Contents
Job openings
Team Leaders
Group Opening
Post-doctoral Researchers
Group Opening
- Post-doctoral position in development of low-cost CMOS compatible intersubband optoelectronics (photodetectors and light emitters) in the MWIR and LWIR leveraging colloidal quantum dot technology
- Post-doctoral position on simulating gauge theories with Rydberg atom arrays
- Post-doctoral position in photodetectors with 2d materials heterostructure
- Post-doctoral position towards a mechanical qubit
- Post-doctoral position in science and technology of moire quantum matter
- Post-doctoral position in chip-integrated infrared colloidal quantum dot lasers
- Post-doctoral or Project Research Engineer position in quantum key distribution for space
- Post-doctoral position in novel ultrafast spectroscopy methods for photosynthesis and bioenergetics
- Post-doctoral positions in analogue electron quantum simulator
- Post-doctoral position in quantum optics of single atoms interacting with single photons
- Post-doctoral position in integrated photonics design, simulation, fabrication, characterization and packaging
- Post-doctoral position in new methods for non-invasive measures of cerebral hypertension using photonics
- Post-doctoral position in theoretical many-body quantum optics
- Post-doctoral and Research Engineer positions in quantum technologies
- Post-doctoral position on thermal sensors and microbolometers
- Post-doctoral position in dark matter search with ultracold atoms
- Post-doctoral position in design and testing of thz detectors
- Post-doctoral position in atomic vapor quantum sensors
- Post-doctoral position in ultrathin optical films and applications to display, bio and lithography
- Post-doctoral position in applications of near-infrared spectroscopy and diffuse correlation spectroscopy in critical care
- Post-doctoral position in speckle contrast optical spectroscopy (SCOS) for non-invasive blood flow measurement
Staff Researchers
Project Engineers
PhD-fellows
General Call
A rolling call of the ICFO PhD Program, with periodic deadlines, is always open for candidates applying to do a PhD at ICFO.
All candidates will be considered for all available fellowships for which they are eligible. Some specific fellowships are announced through targeted calls. Candidates applying to these calls are also considered for all other fellowships for which they are eligible.
Students may also join ICFO with their own funding or through external fellowships. Interested candidates should apply directly to such programs, and may wish to contact ICFO research groups they might be interested to join.
For further general information on fellowships and specific calls, please contact us at jobs@icfo.eu
Currently we have the following call(s) open
- Up to 9 PhD-positions available within the FLIGHT fellowship program (MSCA-COFUND action)
- Admissions period Fall 2024
Group Opening
Under- and Postgraduate Students
Admin & Technical Engineers
PhD-positions available within the ICFO PhD Program (spring 2024)
ICFO offers PhD-fellowship positions to well-qualified graduate students, who wish to obtain a doctoral degree in any of the research topics covered at ICFO.
Our PhD-program brings together top-level training and teaching for young scientists, benefiting from the extensive course offerings of local universities and focused instruction by ICFO professors, in a stimulating, international and interdisciplinary environment. PhD-students have the opportunity to take advantage of our network of excellence, consisting in partners of national and international research institutes and universities, as well as industrial partners in the field.
Our PhD Fellowship Program welcomes applications from individuals with a degree in a field of science and engineering related to the ICFO research activities.
Fellowships will be offered across all ICFO research groups. Research lines include, but are not limited to theoretical and experimental aspects of:
- Atto-Science, Ultrafast Optics & Nonlinear Optics
- Photovoltaics, Thermal Photonics & Solar Fuels
- Optical Sensing & Optoelectronics
- NanoPhotonics & NanoMechanics
- Ultracold Quantum Gases
- Quantum and Low-Dimensional Materials
- Quantum Communications, Sensing & Simulation
- Quantum Optics & Quantum Information
- Nanophotonics, Condensed Matter Physics & Light-Matter Interactions
- Medical Optics
- Biophysics, Biophotonics & Super-Resolution Imaging
Please, browse our website for details about ICFO Research Groups and Group Leaders at https://www.icfo.eu/research/groups/. In the group profile, you will also see specific available PhD-projects in that particular group (application should be formalized through this present general call with the corresponding selection process applicable). If you are interested in discussing possible research topics, please contact ICFO Group Leaders directly.
Important: During your application, you will be requested to indicate the research group(s) you are interested in accomplishing your PhD with.
