RECRUITMENT

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ACHILLES offers 16 three-year fellowships for Doctoral Candidates (DCs) starting in the 2026–2027 academic year, funded through Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) of the European Commission (DC1–DC15) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) (DC16). Highly motivated candidates are encouraged to apply to up to three of the available PhD research projects.

ACHILLES recruitment policies adhere to the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.

Application deadline: February 28, 2026.

Announcement of preselection results and interview invitations: March 31st, 2026.

ONLY FOR DC1 APPLICANTS – PhD entry exam: First half of April 2026.

Interviews: Second half of April 2026. Full details regarding the interview process will be sent to invited candidates when scheduling the interviews.

Communication of the results: May 15th, 2026.

Start of the fellowship: August-November 2026

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

We welcome applications from DCs of any nationality, gender, culture, religion, sexual orientation or age to undertake a PhD in hemato-oncology research, provided they meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • · No prior doctoral degree: Candidates must not hold a doctoral degree at the time of recruitment. Applicants who have defended their thesis but have not yet been formally awarded the degree are also considered ineligible.

  • · MSCA mobility rule: Candidates must comply with the MSCA mobility rule, meaning they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting institution for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the date on which their employment contract begins.
  • · Academic background: Candidates must hold a Master’s degree relevant to the chosen PhD project, or an equivalent credential permitting admission to doctoral studies no later than one month before the employment contract begins. Applicants with an official university degree from the European Higher Education Area comprising at least 300 ECTS credits likewise fulfill this requirement.

  • · English proficiency: Candidates must have a high level of proficiency in written and spoken English. This will be evaluated through the motivation letter and the interview, respectively.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit your application via the ACHILLES online application tool, selecting UP TO THREE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, and provide the following documents in English:

  • · Personal information, including full name, gender, nationality, and contact details.
  • · Curriculum vitae, including academic transcripts (Bachelor’s and, if available, Master’s), and contact information for at least two referees.

  • · Motivation letter (up to two pages) outlining your research experience, academic achievements, and motivation for applying to ACHILLES and the selected research project. Important: If you apply for more than one position, A SEPARATE MOTIVATION LETTER MUST BE SUBMITTED FOR EACH PROJECT.

  • · Master’s degree certificate, or proof that the required degree for PhD enrolment will be obtained by the time of recruitment (if not yet awarded).

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection procedure is organized in three stages: eligibility check, evaluation of applications, and recruitment workshop, with an additional step for DC1 candidates, who must also complete a PhD entry exam (see below). Each position will have a dedicated Training and Career Board (TCB) overseeing the process. The procedure is as follows:

  1. Eligibility check: An initial review will be conducted to verify that candidates meet all eligibility requirements.
  2. Evaluation of applications: Applications that pass the eligibility check will be assessed by each TCB based on the following criteria:
    1. Academic background (40%): relevant education, awards, and academic achievements.
    2. Professional and/or research experience (20%): publications, conference participation, mobility, and intersectoral experience.
    3. Motivation (40%): alignment with ACHILLES project themes, commitment to pursuing a PhD, and willingness to live abroad.
  3. ONLY FOR DC1 APPLICANTS – PhD entry exam: DC1 applicants who achieve a score above 70% and wish to continue in the selection process must take a PhD entry exam in the subject area (mathematics) and a foreign language (English) exam, in accordance with Art. 9(1)-(2) of the Regulations for the Implementation of the Act on Academic Staff Development in the Republic of Bulgaria. The mathematics exam will consist of both written and oral components and will be based on a list of topics in mathematical modelling and numerical methods, which will be provided to the preselected applicants (Art. 3(1) from the Regulations on the Conditions and Order for Acquiring Scientific Degrees and Occupying Academic Positions at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences). The exam will take place online prior to the ACHILLES Recruitment Workshop.
  4. ACHILLES recruitment workshop: The top three candidates for each position who achieve a minimum score of 70% will be invited to an online interview. Candidates may optionally request a brief meeting with potential supervisors and their teams prior to the interview to gain a deeper understanding of the project and the research focus of the hosting institution. During the recruitment workshop, the TCB members for each position will conduct the interviews. Candidates will be asked to prepare a 10-minute presentation. Interviews will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
    1. Scientific knowledge (30%): expertise relevant to the project, including technical skills and specialized knowledge.
    2. Communication skills (30%): clarity of expression and creative thinking.
    3. Motivation and compatibility (40%): alignment with project goals and group dynamics, as well as motivation to pursue a PhD.

After the recruitment workshop, all interviewed candidates will be notified of the outcome. Successful candidates will then be contacted by the HR department and their future supervisor at the hosting institution to begin the hiring process.

BENEFITS

Salary

The MSCA DN Programme offers a highly competitive salary and excellent working conditions. Each contract includes the following benefits:

  • · Monthly living allowance: 3,400€/month, adjusted by a country correction coefficient (CCC) that reflects the cost of living in the country of recruitment. The applicable coefficients are listed in Table 1 of the MSCA Work Programme 2023–25.
  • · Monthly mobility allowance: 600€/month.
  • · Monthly family allowance: €660/month, if applicable, depending on the family situation of the DC.


All researchers will be hired under an employment contract that includes social security coverage. The living allowance is a gross EU contribution to the researcher’s salary costs. Therefore, the net salary will depend on deductions for compulsory social security contributions (employer and employee) as well as applicable taxes in the country of employment. The listed amounts apply to full-time positions.

The mobility and family allowances are fixed monthly amounts, regardless of the host country, but may likewise be subject to national taxation. Please note that the figures above do not include any taxes to be paid by the researcher or the host institution.

Estimated gross salaries for each position can be found in the Individual Research Projects section (pages 3-9). Final information regarding the net salary will be provided directly by the HR department of each recruiting institution.

For further details, please refer to the Horizon Europe MSCA Work Programme 2023-25, adopted on December 6, 2022 (European Commission Decision C(2022) 7550).

Other benefits

  • · Enrollment in a PhD program.
  • · Access to shared research and innovative multidisciplinary training led by experts from both academia and industry, across three research areas: basic, translational, and clinical.
  • · A structured training program including soft skills courses, targeted workshops, retreats, social events, and networking opportunities.
  • · Secondments providing international and/or intersectoral experience, at consortium partners or other research institutions.
  • · Valuable international experience and exposure to research abroad.
  • · Opportunities to participate in national and international conferences and meetings.
  • · Expansion of professional networks and enhanced career prospects in both academia and the private sector.