ELBE Postdoctoral Fellows Program

Fully funded fellowships for distinguished independent postdoctoral researchers to join the Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD) for a duration of 2 to 3 years. 

The ELBE Postdoctoral Fellows Program addresses independent researchers on the postdoctoral level, who come with their own research proposal and freely choose which groups to affiliate with. The program provides an ideal springboard to an independent research career in systems biology, theoretical biophysics, computational biology, and related areas. ELBE Postdoctoral Fellows conduct curiosity-driven research at the Center and are provided with competitive personal financial support, access to research infrastructure, and support for research expenditure and travel.

More than half of the ELBE Postdoctoral Fellows Program alumni have landed an independent academic position at the faculty level or equivalent upon leaving Dresden.

What we Provide

The CSBD provides fully funded, 2-3 year positions in an international and cross-disciplinary research environment. ELBE Postdoctoral Fellows benefit from close collaborations with scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), the Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems (MPI-PKS), and the Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden), and a stimulating and inspiring atmopshere.

Fellows have full access to state-of-the-art research facilities and infrastructure on the campus. These are in particular the service and facilities of the MPI-CBG, which are located next door to the CSBD. They are given freedom, mentoring, and support to develop their own research questions.

Dresden is a vivid and international scientific city, with a large number of research institutions that collaborate under the DRESDEN-concept umbrella. Its position as an outstanding location for research and science is recognized world-wide. Since 2012, the TU Dresden is one of eleven Excellence Universities in Germany.

What we Seek

The ELBE program seeks outstanding external candidates who are passionate about bringing new ideas, concepts, or systems to the Center. ELBE postdoctoral fellows pursue an interdisciplinary research project in collaboration with members of the CSBD. They are encouraged to develop and use theoretical or computational approaches to study biological systems in close collaboration with experimental groups at the MPI-CBG and the TU Dresden.

Ideal candidates should have backgrounds in physics, computer science, mathematics or a related discipline, with a strong interest in working in a cross-disciplinary life-science environment. In some exceptional cases, ELBE fellows can be analytically-minded experimentalists in the field of cell or developmental biology, who work between a lab and a CSBD research group.

ELBE Postdoctoral Fellows have the opportunity to collaborate with more than one research group to bridge between disciplines. Successful candidates are expected to identify a collaborative project and the host groups to work with within three months after arrival. An interim mentor will support this process. When host groups and research projects are identified, mentorship can be changed or adjusted to facilitate collaborations.

How to Apply

Selection of ELBE Fellows is based on scientific merit with two application cycles per year. Applications are exclusively accepted through the online application system. We do not accept applications by e-mail or direct contact of a group leader. In the first selection stage, candidates are judged on their track record and a research proposal describing the work they intend to do while at the CSBD. Short-listed candidates should be prepared to join a selection symposium, held either virtually or in Dresden. The interview consists of a public scientific talk and a confidential meeting with the selection committee. The application call is currently open, with application deadline 25. September 2023. Please see here for application instructions.

The Center for Systems Biology, the MPI-CBG and the MPI-PKS aim to increase the number of women in scientific positions, therefore female applicants are particularly welcome. Read about our efforts to balance family and career.

The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer. Disabled individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you have any questions about the ELBE program or application process, don't hesitate to get in touch with our office:

ELBE Program Office

elbeprogram[at]pks.mpg.de

phone: +49-(0)351-871-1934