Contents
Job openings
Area Director
Post-doctoral Researchers
Group Opening
- Nanophotonics Theory Group: Post-doctoral position in design of integrated photonic waveguides with optimum in/out-coupling to light
- Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology Group: Post-doctoral position in advanced optical trapping within cells and biomolecular condensates
- Medical Optics Group: Post-doctoral position in speckle contrast optical spectroscopy (SCOS) for non-invasive blood flow measurement
- Quantum NanoElectronics and NanoMechanics Group: Post-doctoral position in nanotube electromechanics
- CO2 Mitigation Accelerated by Photons Group: Post-doctoral positions in advanced water electrolysis and scale-up
- Quantum Nano-Optoelectronics Group: Post-doctoral position in science and technology of moire quantum matter
- Quantum NanoElectronics and NanoMechanics Group: Post-doctoral positions in analogue electron quantum simulator
- Quantum Photonics with Solids and Atoms Group: Post-doctoral position in quantum repeaters with solid-state quantum nodes
- Ultracold Quantum Gases Group: Post-doctoral position on quantum-gas microscopy of SU(N) Fermi-Hubbard models
- Optoelectronics Group: Post-doctoral in application-driven PIC development for neutral atom quantum technologies
- Atomic Quantum Optics Group: Post-doctoral positions in Experimental quantum sensing with atomic systems
- Quantum Nano-Optoelectronics Group: Post-doctoral Researcher in Moiré Optoelectronics and Quantum Geometry
- Medical Optics Group: Post-doctoral position in applications of near-infrared spectroscopy and diffuse correlation spectroscopy in critical care
Staff Researchers
Project Engineers
PhD-fellows
ICFO offers several pathways for talented and motivated candidates interested in pursuing a PhD within one of our Research Groups.
All PhD students admitted to ICFO receive a fully funded fellowship.
To be considered for institutional PhD fellowships, candidates must apply to the official PhD Fellowship Program Calls.
In addition, candidates may also submit separate applications to Group Openings advertised by specific research groups.
If no fellowship calls or group openings are open at the time of application, students who wish to pursue a PhD at ICFO are encouraged to contact the Group Leader(s) of the research groups they are interested in joining. Candidates should include their CV and a motivation/presentation letter when reaching out.
Students may also join ICFO with their own funding or through external fellowships such as the LaCaixa INPhINIT Incoming and Retaining calls. Interested candidates should apply directly to such programs and are likewise encouraged to contact the prospective the Group Leader(s) in advance.
For general information regarding ICFO fellowships and specific calls, please contact us at https://www.icfo.eu.
Currently we have the following call(s) open:
General Call
Group Opening
Undergraduate and Master Students
General Call
ICFO offers a variety of internship opportunities for talented and motivated Bachelor’s and Master’s students interested in undertaking a Final Degree Project, Master’s Thesis, or a Research Stay within one of our Research groups.
Students may join ICFO through our specialized Fellowship Programs when these are available. Alternatively, students can be hosted through funding programs such as Erasmus+, in which case they should apply through their home institution. If no ICFO fellowship programs are open at the time of application, students are encouraged to contact the group leaders directly. Some financial support may be provided by the host group. Please send the following documents when contacting the group leader(s) of your interest:
- A cover letter explaining your research interests, why you want to join that particular ICFO group, your career goals and any specific requests in terms of period and duration of the internship.
- Your CV including education, relevant experience, skills, and publications (if any).
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at jobs@icfo.eu.
Admin & Technical Engineers
Group Opening
Strategy Officer
ICFO – The Institute of Photonic Sciences is a world-leading research center devoted to advancing the science and technologies of light. Based in Castelldefels, Barcelona, ICFO combines frontier research, education, innovation and technology transfer to generate scientific and societal impact.
Over the past two decades, ICFO has established itself as an internationally recognized center of excellence and a global reference in photonics. Today, with a highly international community of around 500 employees representing more than 70 nationalities, ICFO continues its institutional development aimed at strengthening scientific excellence, organizational effectiveness and long-term impact.
As a public research institution, ICFO is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by an Executive Leadership comprising the Director and the Managing Director, who are responsible for the scientific, strategic and operational development of the Institute.
Position Overview:
ICFO is seeking a Strategy Officer to join its Institutional Strategy team within the Scientific Development domain.
Reporting to the Executive Leadership, the Strategy Officer will contribute to the development and implementation of ICFO’s scientific and institutional strategy through the management of projects, studies and cross-functional initiatives.
