DYNAMIS doctoral Programme

IDIBAPS is a leading research center of excellence focused on addressing diseases with high societal impact in terms of prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. It has launched the DYNAMIS Doctoral Programme, part of its International PhD initiative, within a supportive research environment recognized by the HR Excellence in Research award from the European Commission. Located on the Clinic Campus in Barcelona, IDIBAPS benefits from close collaboration with the prestigious Hospital Clínic Barcelona and the University of Barcelona’s Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, part of one of Spain’s top-ranked universities. 

The DYNAMIS programme will offer two international, peer-reviewed calls, providing a total of 10 PhD positions. Each fellow will be co-supervised by a basic/translational researcher and a clinical researcher, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration on shared research projects. With over 100 research groups across six main research areas and several specialized research programmes, DYNAMIS covers a broad spectrum of translational biomedical topics. 

DYNAMIS fellows will have access to state-of-the-art facilities, modern workspaces, dedicated lab management support, and a rich calendar of seminars and training activities aimed at fostering both professional and personal development. Additionally, this international, intersectorial and interdisciplinary programme (supported by numerous associated partners) includes structured doctoral training, mandatory international secondments, tailored onboarding processes, and dedicated mentoring support to enhance collaboration and career progression. 

Two international peer-reivewed calls are foreseen at DYNAMIS with the following calendar: 

Call 1 with  5 positions 

• Opening dates: September 15 2025 – November 9 2025 
• Evaluation dates: November 10 2025 – March 15 2026  
• Expected site visits at IDIBAPS (only for candidates pre-selected): January 26 2026 – February 15 2026 
• Starting dates: March16 2026 – June 28 2026 

Call 2 with 5 positions 

• Opening dates: February 2 2026 – March 29 2026 
• Evaluation dates: March 30 2026 – July 19 2026 
• Expected site visits at IDIBAPS (only for candidates pre-selected): June 8 2026 – June 28 2026 
• Starting dates: July 20 2026 – November 8 2026 

Terms and Conditions 

Object 

Each selected DYNAMIS fellow will be awarded a 48-month PhD employment contract to carry out a research project, which includes a mandatory international secondment. The project will culminate in the submission and defense of a PhD thesis.  

Eligibility 

Applicants must meet the following criteria, supported by official documentation: 

1.  Research and academic background: Must not already hold a PhD. Must be eligible to enroll in a doctoral program in Spain. Candidates from diverse scientific fields are allowed: biology, biotechnology, engineering, physics, medical sciences, or related disciplines. 
2. Mobility requirements: Transnational mobility is required according to MSCA rule: Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity in Spain for more than 12 months in the 36 months prior to the call deadline. No nationality restrictions apply. 
3. Participation requirements: Commitment to undertake one or more international or intersectorial secondments during the fellowship. Willingness to actively participate in all DYNAMIS activities. 

Application process 

Applications must be submitted in English via email to FCRBRRHH@recerca.clinic.cat before the deadline specified in the official call. 

Each candidate must select up to three research lines listed in the call. Each line involves up to two research groups offering co-supervision from both basic/translational and clinical perspectives. The group leading the selected research line will host the fellow in its laboratory. 

Required documentation (templates available in this website): 

1. Application Form including the candidate’s Curriculum Vitae.  
2. Motivation Letter (maximum 1,000 characters including spaces), tailored to the candidate’s interests. 
3. Contact details of two referees, who will be asked to submit an online reference letter before the call deadline (contacted directly by IDIBAPS). 
4. Academic Records: For Spanish and non-Spanish studies from another country of the European Higher Education Area, it must be proved at least 300 ECTS credit completion.  For non-EU country studies, from outside the Higher Education Area, it must be proved that the corresponding studies  can give access to doctoral studies in the origine country. In this last case, it is recommended to submit the legalized degree, officially translated in Catalan, Spanish or English (if applicable), as it will be required in the university for doctoral program access later on. 
5. Signed Authorization for personal data processing in accordance with European Regulation (EU) 2016/679. 

For any doubt regarding the application or any other issue please contact to academic@recerca.clinic.cat.  

Evaluation process  

The DYNAMIS selection process is fully aligned with the principles of Open, Transparent, and Merit-Based Recruitment (OTM-R), ensuring a fair and well-structured evaluation. Throughout the process, equal opportunities will be prioritized, considering career breaks, and any potential conflicts of interest will be strictly avoided or appropriately disclosed. 

Once a candidate is confirmed to meet the eligibility criteria, a transparent evaluation process, of approximately 14 weeks, to be summarized in an individual assessment per participant. About its steps and considered specific criteria: 

1. Remote evaluation conducted by panels of external experts, assessing: 
   1. Candidate’s track record (50%) 
   2. Motivation letter (30%)  
   3. Reference letters from proposed referees (20%)
2. Online oral interviews, conducted by a panel of external and internal experts, assessing:  
   1. Scientific knowledge and potential (50%) 
   2. Motivation (30%)  
   3. English proficiency (20%) 
3. Onsite visits, to meet chosen research groups, know better IDIBAPS and gain insight into the institute’s research environment and culture. 

A final consensus meeting considering inputs from all completed evaluation phases will help DYNAMIS Management Committee to take a final decision: a list with selected candidates and a list with candidates in a reserve list. Selected candidates will have one week for accepting or reject the formal offer and up to sixteen weeks after acceptance to start the fellowship.  

Multilevel redress procedure 

To ensure fair treatment and consistent interpretation throughout the selection process, participants will have 7 calendar days following the outcome of each phase to submit a redress request. This process does not allow challenges to the scientific judgment of qualified experts but focuses on procedural fairness of those phases: eligibility check, remote evaluation, online interviews and final decision. 

All applicants will receive a response within one month of submitting a redress request. In specific cases, a re-evaluation may be considered. 

Fellowship conditions 

Successful applicants will be employed as R1 researchers at IDIBAPS, benefiting from full Spanish social security coverage. They must enroll in a doctoral programme at a Spanish university (cost covered by the DYNAMIS programme). 

The research contract includes the following financial allowances: 

• Living and mobility allowances: Cover an estimated annual gross salary of €30,700, plus employment-related costs. 
• Family allowance: An additional estimated €4,900 per year may be included as gross salary for fellows with dependent family members. 

The final gross salary depends on individual circumstances and follows Spanish employment regulations. Fellows will receive a net salary after standard deductions (e.g., income tax and social security). 

In addition, DYNAMIS provides research, training, and networking allowance, which will not be part of the salary, but could represent a significant financial contribution to the fellow’s scientific and professional development. 

The strengths of the DYNAMIS programme lies not only in its excellent scientific supervision but also in the comprehensive support system offered to all fellows. Participants will be able to benefit from tailored opportunities such as doctoral schools, a structured onboarding scheme and additional mentoring support. The programme also provides mobility support for fellows’ arrival and for organizing their international and intersectoral secondments, among others. Altogether, DYNAMIS prepares fellows for diverse career paths in academia and industry, but always to advance professionally and be at the forefront of medicine and science.