|
|
EAS Job Directory
Find Jobs
| ICCUB María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence PhD Fellowships (Pre-selection Call) | Closing date: 2025-11-30
Contact: Institut de Ciències del Cosmos de la Universitat de Barcelona |
| The Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB), recognized as a Unit of Excellence under the Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu program, the highest distinction awarded to research institutes or centers in Spain, is launching a pre-selection call for at least six PhD fellowships as part of its María de Maeztu Strategic Program. This initiative reflects ICCUB?s strong commitment to scientific excellence and the advancement of emerging research talent. | | ▸ more | The Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB), recognized as a Unit of Excellence under the Severo Ochoa and María de Maeztu program, the highest distinction awarded to research institutes or centers in Spain, is launching a pre-selection call for at least six PhD fellowships as part of its María de Maeztu Strategic Program. This initiative reflects ICCUB?s strong commitment to scientific excellence and the advancement of emerging research talent.
This pre-selection aims to identify highly motivated national and international candidates interested in pursuing a PhD in one of ICCUB?s core research areas: cosmology, astrophysics, gravitational waves, quantum technologies, and particle physics. Selected candidates will be invited to participate in the official selection process conducted by the University of Barcelona, which is required for formal admission and hiring.
ICCUB offers a dynamic, interdisciplinary research environment that fosters international collaboration and innovation, supported by cutting-edge infrastructure and a vibrant academic community. Located in Barcelona, a global hub for science and technology, the institute provides an ideal setting for early-stage researchers to launch their scientific careers while enjoying a rich and multicultural lifestyle.
The institute is actively involved in several major international collaborations, including LHCb, DESI, and Euclid, and plays a leading role in gravitational wave experiments such as the Virgo Collaboration, the Einstein Telescope Collaboration, and the LISA Consortium. ICCUB also contributes to large-scale astronomical surveys like ESA-Gaia, Weave, and SDSS-IV, as well as electromagnetic follow-up missions across various wavelengths, including BlackGEM, MAGIC, and LST.
Opportunities at ICCUB:
The PhD fellows at ICCUB will benefit from a comprehensive and enriching training program designed to prepare them for successful careers in academia, industry, or scientific outreach. Each doctoral project is embedded within one of ICCUB?s strategic research challenges. Supervision is provided by experienced ICCUB researchers, often involving co-supervision to foster interdisciplinary perspectives and collaborative mentorship.
In addition to research, students will engage in a tailored training program that includes both technical and transferable skills: scientific seminars, ICCUB Colloquia, advanced instrumentation workshops, data science, research ethics, science communication, project management, and career development. ICCUB also encourages international mobility through short-term research stays at leading institutions worldwide, enhancing global scientific exchange and visibility.
Available positions:
Detailed descriptions of the research projects and host groups can be found in the links
Building interacting quantum systems one atom at a time
Gravitational-wave physics
Gravitational-wave lensing
Fundamental Physics and Technology: From Gravitational Waves to Quantum Detectors
2 positions on Physics Beyond the standard cosmological model and the standard model of particle physics
Fellowship terms:
The fellowship includes funds for a predoctoral training contract for up to four years. The annual salary will be split into 12 monthly payments and distributed as follows:
The first year of PhD: 18.269,56 ?/year
The second and third year of PhD: 22.032,36 ? /year
The fourth year of PhD: 24.468,15?/year
Predoctoral contracts are renewed annually for up to 4 years. Renewal is subject to satisfactory performance in the PhD studies and related research activities. If the doctoral degree is obtained before the predoctoral fellowship ends, a Postdoctoral Orientation Period (POP) can be funded from the time the doctoral degree is obtained until the end of the predoctoral fellowship, with a maximum duration of 12 months (i.e. predoc contract + POP = max. 4 years in total).
The fellowship includes full social security coverage through the Spanish Social Security system, providing access to the Spanish public health care system and pension and unemployment benefits.
Up to 7.000? to cover the enrolment fees for the UB?s Physics doctoral program (for a maximum of 4 years) and carry out short stays in other institutions, companies or universities abroad. The research stays must have a minimum duration of one month and must be authorized by the doctoral supervisor/s.
For full details, refer to the 2024 ?Centros de Excelencia «Severo Ochoa» y Unidades «María de Maeztu»? call for proposals, within the Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2021?2023 (Articles 10, 11, and 29).
Eligibility criteria:
The fellowships are addressed to graduate students of any nationality who fulfil the following eligibility criteria:
Applicants must hold a Bachelor?s and a Master?s Degree in Physics, Mathematics, Astronomy, Particle Physics, Cosmology, Electronics, Semiconductor Technology, Photonics, Quantum Technologies, Computer Science or a related discipline by September 2026
Be eligible for full-time enrollment in the UB Physics doctoral program for the 2026-2027 academic year by the time the fellowship starts, between September 2026 and January 2027.
Applicants must not hold a doctoral degree. Moreover, applicants are not eligible if they have benefited from a predoctoral training fellowship under the ?Plan Estatal de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica? or any of the previous Spanish National Plans by MICIU/AEI.
Applicants must have a thesis supervisor affiliated with the Institute of Cosmos Sciences.
|
More resources
Links to other job lists
|
