguna), a stimulating and keen working environment, with access to all Canary Islands telescopic and supercomputing facilities (including the Gran Telescopio Canarias), to other Spanish facilities, to ESO, ESA, and IRAM.

The Severo Ochoa Programme also contribute to the professional training of the IAC personnel, specially at PhD and postdoctoral level, with specific support to international schools organized by the IAC and a new Severo Ochoa Seminar program.