Predoctoral researcher at the Nanoscale Bioelectrical Characterization Group (SMARTSPMHISTO)

Institute for bioengineering of Catalonia, IBEC; España; Presencial; EUR 19.000 - 24.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Induction programme

Visa/work permit support

Interview babysitting service

Training catalogue and mobility grants

Descripción de la vacante

Institute for bioengineering of Catalonia, IBEC, in Spain, seeks a predoc researcher to develop a PhD project applying scanning probe microscopy enhanced by AI to medical histology. The four-year fellowship is tied to the SMARTSPMHISTO project and funded by national research programmes.

The position requires entering an official doctoral programme by December 2026, with strong emphasis on AFM/ Force Spectroscopy, tissue preparation, and high-throughput nanocharacterization.

Formación

• BSc and MSc in Biomedical Engineering, Biomedicine, Physics, Engineering or similar areas.
• Eligible to enter official doctoral programme in December 2026 with degree and master's or 300 ECTS including 60 at master level.
• Strong commitment to scientific research and an excellent academic record.
• Good working knowledge of English.
• Not yet awarded a doctoral degree; no PhD contract exceeding twelve months by Dec 2026.
• Strong communication, teamwork, proactivity, integrity, time management, critical and analytical thinking, precision and focus.
• Willingness to work in a highly multidisciplinary environment.
• Experience or basic knowledge in Microscopy, Artificial Intelligence or Electronic Instrumentation is a plus.

Responsabilidades

• Develop a thesis project on AI-enhanced scanning probe microscopy for nanoscale histology.
• Train in AFM and Force Spectroscopy for nanoelectrical and nanomechanical tissue characterization.
• Prepare tissue sectioning protocols for AFM inspection.
• Conduct sequential structural, mechanical and electrical AFM characterizations of tissues.
• Collaborate to develop a smart multiparametric AFM system for histology and provide end-user feedback.
• Perform high throughput nanomechanical and nanoelectrical studies on histopathological samples.

Conocimientos

English proficiency

Communication

Teamwork

Proactivity

Critical thinking

Analytical thinking

Time management

Educación

BSc & MSc in Biomedical Engineering / Biomedicine / Physics / Engineering

Herramientas

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

Force Spectroscopy

Descripción del empleo

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 Oct 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 Nanoscale bioelectrical characterization Research Group is looking for a predoctoral researcher to develop his/her thesis project on the application of scanning probe microscopy enhanced by AI to medical histology. The PhD project will be conducted in the framework of the project entitled: Smart and enhanced multimodal scanning probe microscopy for nanoscale histology (SMARTSPMHISTO).

This fellowship is associated with a research project Generación de Conocimiento, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.

Training plan, tasks and responsibilities:

The scientific training plan of the PhD will start with an advanced training in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Force Spectroscopy for nanoelectrical and nanomechanical characterization, with a special emphasis on tissue samples. The candidate will also be trained in protocols for tissue sectioning preparation for AFM inspection. The candidate will then conduct sequential structural, mechanical and electrical AFM characterizations of tissues. Once the enhanced multiparametric AFM system for histology will be available, simultaneous measurements of the physical properties will be conducted and compared with sequential studies. Then the candidate will collaborate with the rest of the team to develop the smart multiparametric AFM system for histology, adopting the role of end user and providing feedback and suggestions on its implementation. Finally, the PhD candidate will perform high throughput nanomechanical and nanoelectrical studies of histopathological preparations from Parkinson’s disease and Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy.

Requirements for candidates:

• BSc and MSc in Biomedical Engineering, Biomedicine, Physics, Engineering or similar areas
• Candidates should be ready to enter an official doctoral programme in December 2026 (under Spanish Law). By this time, they must have obtained a university degree and a master’s degree; or must hold an official university qualification from a country of the European Higher Education Area with a minimum of 300 ECTS of official university studies, of which at least 60 are at master’s level. Candidates who expect to be awarded with such degrees by October 2026 are eligible to apply.
• Candidates must have a strong commitment to scientific research and an excellent academic record.
• Candidates must have a good working knowledge of English.
• Candidates must not yet have been awarded a doctoral degree.
• Candidates must not have held a Ph.D. contract exceeding twelve months by the beginning of the fellowship (December 2026 to January 2027).
• Good skills in communication, teamwork, proactivity, characterisation, integrity, time management, critical and analytical thinking, precision, and focus.
• Willingness to work in a highly multidisciplinary environment.

Advantageous:

• Experience or basic knowledge in Microscopy, Artificial Intelligence or Electronic Instrumentation will be a plus.

For the conditions, requirements, details of the research project and other relevant data, please check the general call Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento 2025 by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation at Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento 2025 .

Competencies and Skills:

We value not only technical expertise but also the demonstration of core competencies such as Communication, Teamwork and Collaboration, Commitment, Proactivity, Integrity, and Critical and Analytical Thinking.

We Offer:

• Number of available positions: 1
• Predoctoral researcher contract: 4 years
• Starting date: As of January 1st, 2027 (to be confirmed, based on the resolution of the call Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento 2025 by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities).
• 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, diversity, and Inclusion:

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.

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.

In categories where women are underrepresented, such as Group Leader positions, and with the aim of ensuring gender balance in recruitment processes, women candidates must represent at least 50% of those interviewed for Junior-level positions and 40% for Senior-level positions, provided they have CVs comparable to those of male candidates. At the end of the evaluation process, in cases of equal merit, preference will be given to women candidates.

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 UPC Besós Campus, with an annual budget of 21 Mio€; 4.400 square meters of facilities; 25 research groups and a team of researchers and support services of 450 people from 40 different countries. www.ibecbarcelona.eu

Grant PID2025-170402NB-I00 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and FEDER, EU.