Application period has closed
Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by October 22.
Start of the positions is January 1, 2026
What we offer?
PhD student positions will become available in the Institute for Ophthalmic Research (IOR) at the University of Tübingen (Germany) and the Institut de la Vision (IDV) / Sorbonne Université in Paris (France), two of Europe’s largest institutions in the field of vision research. Together, IOR and IDV host the new limits2vision research training network to educate the next generation of European vision researchers. This network is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) as part of the International Training Group iRTG 3130 and the Université franco-allemande (DFH-UFA).
The successful applicants will be part of a large, multi-disciplinary team located in Tübingen and Paris, with PhD research projects in neuroscience and ophthalmology, covering a wide range of interrelated topics that focus on the interplay between genetics, metabolism, and information processing. Specifically, the projects in the limits2vision programme aim to systematically unravel the mechanisms that allow the retina to successfully reconcile high energy demands with information processing capacity.
We offer a structured PhD program with the opportunity to develop your individual skillset, intensive support, mentoring and career development. A key component in our program are student secondments at the respective partner institute. For more details on the training, see Curriculum.
After successful completion of the PhD, the trainee will obtain a doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) of the Graduate Training Center for Neuroscience at the University of Tübingen or a PhD from Sorbonne University.
What we expect
We are searching for candidates who are passionate about scientific research and are interested in understanding the central nervous system in general and the retina in particular. Applicants should have a strong background in cell biology and/or neuroscience; experience in disciplines including biochemistry, genetics, computer science, or data science, will be considered as assets. Moreover, candidates should be highly motivated, flexible, and integrative personalities, capable of working well in multi-national and multi-cultural teams.
Requirements
- A completed master’s degree (or equivalent) is required, disciplines include neurosciences, biochemistry, genetics, data science, and related.
- Fluency in English is mandatory (at least C1); knowledge of French or German is desirable but not required.
- Applicants must be willing to participate in an extended research stay (secondment) abroad in the partner institute. Hence, any mobility experience, regardless of the research setting (public or private), discipline or sector, is considered an asset.
Selection procedure
- Screening of applications – Applications are screened by a panel of PIs from both IDV and IOR. This screening aims at assessing the candidates’ qualifications and fit within the research themes of limits2vision (primary selection criterion) in a fair and unbiased manner and ranking the applications for a shortlist. Secondary criteria are diversity and language skills (English).
- Online interviews – Shortlisted candidates will be invited for online interviews with PIs, where they meet their prospective supervisors. After a short introduction of the PIs, the candidates shall present their previous scientific work (MSc thesis) and their motivation to join our program in approx. 5 min. One or two slides can be prepared for this purpose. Afterwards, a structured interview will follow (approx. 20 min) and candidates will be given the opportunity to ask for further details on individual projects, the qualification program and/or the general structure of limits2vision. The goal of the interviews is to assess the candidates’ research potential, motivation, and interpersonal skills, as well as giving both sides the chance to clarify any open questions about application, CV, and project. In addition, candidates will be offered to talk to students from limits2vision labs in a separate video call. Based on this step, candidates will be ranked by their fit with the program and their ability to conduct a limits2vision research project.
- Final selection – Based on the interview results, a selection committee, consisting of limits2vision PIs, will make the final decision as to which candidates will be offered a position in the doctoral programme. In case of a tie, the selection committee will apply additional criteria (including diversity, language skills, intercultural competence, gender representation, age in relation to years of work experience, extracurricular activities, and social commitment) to ensure a fair and transparent resolution.
Candidates who are offered a position need to relay their decision to the selection committee within a week to ensure timely hiring. Also candidates, who were not selected in step 2, will receive timely feedback regarding their application.
Successful candidates, who accepted a PhD position, are expected to start on January 1, 2026.
