CIC nanoGUNE: Junior Group Leaders

CIC nanoGUNE; España; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

CIC nanoGUNE invites outstanding early-career scientists to establish their own independent junior group as part of a four-year Junior Group Leader appointment. Successful candidates will lead a research line, access world-class infrastructure, and pursue external funding with support from our grant office.

English proficiency and a strong postdoc record are essential as bilingual collaborations span international partners. Applicants must hold a Ph.D.

Qualifications

• Excellent postdoctoral track record with publications at the highest level.
• Demonstrated scientific independence and international research experience.
• Original research proposal that builds on nanoGUNE's infrastructure and knowledge base.
• Ambition and capacity to build and lead a research team and secure external funding.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

• Lead their own junior group at nanoGUNE with scientific independence.
• Conduct ambitious frontier research and pursue external funding opportunities.
• Publish results and build the team with institutional support.

Skills

English proficiency

Independent research experience

Postdoctoral track record

Education

PhD in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Engineering, Biology or related discipline

Job description

Organisation/Company CIC nanoGUNE Research Field All Researcher Profile Established Researcher (R3) Positions Other Positions Application Deadline 31 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid) Country Spain Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Jan 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

NanoGUNE is a research center devoted to conducting world-class nanoscience research for a competitive growth of the Basque Country. NanoGUNE is a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA) and has been recognized for the third consecutive time by the Spanish Research Agency as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence.

With this call, we are opening a career pathway for outstanding early-career scientists ready to establish their own independent research line. Successful candidates will lead their own junior group at nanoGUNE, with scientific independence and access to our state-of-the-art research infrastructure.

Research areas

We welcome applications across the full breadth of two broad areas:

• Quantum Nanoscience: including, but not limited to, quantum materials, quantum transport, quantum optics and photonics, quantum sensing, superconducting and spin-based devices, low-dimensional and topological systems, and quantum hardware.
• Nanomedicine: including, but not limited to, nanobiotechnology, biomolecular engineering, nanoscale biophysics, biomaterials, diagnostics, and bio-inspired nanosystems.

Proposals that are original, ambitious, and complementary to nanoGUNE's existing activity are particularly encouraged. We will especially value research programs that exploit our experimental infrastructure, including our 300 m² cleanroom for nanofabrication, 15 ultra-low-noise laboratories, and shared platforms for electron microscopy, nanoscale imaging and spectroscopy, thin-film growth and nanodevice characterization.

What we offer

• A 4-year appointment as Junior Group Leader.
• Funding for one postdoctoral researcher, recruited by and working under the supervision of the Junior Group Leader.
• Consumables and travel funds sufficient to run the proposed program while the Junior Group Leader secures their own external research funding.
• Access to nanoGUNE’s research infrastructure.
• Scientific independence in defining the research program, publishing, and building the team.
• Support from the center's project management and grant office for national and European funding applications.
• An international and competitive research environment, state-of-the-art equipment, and the opportunity to perform research at the highest level.

During the appointment, Junior Group Leaders are expected to conduct ambitious frontier research and to pursue external funding opportunities. Selected candidates will be expected to apply to the next available Ikerbasque Research Fellows call and to pursue competitive research grants such as the ERC Starting Grant. Junior Group Leaders who establish a successful independent research line at nanoGUNE may subsequently have the opportunity to access a permanent research position, in coordination with the Ikerbasque program for the consolidation of research talent in the Basque Country.

The candidates

Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Engineering, Biology, or a related discipline, and must be within the eligibility window for an ERC Starting Grant at the application deadline. Extensions to this eligibility window for parental leave, long-term illness, and other circumstances recognized under ERC rules will be taken into account.

We are looking for candidates with:

• An excellent postdoctoral track record, including publications at the highest level.
• Demonstrated scientific independence and international research experience.
• An original research proposal that builds on nanoGUNE's infrastructure and existing knowledge base.
• The ambition and capacity to build and lead a research team and to compete successfully for external funding.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English. Knowledge of Spanish or Basque is not required.

The application deadline is 31 Oct 2026 .

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to nanoGUNE for a seminar and interview.

We promote teamwork in a diverse and inclusive environment and welcomeall kinds of applicants regardless of age, disability, gender,nationality, race, religion, or sexual orientation. We particularlyencourage applications from women.