The position requires a professional with a dual background in research and management, capable of understanding the practical context of scientific activity and translating institutional needs into clear, workable solutions.
The successful candidate will support the Executive Leadership on matters requiring scientific understanding, analytical capacity, organizational judgement and effective execution. The role will involve working across scientific and corporate areas and contributing to initiatives related to research governance, organizational development, external collaborations, infrastructure and institutional processes.
The Strategy Officer will be expected to take ownership of assigned matters, bring structure to complex issues and ensure that decisions and agreed actions are properly implemented.
Main Responsibilities
Scientific and Institutional Strategy
- Contribute to the analysis and implementation of scientific and institutional priorities.
- Support the Executive Leadership in the study and development of strategic matters.
- Prepare reports, analyses, proposals and recommendations to support decision-making.
- Identify relevant opportunities, risks, dependencies and institutional needs.
Project Management and Cross-Functional Initiatives
- Manage institutional projects involving scientific and corporate units.
- Define objectives, work plans, milestones, responsibilities and deliverables.
- Coordinate contributions from the relevant stakeholders.
- Monitor progress, risks, decisions and pending actions.
- Support the implementation and follow-up of approved measures.
Research-Related Institutional Matters
- Contribute to the management of institutional, organizational and operational matters arising from selected research activities.
- Support the development of appropriate procedures, frameworks and coordination mechanisms.
- Help identify the institutional implications of new activities, collaborations, facilities or ways of working.
- Coordinate input from the relevant scientific, legal, technical, financial and administrative functions.
External Collaborations and Institutional Development
- Support the development of collaborations with hospitals, universities, research centers and other external organizations.
- Contribute to the preparation and review of agreements, procedures and collaboration models.
- Participate in projects related to new scientific spaces, infrastructures or institutional arrangements.
- Support organizational improvement, digitalization and change-management initiatives.
Key Working Relationships
The Strategy Officer will report to and work closely with the Executive Leadership.
The role will also require regular functional coordination with:
- the Institutional Strategy team;
- research groups;
- Technology Transfer, Education and Training, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Scientific Strategy, Infrastructure Teams;
- the Projects Office, Legal, Finance, IT and other corporate services;
- hospitals, universities, research centers and other external partners;
- institutional committees and cross-functional working groups.
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https://jobs.icfo.eu/?detail=1140
We seek a professional with a strong combination of scientific training, research-environment experience and management capability.
The successful candidate will understand how laboratories and research organizations operate in practice and will be able to work effectively across scientific, operational and institutional contexts.
They will bring strong analytical and project-management skills, sound judgement and a high degree of personal responsibility. The role requires someone who works with autonomy, focuses on relevant issues and follows assigned matters through to completion.
Essential Qualifications
- PhD in biology, life sciences, biomedicine, biotechnology, bioengineering or a related scientific discipline.
- Experience in scientific, clinical, hospital or research environments.
- Experience managing laboratories, projects, infrastructures or scientific activities.
- Experience coordinating professionals and working with scientific and management profiles.
- Ability to analyze complex matters and formulate clear conclusions and recommendations.
- Experience preparing reports, proposals and documentation for institutional decision-making.
- Ability to manage cross-functional projects involving multiple stakeholders.
- Working professional knowledge of English.
- Professional command of Catalan.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience in institutional development, research management or research governance.
- Experience in research ethics, animal research or related regulatory environments.
- Experience developing collaborations with hospitals, universities or research centers.
- Experience implementing new processes, organizational models or institutional arrangements.
- Knowledge of Spanish.
- Experience within the Catalan research, hospital or innovation ecosystem.
Personal Competencies
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- ownership and accountability;
- sound judgement and the ability to prioritize;
- a pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach;
- strong analytical and project-management skills;
- reliability, discretion and professional integrity;
- the ability to coordinate effectively across functions;
- clear and direct communication;
- autonomy and execution capacity;
- persistence in following matters through to completion;
- the ability to combine scientific understanding with institutional and management perspectives.
What ICFO Offers
At ICFO, we offer the opportunity to contribute to the scientific, strategic and organizational development of one of the world’s leading research institutions.
The position provides:
- a highly stimulating and international research environment;
- close interaction with the Executive Leadership;
- involvement in high-impact institutional projects;
- direct engagement with scientific, corporate and external stakeholders;
- substantial autonomy and responsibility;
- competitive conditions commensurate with experience and qualifications;
- a unique location in Barcelona, one of Europe’s leading scientific, cultural and innovation hubs.
