Job offer

Université d'Angers; France; Sur place; EUR 40 000 - 60 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

A leading academic institution in France seeks PhD candidates for an interdisciplinary research program funded by Horizon Europe. Ideal candidates will have a Master's degree in Social Sciences or Health and be fluent in English. The program, starting on October 1, 2026, includes an attractive salary of approximately €2,250/month with additional allowances, and aims to address urgent medical challenges through innovative research. Apply by March 12, 2026, for an opportunity to contribute significantly in the health sciences domain.

Prestations

Attractive employment and salary conditions

Financial support for thesis costs

Three-month mandatory secondment

Qualifications

• Expected to engage in interdisciplinary thesis work combining SSH with health disciplines.
• Must not have a doctoral degree.
• Ability to go on short-term secondments.

Responsabilités

• Conduct research on PhD topics at the intersection of health and social sciences.
• Participate in training and mentoring programs.
• Complete mandatorysecondment for research experience.

Connaissances

Interdisciplinary collaboration

English fluency

Adaptability

Formation

Master's degree in SSH/Health

Description du poste

Organisation/Company Université d'Angers Department Direction de la Recherche - Cellule Europe Research Field Medical sciences » Health sciences Ethics in health sciences Environmental science Geography » Social geography Psychological sciences Neurosciences Sociology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 12 Mar 2026 - 00:00 (Europe/Paris) Country France Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 35 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe – COFUND Reference Number 10.3030/101179396 Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number 101179396 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Today, there are urgent needs of profiles capable of understanding the medical challenges in their entirety rather than from a strictly health or social point of view. TheBreath programme will fill that gap by training excellent researchers.

Breath is supported by the european programme Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie and will recruit 20 talented fellows over two calls. 10 PhD candidates have already been recruited in 2025. BREATH opened the second call to recruit 10 new PhD students from the 1st October 2026.

The applicants will have the opportunity to choose among 11 interdisciplinary projects at the intersection between health and Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). Breath programme is carried by the University of Angers (UA) and the two others public universities in Pays de la Loire: University of Le Mans (LMU) and Nantes University (NU).

Doctoral Candidates will be systematically supervised by 3 co-supervisors: one expert from SSH, one from Health and one non-academic and/or international expert

The Breath programme offers:

• A unique experience fully funded during 36-month with attractive employment and salary conditions
• Exceptional working and mentoring conditions
• Excellent research training in English including a 3-month mandatory secondment
• Elaborate training in transferable skills and personal career development support

Cofund Breath’s key figures :

• Overall project duration: 5 years
• Duration of the PhD: 3 years
• Number of doctoral positions: 20 (divided into 2 cohorts - the first starting in October 2025 and the second in October 2026)
• Overall cost: 6M euros, with co-financing by the European Commission of 2 million
• Where ?in the “Pays de la Loire Region” in the West part of France. The doctoral student will be hosted in one of the 3 cities of the implemented partners Angers, Nantes, Le Mans.
• Who ?to researchers having a master’s degree in SSH/Health who didn’t spend more than a year in France during the past three years before the call.
• When ?The deadline for the online application is the 12th of March 2026. The doctoral student must start the 1st of October 2026

Interested to apply on a BREATH’s PhD topic ? Get registered to one of our two informative webinars planned the 30th of January 2026 :

The call is open to researchers having a master’s degree (or equivalence), able to conduct an interdisciplinary thesis work combining Social Sciences Humanities with Health discipline.

Oral and written English fluency is required. Other languages may be required depending on PhD topics.

Disciplinary background must align with the chosen PhD topic. Read carefully the prerequisite detailed in the description of each PhD topic

Specific Requirements

PhD candidates need to make sure they :

• comply with the mobility rules: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in France for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the deadline of the call
• can go on short term secondments (3 months)
• must not have a doctoral degree
• must settle in France

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Research Field Medical sciencesEthics in health sciencesEnvironmental scienceNeurosciencesGeography

• 36-month temporary research work contract
• French public health care system. The employment conditions will be similar as permanent researchers from their hosting university regarding working hours, paid annual leave, child leave and unemployment insurance. Therefore, selected fellows will be affiliated to the French Social Security during the stay, together with their potential family members.
• wage around 2 250€ per month gross + 400€ for mobility allowance. Additional 400€ will be offered to doctoral students with family (being married and/or having children) as family allowance
• financial support for the thesis costs up to 700€/month is provided to cover environmental, travel and training costs. These funds will be paid to the laboratory, for the doctoral student.

Eligibility criteria

PhD candidates need to make sure they :

• comply with the mobility rules: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in France for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the deadline of the call
• can go on short term secondments (3 months)
• do not have a doctoral degree
• are ready to settle in France
• submit a complete application including all mandatory supporting documents

Selection process

Until the 12th of March 2026 : Online applications

• Candidates have to apply online on a dedicated platform Amethis within the specified deadlines by submitting the required documents.
• Doctoral candidates who would like to offer its own individual driven research project will also use the application platform and will chose the « ONLY FOR CANDIDATES PROPOSING THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL DRIVEN RESEARCH PROJECT

13th– 20th of March 2026 : Eligibility check for all applications

April 2026 : Evaluation of candidates

May 2026 : Online interviews of selected applicants

June 2026 : Final results of the call are published

1st of October 2026: Beginning of the 3 years thesis