Applications are now open - Deadline for Applications 20 May 2026, 5 pm (Irish time).
Need more information? Find out more below:
1Can you tell me more about the CMT-DN project?
Applications are invited for 14 doctoral candidate (DCs) positions to pursue PhD education as part of CMT-DN. The positions are available for 36 months at 1.0 FTE and are funded through Horizon Europe MSCA DN grant number 101227628.
CMT-DN will train the 14 DCs in the state-of-the art of Tiny Machines (TMs) and Vascularized bRAIN (ORGanoids)-on-chip models (VRAINORGs) for CerebroVascular Diseases (CVDs).
Tiny machines (TMs) offer precise drug delivery, enhancing bioavailability while protecting healthy cells. However, their application in the complex brain environment requires innovative designs. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the CMT-DN project aims to advance drug delivery systems by training researchers to PhD level. These future experts will focus on engineering TMs and developing brain-on-chip devices to improve treatments for cerebrovascular diseases. The project will then test the engineered TMs in 3D microphysiological non-animal technologies with integrated vascularised brain organoids (both healthy and diseased). These approaches promise to reduce the cost and time of pre-clinical animal studies while accelerating therapeutic development.
Overall, CMT-DN is a highly interdisciplinary, intersectoral, and international programme aiming to:
- –> Fabricate and characterise brain-compatible TMs
- –> Create VRAINORG platforms as healthy and CVD models
- –> Elucidate disease mechanisms through the action of TMs on VRAINORGs platforms.
- –> Provide advanced research skills training and career development through a range of relevant activities and networking opportunities, including annual summer schools, online seminars, conferences, and secondments.
2What are the MSCA Benefits and Salary?
The MSCA-DN programme offers a highly competitive and attractive salary and working conditions. The successful candidates will receive a salary and a full-time employment contract in accordance with the MSCA regulations for early-stage researchers. In general, the offer will be based on:
- –> a Living Allowance of €4010/month to be paid in the currency of the country where the DC is recruited and with a country-correction factor to be applied according to the EU rules.
- –> Mobility allowance of €710/month to be paid to all DCs recruited for the full duration of the project.
- –> Additionally, researchers may also qualify for a family allowance of €660/month, depending on family situation. ‘Family’ means persons linked to the researcher by marriage (or a relationship with equivalent status to a marriage recognised by the legislation of the country where this relationship was formalised) or dependent children who are actually being maintained by the researcher.
Please note that each Doctoral Candidate position includes the specific gross salary, which is the amount before any salary-related tax deductions (such as income tax and employee social security contributions). The salary takes into account the applicable Country Correction Coefficient, which adjusts the living allowance based on the cost of living in the country of the recruiting beneficiary.
Taxation and Social Contribution deductions, in accordance with National and Institutional regulations, will be deducted from the gross salary. Doctoral Candidates will also be responsible for ensuring their compliance with taxation and other relevant legislation.
In addition to their individual scientific projects, all Doctoral Candidates will benefit from further continuing education, which includes the opportunity to register for a PhD degree, scientific skills courses, transferable skills courses, active participation in workshops and conferences, and secondments to partner labs, along with other institution-specific employee benefits available to the DCs.
3What are the CMT-DN DC Roles & Responsibilities?
- –> Complete an original research project on their assigned topic
- –> Participate in network-wide training events and consortium meetings in the course of the project and complete any additional training required to successfully carry out the research project
- –> Adhere to and develop materials for CMT-DN reporting and personal training requirements
- –> Prepare and disseminate research findings and activities in academic journals and for relevant stakeholders including the CMT-DN website, social media accounts and other forms of public engagement.
- –> Register as a doctoral student and prepare a manuscript for submission as a PhD thesis in accordance with the policies and procedures of their academic institution
- –> Complete the required project-associated secondment
- –> Complete training in and adhere to policies and procedures in both the host and secondment organisation including those related to health and safety, intellectual property protection, and research integrity
- –> Work with the Supervisors in preparing funding proposals related to the DC’s area of research
- –> Continue to update knowledge and develop skills.
- –> Any other duties assigned commensurate to this level of post.
Please also note that there are also CMT-DN DC Roles and Responsibilities specific to each project, described in the Application Pack.
4What are the CMT-DN Essential Requirements?
- –> Fellows must comply with the Mobility Rule: Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting institution (beneficiary) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date. Date of Recruitment means the first day of the employment of the researcher for the purposes of the action (i.e. the starting date indicated in the employment contract). For refugees under the Geneva Convention (1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol), the refugee procedure (i.e. before refugee status is conferred) will not be counted as ‘period of residence/activity in the country of the beneficiary’.
- –> A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline based on project-specific requirements
- –> Applicants must not already be in possession of a doctoral degree or registered as a doctoral student at the date of the recruitment.
- –> English proficiency that enables doctoral candidates to understand and express themselves in both written and spoken English. Non-native English speakers are required to provide evidence of competency and an IELTS score of minimum 6.5 (or equivalent). The language certificate should not be older than two years.
- –> Hands-on experience with lab techniques
- –> Willingness to travel for secondments, training events, and consortium meetings.
- –> Note also specific essential requirements for each project
5What are the CMT-DN Desirable Requirements?
- –> Demonstrated hands-on laboratory experience in project-specific conceptual and characterisation techniques.
- –> Experience preparing scientific reports, presentations, or publications.
- –> Candidates should have excellent written, oral, interpersonal and organisational skills
- –> Be highly motivated and passionate about developing new concepts.
- –> The candidate should be able to work independently and as part of a team.
- –> Experience of working in international, multidisciplinary, or industrial research environments.
- –> Note also project-specific desirable requirements
6Are there any restrictions in terms of nationality?
Recruited fellows can be of any nationality.
7 If succesful, you must be enrolled in a doctoral programme
Following recruitment, you must be enrolled in a doctoral programme at the PhD-awarding institution for the specific project. Please refer to the individual project listings for further details and associated PhD-awarding institution.