Equal Opportunity
ICFO is committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and respectful environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Applications are encouraged from outstanding candidates regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by law.
Conditions
This is a full-time position.
The contract offered will be a permanent contract (contracte indefinit) linked to the approved Public Employment Offer (Oferta Pública d’Ocupació – OPO) of ICFO and governed by the applicable public-sector labor framework.
A probationary period of 6 months will apply, in accordance with ICFO’s internal labor regulations and the applicable public-sector labor framework.
A salary according to ICFO’s approved salary scales will be offered, commensurate with the level of the position and the candidate’s experience.
The selected candidate will join ICFO under a permanent contract and will benefit from ICFO’s attractive working conditions, including a hybrid work model, flexible working hours, and access to professional development opportunities.
To apply, please submit your resume, a cover letter outlining your experience, and contact information for 2 professional references. Applications should be submitted via the ICFOjobs platform http://jobs.icfo.eu.
The selection process will follow open, transparent, and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R) principles. It will consist of:
1. Eligibility check of applications.
2. Assessment of merits (education, experience, and language)
3. Written test to assess technical knowledge related to the job position
4. Interview with shortlisted candidates
The Evaluation Committee will include at least three members and ensure gender balance and impartiality.
Each phase will be documented, and candidates will be notified of the outcome within 15 days of the interview.
Data Protection
In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and Organic Law 3/2018, ICFO informs applicants that their personal data will be processed exclusively for recruitment purposes.
- Controller: Fundació ICFO – Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Av. Carl Friedrich Gauss 3, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona).
- DPO: dpo@icfo.eu
- Legal basis: performance of a task in the public interest.
- Rights: access, rectification, erasure, restriction, and opposition.
- Supervisory authority: Catalan Data Protection Authority (APDCAT) https://apdcat.gencat.cat
All recruitment files will be retained in accordance with the Catalan public-sector archival retention schedule (DOGC 2117).
Reference: 1140
Application deadline: 13.09.26
13th of September, 2026
Identify your interests
As your career goals and research interests are an integral part of the selection procedure itself, apart from the ICFOjobs site, we encourage you to browse ICFO’s corporate website to learn more about ICFO’s research activities and to identify the projects and/or areas that best match your background. We also recommend that you visit Careers @ ICFO. A clear indication of your interests and goals in your presentation letter will help us in reviewing your candidacy.
Did you identify an opening meeting your interest and career goals? Then, we are looking forward to your application!
Should there be no opening matching your interest or background, please contact us at jobs@icfo.eu or directly contact with the relevant ICFO Group Leaders or Unit Heads to explore potential future possibilities in their fields.
The application process
If you have identified an opening matching your interests, please read carefully the information about requirements, conditions and necessary application material and start the application process. Candidatures should be submitted online via ICFOjobs, our online application interface, in a 2-step procedure:
- Registration:
The button ‘Apply to this opening’ takes you to the online application form, gathering your personal data for identification purposes. Once submitted, you will receive a link by e-mail, which you must follow in order to continue the application process. - Application:
In this second step of the process you will be asked to provide further details and the necessary application material, as well as, in some of the openings, to indicate potential referees. All enclosed documentation must be in PDF format or plain text.
Once the application form is complete and the relevant material has been uploaded, submit your candidature by clicking on the ‘apply’ button. Candidates will receive an automatic reply acknowledging submission including a reference number for further enquiries or updates (within deadline).
By submitting an application, you grant ICFO permission to use the provided data for the recruiting process. (See Data Protection Policy.)
The review process
Applications will first be reviewed to assure that they meet the requirements and conditions as indicated in the job opening. Candidatures will then be evaluated by the corresponding Selection Committee according to the selection criteria of each opening. ICFO is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are selected exclusively on merit and potential on the basis of submitted application material. No restrictions related to disabilities, citizenship or gender apply to ICFO positions. ICFO abides by the principles of openness, efficiency, transparency, supportiveness, and international comparability as stated in the European Charter for Researchers and the European Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.
ICFO will notify candidates who are selected to pass to the next stage in the review process. Candidates who do not pass the first step of the review process will be notified of the outcome of their application at this time.
When requested, reference letters play an important role in supporting the candidate in the review process. Unless the call applied for indicate specific requirements in that sense, referees will be automatically contacted by ICFO requesting them to complete a standardized evaluation form and submit a letter of support for the candidates. Candidates should by no means submit a reference letter in support of their own candidature on behalf of their referees. The members of the selection committee will have access to reference letters.
