ICFO jobs & fellowships

Welcome to ICFOjobs

Our job openings site and
online application interface

Please consult openings for further information on available projects and positions, as well as for elegibility, conditions, required application material and deadlines.

We invite displaced researchers and eligible MSc and PhD students, in particular those affected by the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, to apply to the opening listed below that fits best their case. A statement describing clearly the applicant’s situation and eligibility is to be included in the corresponding presentation letter.

Dear applicant,

In the event that you have lost the acknowledging e-mail containing the link providing access to your application, you may retrieve your data by completing the form below.

Please, provide the required data and click on the ‘submit’ button. You will receive an e-mail, containing the link to your application.

In case of any troubles, please contact us at jobs@icfo.eu.

Are you interested in a position or a specific opening at ICFO, browsed our FAQs section, but still have a question you would need us to answer? Would you like to know more about a career at ICFO, or the application process? If so, please do not hesitate to contact us by submitting the form below.

Contents

Job openings

Team Leaders

Post-doctoral Researchers

UPC is offering 3 positions within the Cátedra Chip Project in collaboration with ICFO and ICFO spin-offs Quside, Luxquanta and Qurv. The researchers will carry out their tasks within ICFO premises.

  • 1 Post-doctoral position to develop mixed-signal ASICs for Quside’s quantum random number generator, including simulation, design, prototyping, and validation – Apply here: http://s.ic.fo/6hcLP
  • 1 Post-doctoral position to contribute to the research and development of photonic integrated circuits for Luxquanta’s continuous variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) technology. – Apply here: http://s.ic.fo/lkPhE
  • 1 Project Research Engineer position to develop thin film deposition processes and enhance process innovation and control for Qurv’s next-generation computer vision applications. – Apply here: http://s.ic.fo/6fjVq

Group Opening

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

Under- and Postgraduate Students

Admin & Technical Engineers

Admissions period Winter 2024

ICFO offers a limited number of PhD positions to well-qualified applicants who wish to obtain a doctoral degree in any of the research topics available within our Research Groups .

Our PhD-program brings together top-level training and teaching for young scientists in a stimulating, international and interdisciplinary environment.

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

All PhD students admitted to ICFO are provided with a fellowship, with conditions as described in detail below.

Important:
Students applying to join the program are advised to directly contact the Research Group(s) of interest as part of the application process. We will use internal recommendations from Group Leaders to help identify candidates of interest during the admissions period.

As part of your application you will be requested to indicate the research group(s) in which you are interested in undertaking your PhD. Please be as specific as possible here, explaining your motivation to join the groups indicated.

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.

Share this opening!

Use the following URL:
https://jobs.icfo.eu/?detail=942

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. For degrees issued outside the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), “Master-equivalent” is understood as a degree granting access to a PhD in the country where it was awarded. Official documents certifying this will have to be submitted by the candidate. Formal evaluation of equivalence will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Please, if in doubt regarding your academic eligibility, contact us at jobs@icfo.eu.

  • Have an excellent academic record, previous research experience and a strong commitment for scientific research.

  • Candidates who have already been awarded a PhD are not eligible to apply.

  • Have a high working knowledge of English.

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.

PhD Students admitted to ICFO will be offered a Fellowship with the following conditions:

  • Initial contract for a period of 6 months, while being pre-admitted to the PhD program, with an explicit follow-up/ renewal procedure at the end of this first stage. 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.

  • After this initial period, students are formally enrolled in the PhD Program, 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.

  • Tentative starting dates for selected candidates goes between February and April 2025.

  • All ICFO fellowships include medical care coverage and work accident insurance through the Spanish Social Security system, providing access to the Spanish public health care system.

  • ICFO PhD standard salary conditions apply to the positions and are subject to fiscal and social security deductions.
    The salary until 31st December 2024 is 11.250€ for the initial training period of 6-months (22.500€ annual gross salary), 22.500€ (annual gross salary) for the1st and 2nd year, and 25.200€ (annual gross salary) for 3rd and 4th year.
    The salary since 1st January 2025 will be 26.200€ gross/year for the entire duration of the fellowship (4.5 years).

  • 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.

