Join the IMPRS

We welcome highly motivated and talented PhD candidates of all nationalities* with strong backgrounds in

MOLECULAR and CELL BIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY, BIOPHYSICS, APPLIED and THEORETICAL PHYSICS, MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY, CHEMICAL BIOLOGY, STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY, SYSTEMS BIOLOGY and related fields.

Our research addresses complex scientific questions that inherently require diverse expertise. As such, we strongly value interdisciplinary collaboration and actively seek students from physics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, and other quantitative disciplines who are eager to work closely with biologists. Biologists are equally encouraged to apply—this is the ideal environment to expand your toolkit with quantitative and computational approaches, supported by comprehensive training and mentorship. Our projects are truly interdisciplinary, driven by close collaboration among faculty with complementary expertise.

We look for outstanding academic records, prior research experience, and—above all—genuine enthusiasm, resilience, and a passion for tackling challenging scientific problems.

Key qualities we value include independence, intellectual curiosity, creativity, and strong communication skills.

We offer a dynamic, collaborative, and interdisciplinary research environment that fosters innovation and supports the early-career development of our PhD students.

Applications are accepted twice a year: Summer Selection (applications open in March) and Winter Selection (applications open in September). The number of available positions and participating faculty may vary between selections, with approximately 10 positions offered per cycle.

Here is the poster of the current selection round. Please feel free to post it in your department.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

Applicants should hold (or expect to hold prior to the start of their PhD):

Admission to the graduate program, if all requirements are fulfilled, is based only on scientific qualification and performance at the interview.

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

The language of the IMPRS-LM PhD program is English, therefore a good command of spoken and written English is a requirement. Formal proof of English proficiency (such as TOEFL, IELTS) is not mandatory but recommended. Should the IMPRS coordinators consider it necessary, applicants may be contacted for language assessment. Knowledge of German is not required, but foreign students will be offered the opportunity to attend German language classes.

*The Max Planck Society is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, providing equal opportunities to all employees, irrespective of gender, nationality, disabilities, religious or sexual orientation. We strongly encourage applications from underrepresented groups.

**Applicants with a 4-years Bachelor degree that included a 6-months full-time research project can apply. Before starting the application procedure please send us the overview of your Bachelor course and your transcripts. We will contact the competent offices at the universities to confirm your eligibility for PhD studies in Germany.