Fellowship Application
General Requirements
Applicants must have - or be about to - obtain a Master's degree or equivalent (e.g., the German 'Diplom') in Natural Sciences or a related field. Students holding a Bachelor's degree from a research-oriented institution can also be admitted to the program if they have shown outstanding performance (e.g. making a major contribution to a refereed publication).
In general, those welcome to apply will be students with a degree in biology, chemistry, physics, medical sciences, bioinformatics, and earth sciences. Please check whether your research experience matches the open projects on offer during the current Recruitment Call. Applicants should show a strong interest in the JSMC research program centered on the overarching topic "Microbial Communication". They should also be willing to engage enthusiastically in cross-disciplinary projects .
Both German as well as international students are welcome to apply. However, candidates should demonstrate adequate competence in the English language as English is the language of instruction at JSMC.
Recruitment Procedure
The JSMC Recruitment is a three-stage process:
Stage 1: Submit your application via our Online Application Portal
Please acquaint yourself with the PhD projects offered within the latest JSMC Recruitment Call. Then access our Online Application Portal to enter your application data and to upload additional documents.
Applications can only be considered if your data is submitted to us via the Online Application Portal before the application deadline. Please DO NOT send any other documents to us by email unless you are explicitly invited to do so. Applications via email and regular mail will NOT be considered.
Stage 2: Telephone Interviews
Candidates with adequate qualifications may be asked to participate in a telephone interview for further evaluation.
- Candidate lecture
Stage 3: JSMC Recruitment Meeting
Candidates who succesfully passed the first three selection stages will be invited to attend a JSMC Recruitment Meeting in Jena, Germany. Economy travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by JSMC. Successful candidates will be able to start with their JSMC PhD Fellowship shortly after the Recruitment Meeting (later starting dates can also be arrange
The JSMC Recruitment Meetings are meant as an opportunity for both sides - candidates and JSMC members - to get to know each other. They therefore include various events:
- Candidate lectures (the candidates present their research experience in 10+5 min talks)
- One-to-one interviews with project supervisors
- Visits to Institutes (to get to know the facilities and future colleagues)
- Get-together with the current PhD Fellows of JSMC
- Joint dinner with project supervisors (to discuss future plans in a relaxed atmosphere)
- Guided tour through the town of Jena