The fellowships are offered in the scope of several fellowship programs currently active within the ICFO PhD Program:
- Severo Ochoa Excellence Program.
- Standard PhD positions: funded by AGAUR (Government of Catalonia) and other funding sources.
Important: All candidates will be considered for all available fellowships for which they are eligible.
Financed by the European Union-NextGenerationEU-MICIIN(PRTR-C17. I1) and by the Generalitat de Catalunya
Proyecto QUANTUM ENIA, financiado por el Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia en el marco de la Agenda España Digital 2025.
Share this opening!
Use the following URL:
https://jobs.icfo.eu/?detail=867
![](./img/sponsors/Banner_Quantum.png)
To be eligible for an ICFO PhD position, candidates must:
- Have an internationally-recognized Master-equivalent degree. The degree must be completed by the start of your prospective PhD at ICFO, at the latest, and must be in a field of science and engineering related to the ICFO research activities. Degrees issued within the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) must have an equivalent to 300 ECTS, out of which a minimum of 60 ECTS must have been obtained in postgraduate studies. Please, if in doubt regarding your academic eligibility, contact us at jobs@icfo.eu
- Candidates who have already been awarded a PhD are not eligible to apply.
- Have an excellent academic record, previous research experience and a strong commitment for scientific research.
- Have a high working knowledge of English.
- Candidates who have been already admitted into the ICFO doctoral program may apply if they have not previously applied to any equivalent ICFO PhD Fellowships call (this includes, for example, the Spring and Fall PhD fellowship calls and previous FLIGHT calls).
- Candidates who have not been admitted into the ICFO doctoral program and have previously applied to any previous call for equivalent ICFO PhD fellowships (this includes, for example, the Spring and Fall PhD fellowship calls and previous FLIGHT calls), may only apply again if they can demonstrate a substantial change in circumstances in their application. For example, candidates who applied while completing their Master program, who have subsequently completed their degree and corresponding masters thesis research project with significant output (grades, research results) that was not included in their previous application may apply again. Candidates should also explicitly describe any updates to their candidacy in their application documentation.
Other specific eligibility requirements and conditions apply for specific fellowship schemes.
Additionally, to the general eligibility criteria, candidates for the Severo Ochoa Excellence Program PhD fellowships will have to meet mobility requirements:
- By the call deadline, candidates should have resided in Spain or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) for at least 12 of the last 36 months.
- Candidates must not have been in a PhD position at ICFO for more than 12 months (including the trainee period) at the time of the call deadline.
ICFO is an equal employment opportunity employer. Candidates are selected exclusively on merit and potential on the basis of submitted application material. No restrictions of persons with 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.
CONDITIONS
ICFO PhD Fellowships are offered for a period of 4.5 years. The conditions of the positions awarded in the scope of the ICFO PhD fellowship program are as follows:
- Initial contract for a period of 6 months (referred to as the “initial trainee period”), while being pre-admitted to the PhD program, with an explicit follow-up/ renewal procedure at the end of this first stage. Note that in certain circumstances the initial trainee period might be shortened or not offered. During this period, students already take part in the ICFO working environment, join a research group, and work with their supervisor to define a research project. For the Severo Ochoa Excellence Fellowships and the ICFO Standard PhD Positions, the annual gross salary subject to the stipulated fiscal and social security deductions during this period is 22.500€ during this period.
- After this initial training period, students are formally enrolled in a PhD Program with a local university (as a general rule, the UPC PhD in Photonics program administered by ICFO), and the full PhD Fellowship activated. Fellowships are offered for periods of three years, renewable for an additional fourth year, and are formalized via a PhD-contract. Continuity and renewal are subject to satisfactory performance in the PhD studies and related research activities, evaluated annually by the Thesis Director and the ICFO PhD Committee.
- Salary conditions for the 4 years of PhD fellowship vary according to the fellowship scheme finally awarded:
- For the Severo Ochoa Excellence Fellowships, the annual gross salary subject to the stipulated fiscal and social security deductions is 25.200€.
- For the ICFO Standard Fellowships, the annual gross salary, subject to the stipulated fiscal and social security deductions, is 22.500€ for the 1st and 2nd year and 23.500€ for the 3rd and 4th year.
- For the Severo Ochoa Excellence Fellowships, the annual gross salary subject to the stipulated fiscal and social security deductions is 25.200€.
- Selected candidates shall start ideally between May 2024 and July 2024.