To apply, suitable candidates are requested to complete online application form and submit (in English) online the following material:

  • A Presentation Letter with declaration of research interests, as well as (mandatory) indication of the research project and/ or group you are interested in,

  • A Curriculum Vitae, including contact details,

  • Scanned copies of the complete (Bachelor and Master equivalent) academic transcripts in English or Spanish including the grading scale,

  • Scanned copies of the degree certificates, if available at the time of application,

  • Holders of a degree issued under a foreign education system. In these cases, homologa-tion is not required but the university that awarded the degree must verify that it certifies a level of training equivalent to an official Spanish master’s degree and qualifies the holder for admission to doctoral studies in the country where it was issued. Admission on this basis does not imply homologation of the foreign degree or its recognition for any purpose other than admission to doctoral studies.
    Documentation must explicitly indicate equivalence of degree and/or admissibility in a PhD program in the country where it was issued. 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.
  • 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 into the system. When they do so, the applicant will receive an email confirming that the corresponding reference letter has been submitted. Candidates are responsible for ensuring that referees submit these letters.

  • 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.

All required application material, including letters of reference, must be complete in order for the application to be considered.

The deadline for submission of applications for the present call is November 29, 2024 and the deadline for referees to submit the reference letters is December 4, 2024.

Applicants with a legally recognized disability, equal to or greater than 33%, have the right to be considered in the applicable reserved quota for the corresponding position, and to have the necessary adaptations for selection & evaluation, as well as for the assigned workplace, if necessary. They must provide the assessment or accreditation of the degree of disability issued or officially recognized by the authorities in the area where the workplace is established, along with the rest of the documentation when applying. Failure to present the accreditation for causes attributable to the applicant will entail their participation in this selection process without any reservation and on equal terms with the rest of the candidates.

ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Candidates will be assessed on a rolling basis until the call deadline according to the following steps:


  1. Eligibility Check.
  2. Evaluation that the candidate is eligible for admission into the PhD program, and that their application is complete.

  3. Admissibility Check.
  4. Confirmation that the candidate fulfils the minimum academic requirements for admission into the PhD program, and one or more research groups are interested to host the candidate.

  5. Evaluation of candidate.
  6. The admissions committee will evaluate identified candidates.
    Assessment is based on demonstrated achievement and potential, measured in terms of academic record, previous experience, and personal achievements. Academic excellence is a must. Pro-activity, participation in community activities, and capacity for team-work are also valued.

  7. Interviews.
  8. Outstanding candidates identified by the admissions committee will be invited to interview:

    1. candidates will receive invitations for on line interviews with an admissions committee

    2. in parallel, individual interviews with interested Group Leader(s) may be conducted.

    Last interviews are planned to take place by December 2024.

  9. Admissions.
  10. Admissions offers with a corresponding fellowship will be made to the successful candidates shortly after the interviews.
    To be admitted into the program, candidates must pass the evaluation by the admissions committee following the interview in step 4a, and have an offer of acceptance into one or more host research groups with confirmed funding for the corresponding fellowship.

  11. Appeals.
  12. A dedicated, external and independent Appeals Panel will be established to rule on the outcome of any appeal 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/general-eligibility.

29th of November, 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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:

  1. Rejection:
    The Selection Committee reaches the conclusion that the background of other candidate(s) appears to be more suitable for the position.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Appendix

No vacancies matching your profile?

In the event that there are no published vacancies matching your academic or professional background, you may contact us at jobs@icfo.eu.

Data Protection Statement

ICFO endeavours to safeguard and protect the privacy and confidentiality of your personal data pursuant to applicable laws (GDPR) and implementing regulations.

To help achieve this goal ICFO has drafted a Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use and otherwise handle “Personal Information” we receive from you when you use ICFO websites and explains the circumstances in which we may transfer this to others.

The full policy can be found in ICFO's main website.

Our Data Privacy Policy must be read together with any other legal notices or terms and conditions also available on our Website (Terms of use and Cookies Policy).

If you have any questions in relation to this Data Privacy Policy, or if you would like to contact us to exercise your rights as stated in our Privacy Policy, you should check ICFO's website.