Predoctoral researcher at the Microenvironments for Medicine Research Group

Institute for bioengineering of Catalonia, IBEC; España; On-site; EUR 14,000 - 22,000; Full time

Job summary

Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) seeks a PhD student to develop in vitro models of the esophageal epithelium and study how cell and matrix mechanics influence cancer initiation. Work includes engineering viscoelastic hydrogels and characterizing them with Brillouin and traction force microscopy.

The role is funded through a Fundación Científica Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer project and involves collaboration with Dr Albert Herms (IDIBAPS).

Qualifications

• Degree and Master in physics, biology or engineering.
• Multidisciplinary background and knowledge of hydrogels and cell biology are a plus.
• Strong English skills and collaborative mindset.
• Candidates must not yet have been awarded a doctoral degree.

Responsibilities

• Develop in vitro models of the esophageal epithelium.
• Engineer viscoelastic hydrogels for epithelial growth.
• Characterize hydrogels using mechanobiology techniques.
• Conduct live microscopy and mechanical property studies.

Skills

Interdisciplinary background

English proficiency

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Master's degree in physics/biology/engineering

Bachelor's degree in any field

Tools

Brillouin microscopy

Traction force microscopy

Hydrogel synthesis

Cell culture

Job description

Institute for bioengineering of Catalonia, IBEC

Organisation/Company Institute for bioengineering of Catalonia, IBEC Research Field Biological sciences Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 20 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid) Country Spain Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 37.5 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Other EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Introduction to the vacant position:

The Microenvironments for Medicine Group is seeking a PhD student to develop in vitro models of the oesophageal epithelium and investigate the role of cell and matrix mechanics in cancer initiation. The position is funded by a project from the Fundación Científica Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer, and will be developed in collaboration with Dr Albert Herms (IDIBAPS). The work involves engineering viscoelastic hydrogels to support epithelial cell growth and characterising them using mechanobiology techniques, including Brillouin microscopy and traction force microscopy.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

• Establishing a toolset for understanding cancer initiation in the esophageous involving mechanical, chemical and computational techniques. These will include:
  • Chemical synthesis of novel viscoelastic hydrogels
  • Advanced rheological characterization both at the micro and the bulk scale
  • Cell culture
  • Cellular and molecular biology techniques
  • Advanced live microscopy experiments, including Brillouin Microscopy
  • Advanced characterisation of cell mechanics

Requirements for candidates:

• Degree and Master on any field on physics, biology, engineering,
• Multidisciplinary qualifications (Physics/Maths, Physics/Engineering, etc.) and/or knowledge on hydrogels, cell biology (specifically on advanced microscopy techniques will be a plus).
• Competencies and skills: Communication, Teamwork and collaboration, Commitment, Proactivity, Integrity, Critical and Analytical thinking.
• High level of English.
• Candidates must not yet have been awarded a doctoral degree.

Advantageous:

• Experience in computational modelling of biological systems
• Experience with immune and mesenchymal stem cells

We Offer:

• Number of available positions: 1
• Starting date: flexible from 1st January 2027
• Working conditions:
• Full time 4-year contract.
• Measures to reconcile work and family life (parental leave, flexible schedule working hours, 23 working days of paid holidays, 9 leave days for personal matters, among others).
• IBEC ensures equality of access to professional development opportunities irrespective of employment status, length at IBEC or other factors. The IBEC’s yearly training catalogue offers a wide range of training in technical and transferable skills including mobility grants and a Mentoring programme for predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers.
• Stimulating, interdisciplinary research and high-quality international scientific environment.
• Induction programme to facilitate incorporation at IBEC and additional support is provided for foreigners to obtain Visa-working permit and to install in Barcelona.

Only those applications submitted before the deadline will be evaluated.

IBEC is committed to the principles of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers of the European Commission and the Open, Transparent and Merit based Recruitment principles (OTM-R) https://ibecbarcelona.eu/careers-at-ibec/jobs/

IBEC´s Commitment on equal opportunity:

Our strength and excellence as an international transdisciplinary Research Institute are based on diversity. Being an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to diversity and inclusion, so that we support employees irrespective of their gender, nationality, religion, disabilities, age, sexual identity or cultural and socioeconomic background.”

IBEC actively looks for female candidates for Senior positions ensuring that at least 40% of shortlisted applicants invited to interview have to be women with comparable level of CVs as the male candidates. At the end of the evaluation process, in case of equal merit, priority will be given to female candidates.

For candidates with children that come from outside Barcelona, we offer babysitting services during the interview, so you don’t have to worry about anything else than doing a good interview. Contact us if you are interested in this service.

IBEC, as a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), will consider, especially for early-stage investigators, much more the scientific content of research outputs, than publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which it were published.

Protection of personal data:

IBEC guarantees that candidates’ personal data are processed in accordance with the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Law 3/2018 on Data Protection.

Personal data will be processed solely for the purposes of the selection process.

Who we are?

The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, IBEC is an interdisciplinary research center focused on Bioengineering and Nanomedicine based in Barcelona. IBEC is one of the top research institutions named as a Severo Ochoa Research Centre by the Ministry of Science, Universities and Innovation, which recognizes excellence at the highest international level in terms of research, training, human resources, outreach and technology transfer.

IBEC’s mission is to develop international high-quality interdisciplinary research that, while creating knowledge, contributes to making a better quality of life, improving health and creating wealth. A close link with key universities, reference hospitals and corporations, are assets that facilitate achieving the mission.

IBEC was established in 2005 by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Autonomous Government of Catalonia), the University of Barcelona (UB) and the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC). IBEC is located within the Barcelona Science Park and is managing 3.800 square meters facilities, with an annual budget of 22 Mio€; 4.150 square meters of facilities; 21 research groups and a team of researchers and support services of 400 people from 35 different countries. www.ibecbarcelona.eu