- All fellowships include medical care coverage and work accident insurance through the Spanish Social Security system, providing access to the Spanish public health care system.
- As part of the fellowship, ICFO will provide budget as deemed necessary and with the corresponding approval from the corresponding Group/Team Leader to enable the PhD fellow to complete his/her assigned research project. This budget is managed by the Group/Team leader, and will include consumables and other materials, training and other related costs, such as registration fees, travel and subsistence costs for participation in national or international events, conference, meetings, schools, and/or other training activities.
- Additionally, a family allowance is also available on request and after corresponding approval for people with family charges in the terms described in the corresponding policy.
(1) Note that in exceptional cases, e.g. when the candidate’s degree that gives access to the doctoral studies is older than three years, complying with the labor law in force, the initial trainee period might be shortened or not offered.
To apply, suitable candidates are requested to submit (in English) online the following material:
- A Cover Letter addressing research interests and motivation for application, as well as specific indication of ICFO research group of interest,
- A Curriculum Vitae, including contact details,
- Scanned copies of the complete (Bachelor and Master equivalent) official academic transcripts in English or Spanish,
- Scanned copies of the degree certificates, if available at the time of application,
- Holders of degrees issued within European Higher Education Area outside Spain shall also submit the European Diploma supplement, if available. If not submitted during the application, this will be compulsory to be submitted in further steps of the selection process.
- Holders of degrees issued in outside European Higher Education Area shall submit documentation that explicitly indicate equivalence of degree and/or admissibility in a PhD program in the country where it was issued. If not submitted during the application, this will be compulsory to be submitted in further steps of the selection process. Examples of documents we accept are:
- Official document or website from the degree granting university
- Academic transcript including this explicit description
- Letter or certificate from faculty, school or department, addressed to ICFO on official letter-head, signed by a person responsible for admissions into the PhD program
- Official document or website from the degree granting university
- If available, scanned copy of standardized test results (GRE, TOEFL, etc.). Note that submission of test results is optional, but they can be particularly helpful for evaluating candidates with degrees obtained outside the European Higher Education Area.
- The names and contact details of 2 referees. IMPORTANT: These referees will be automatically contacted by ICFO requesting them to complete a standardized evaluation form and submit a letter of support for the candidates one week of the application deadline. When they do so, the applicant will receive an email confirming that the corresponding reference letter has been submitted.
- Extenuating circumstances (optional; 1-page max). Candidates may submit a statement regarding any career interruptions (care of dependents, birth of children, etc.) or any other aspects, which will be taken-into-account in evaluating their applications.
All required application material, including letters of reference, must be complete and submitted by deadline in order for the application to be considered.
The deadline for submission of applications for the present call is February 19, 2024 and the deadline for referees to submit the reference letters is February 22, 2024.
SELECTION PROCESS
In a first step of the selection procedure, applications will be assessed by the selection committee based on merit and potential, measured in terms of the academic record and personal achievements. Academic excellence is a must. Pro-activity, participation in community activities, and capacity for team-work are also taken into account.
Applicants will be notified the results of the first evaluation stage by mid-March 2024.
In the second step of the selection procedure, shortlisted candidates will receive invitations to visit ICFO for personal interviews with the selection committee and ICFO Group/Team Leaders, planned to take place by the end of April 2024.
Please note that that the visit to ICFO for personal interviews may have to be replaced by online interviews depending on the circumstances. Applicants will be notified accordingly.
Note: If you are from a country with visa-obligations for Spain, please be advised to already inquire (only inquire) regarding the documentation necessary (usually inviting letter ICFO, plus travel and accommodation bookings) and the potential appointment-situation at the local Spanish Embassy/ visa-office.
The final list with candidates recommended for fellowship concession, as well as reserve candidates, will be available by the beginning of May 2024. Being the last condition that shortlisted candidates find a hosting group at ICFO, candidates are then asked to contact the Group Leader(s) of choice to negotiate directly a potential PhD in their group, on a fellowship. Candidates and Group Leader should confirm within one week whether an agreement has been reached. Candidates without a match cannot be confirmed the fellowship.
A dedicated, external and independent Appeals Panel will be established to rule on the outcome of appeals from the applicants.
At all stages of the process, candidates may contact ICFO Human Resources and Education via jobs@icfo.eu; for complete information about the PhD Admissions process at ICFO, please see https://www.icfo.eu/studies/phd-program/
19th of February, 2024
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.