Student Research Fellowships - Spring 2024

ICFO offers the opportunity to undertake a Final Degree Project / Masters Thesis or to participate in a Research Stay with one of our Research Groups.

The program offers up to 5 fellowships to outstanding students from top Universities worldwide.

Projects may be undertaken with any Research Group. Research lines include, but are not limited to:

• Atto-Science, Ultrafast Optics & Nonlinear Optics
• Photovoltaics, Thermal Photonics & Solar Fuels
• Optical Sensing & Optoelectronics
• NanoPhotonics & NanoMechanics
• Ultracold Quantum Gases
• Quantum and Low-Dimensional Materials
• Quantum Communications, Sensing & Simulation
• Quantum Optics & Quantum Information
• Nanophotonics, Condensed Matter Physics & Light-Matter Interactions
• Medical Optics
• Biophysics, Biophotonics & Super-Resolution Imaging

Interested students should browse the different research group profiles available on the ICFO website, https://www.icfo.eu/lang/research, to identify the groups that best match their interests.

Selected students will participate in ICFO’s rich scientific life, benefit from the experience of ICFO researchers, cutting edge facilities, industrial projects, the institute’s stimulating and interdisciplinary environment, and as receive high-level training as well as extensive admin and tech support. They will collaborate with scientists on research assignments tailored from available projects at ICFO, and will also acquire skills for communicating their research results.

In addition, internal Undergraduate and Master student opportunities might become available, for which we may retain candidates applying to this present call.

REQUIREMENTS

Candidates must be enrolled/registered to an undergraduate or master’s program during the period of the internship at ICFO. Eligible areas include, but are not limited to, Physics, Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology.

Have a high working knowledge of English.

Selection of Fellows is based on merit and potential, measured in terms of academic records and personal achievements. Proactive attitudes, participation in community activities, and capacity for team-work are also taken into account.

ICFO is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are selected exclusively on merit and potential on the basis of ICFO is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are selected exclusively on merit and potential on the basis of submitted application material. No restrictions related to disabilities, citizenship or gender apply to ICFO positions. ICFO abides by the principles of openness, efficiency, transparency, supportiveness, and international comparability as stated in the European Charter for Researchers and the European Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

CONDITIONS

ICFO encourages applications from masters students and advanced undergraduates interested in undertaking a research project with an ICFO group, or their bachelor or masters thesis.

The award covered by this program includes funding up to 12 months.

The start date is flexible, but must be no later than December 2024.

The stay will have to be formalized by a training agreement between the student’s home university/institution and ICFO. Please, note that any potential offer for a fellowship at ICFO is subject to the previous verification of viability of said training agreement.

For students living in Catalunya, the fellowship include a stipend of 300 euros monthly gross.

For students that do not live in Catalunya, the fellowship include a stipend of 600 euros monthly gross, for full-time dedication. Eligible travel expenses are also covered.

Please notice that these Fellowships are not compatible with other full fellowships, except for the Erasmus.

1st step: Submit your application
To apply for a fellowship, suitable candidates are requested to submit the following documents (in English):

• A presentation/cover letter stating research group (s) of interest, specific requests in terms of period and duration of the internship and answering the question: why this program will benefit your career?
• A Curriculum Vitae, including contact details, in English.
• A scanned copy of the academic transcripts for the undergraduate and postgraduate (if applies), in English or Spanish.
• Name and contact details of one potential referee. Only for candidates shortlisted for interview, this referee will be automatically contacted by ICFO requesting him/her to provide a reference letter.

The deadline for submission of the application material, is March 27, 2024.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to make sure all required application material (see above), is complete by the time of deadline, in order to be considered.

2nd step: Review process: ICFO Student Research Fellowships

In a first revision stage, applications will first be reviewed to assure that they meet the eligibility requirements and conditions and candidates will be notified accordingly.

Eligible applications will be evaluated and ranked by the Selection Committee.

Top-ranked candidates will then pass to a matching stage, in which h/she is invited to discuss their research interests and suitability for a potential project with ICFO Group Leader(s), as well as duration of the stay and other particular conditions. An interview, either in person or online, is a fundamental part of the procedure.

If the candidate and ICFO Group Leader(s) agree to a match, the candidate will receive an official fellowship offer from ICFO.

All applicants will be notified the decision in their case by the end of May 2024, at the latest.