Fully Funded PhD Positions in Life Sciences

EMBL International PhD Programme

Would you like to contribute your creativity to an international team of scientists from various disciplines focusing on basic research in the area of molecular life sciences?

Your role

The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) invites you to apply for PhD positions in Heidelberg, Barcelona, Grenoble, Hamburg, Hinxton (near Cambridge) and Rome. The EMBL International PhD Programme (EIPP) offers comprehensive, interdisciplinary training, striking a careful balance between theory and practice, close mentoring and creative freedom, collaborative teamwork and individual independence. These key characteristics make EIPP a role model, which has inspired similar programmes at research institutions throughout Europe and the World.

Find out more about the cutting-edge Research Topics investigated across our different Research Units.

You have

We welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds, such as in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering and Molecular Medicine. Applicants must hold, or anticipate receiving before starting at EMBL, a university degree that would formally qualify them to enter a PhD or equivalent programme in the country where the degree was obtained.

Why join us

EMBL provides PhD students with a starting platform for a successful career in science by fostering early independence and interdisciplinary research. The enriching encounter of different nationalities, the friendly and collaborative atmosphere, and the passion for science is what unites EMBL’s diverse staff and provides an ideal setting to forge long-lasting connections and make studying at EMBL a formative experience. Our PhD positions are fully funded and offer broad health care and pension benefits.

Full details on how to submit your online application are available here.

The next application round, 2027 Winter Recruitment, will open in September 2026.

EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we implement best practices in research assessment in our recruitment processes here.

For further information, please visit our web page or contact the EMBL Graduate Office.