On-site or online interviews (aiming at discussing the candidate’s suitability, project contents, hiring conditions and legal matters, etc.) with the Selection committee may be scheduled.
Notification of results
All candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application. Possible results are:
- Rejection:
The Selection Committee reaches the conclusion that the background of other candidate(s) appears to be more suitable for the position. - Waiting list:
Candidate(s) may be placed on a waiting list based on the shortlist proposed by the Selection Committee. Candidate(s) on this list may receive an offer in the event that the top-candidate does not accept the position. Waiting list candidates will receive a final decision as soon as the top-candidate confirms acceptance. - Acceptance / offer:
ICFO extends an official offer, asking the selected candidate for formal confirmation of acceptance.
The selection process is completed as soon as the candidate confirms acceptance of the offered position and a tentative starting date has been agreed.
After acceptance @ ICFO
Staff of the ICFO Human Resources and Education Unit will assist new ICFO members with the following procedures:
- Support with administrative and legal matters related to arriving and settling in, including immigration formalities (Visa application process, etc.) and personal assistance in relocation.
- Particularly for PhD-students: Information and advice on the necessary academic documentation to be gathered and submitted for enrollment in the PhD in Photonics program, including information about how to legalize previous studies (e.g. BSc, MSc, etc.) whenever necessary, as well as registration to the doctorate program and academic planning.
ICFO’s applicant database
The applicant database and all applications received through ICFOjobs, are managed by the staff of ICFO’s Human Resources and Education Unit. All information is handled with due confidentiality and solely for the purpose mentioned, and will be made available to the members of the Selection Committee in so far as they are necessary for the management of the process.
As indicated through the application process, other relevant information is also gathered for statistical purposes or in order to verify the eligibility requirements indicated in the corresponding call.
Do I have to submit my application exclusively online or may I also submit a hard copy?
ICFO only accepts applications submitted online via the ICFOjobs interface. As an exception, and only in case of force-majeure problems with electronic submission, candidates may submit their application in hard copy within the deadline.
Is it possible to apply for more than one opening? May I apply even if I have been considered for an ICFO opening in the past (i.e., re-application)?
Yes.
Do I receive a confirmation acknowledging reception of my application?
Yes.
Is it possible to update my personal data or application material? Likewise, will I be able to delete my application (and therefore all personal data)?
In the first step of application, through the online application form, you will have to provide your personal data including your contact e-mail. Once submitted, you will receive an acknowledging e-mail, containing a link which you have to follow in order to continue with the procedure (submission of application material, etc.). Via the link you receive by e-mail, you will also be able to update your data and application material (within the established deadlines) or even to withdraw your application.
In case of questions - whom shall I contact for help in submitting my application?
Please contact the recruiting staff of ICFO’s Human Resources at jobs@icfo.eu.
Particularly for PhD- and Postdoctoral openings: Is it possible to apply even if I have not yet finished the minimum academic qualification required?
Yes, unless the call explicitly indicates otherwise, but please indicate this clearly in your presentation letter. In general, candidates should hold an internationally-recognized degree or evidence of its completion before the prospective starting date.
Applications need to be supported by reference letters. How should these be submitted?
For exact details on how to proceed with reference letters, please check the specific opening you are applying for. In general, you will be requested to indicate name, institution, contact data, and relationship in the last part of the online application form. Depending on the opening, referees will be automatically contacted by ICFO requesting them to complete a standardized evaluation form and submit a letter of support for the candidates. Candidates should by no means submit a reference letter in support of their own candidature on behalf of their referees.
Submission of academic transcripts and degrees?
The required documentation to be submitted for application is indicated in the ‘application process’ of each opening. In general, ICFO will ask that you provide a copy of your most recent academic degree certificate. Additionally, and particularly for fellowships and internship positions, ICFO will also need you to submit scanned copies of your academic transcripts (current and previous studies). The academic transcripts contain the list of courses, including the credits and marks obtained. Provisional degree certificates are generally accepted by ICFO.
The application form requires the indication of my GPA – what shall I indicate?
GPA stands for Grade Point Average. Apart from other criteria, selection for ICFO positions, above all for fellowships and internships, is measured in terms of the academic performance. In this regard, ICFO needs an indication of the average of your final overall grade obtained in your studies (stated in your transcripts), the minimum grade required to pass in your university and the maximum grade that can be achieved or the overall qualification obtained in your PhD-studies (for applicants with a PhD-degree).
Retrieve your application
Contact
You can write an email to Human Resources and Education at ICFO.