The Global Fellow postdoctoral program at the MDC is a strategic initiative to recruit outstanding international scientists-both emerging and established-who are passionate about interdisciplinary research and will contribute diverse expertise to address major biomedical challenges. Fellows propose their own interdisciplinary research vision projects, which must be jointly supervised by at least two MDC research groups, fostering collaboration across disciplines and promoting novel scientific synergies.

The fellowship provides a 3-year appointment with a competitive salary, research funding, dedicated resources for scientific meetings, team science and stakeholder engagement activities, as well as a comprehensive portfolio of training and career development opportunities. Each fellow will be embedded in a co-supervision framework designed to support high-quality mentorship, promote mutual accountability, and encourage the development of interdisciplinary research trajectories.
Fellows are expected to contribute to MDC’s collaborative research environment and generate high-impact outputs through joint publications and new interdisciplinary bridges and synergies.

The MDC Global Fellow will be responsible for the independent development and implementation of a self-designed interdisciplinary research project in collaboration with at least two MDC research groups. The fellow is expected to take a leading role in driving forward innovative research within an interdisciplinary, collaborative setting.

Key responsibilities include:

Planning, organizing, and executing research activities in alignment with the proposed project objectives.
Establishing and maintaining effective scientific collaboration with the co-hosting research groups, contributing to a cross-disciplinary team environment.
Preparing, documenting, and managing research data in accordance with institutional policies and scientific standards.
Contributing to the preparation of high-quality scientific outputs, including peer-reviewed publications, grant applications, and conference presentations.
Participating actively in research group meetings, seminars, and interdisciplinary events at the MDC.
Presenting research findings to both internal and external audiences.
Supporting knowledge exchange across disciplines and, where appropriate, contributing to mentoring activities within the hosting labs.
Participating in stakeholder engagement training and activities.

We are seeking outstanding international postdoctoral researchers who are motivated to pursue independent, interdisciplinary research within MDC’s collaborative environment. Applicants must fulfill the following criteria:

A completed doctoral degree in the life sciences, biomedical sciences, computational biology, engineering, or a related discipline by the start date of the fellowship
Scientific excellence, demonstrated through a strong publication record, impactful research contributions, and a clear ability to generate innovative ideas
A strong track record in interdisciplinary research or a compelling vision for how their expertise can bridge scientific domains to address complex biomedical challenges
Motivation to engage with MDC’s team science ecosystemand to pursue co-supervised projects involving at least two MDC research groups
Initiative in identifying and contacting MDC research groups to jointly develop the proposed project
Mobility: The program is open exclusively to external candidates (prior association (including guest contracts) of a candidate fellow with the MDC or other German research organization is compatible with application to the program but cannot exceed 12 months within the last 3 years prior to the submission deadline)
Excellent communication skills in English

You also benefit from:

a remuneration in accordance with the collective agreement for the federal public service (TVöD-Bund), including additional company pension schemes
a secure job
flexible working hours and childcare support
the possibility of mobile working
an idyllic green campus, which is easily accessible by bicycle, public transport or car
free use of Nextbike from the Buch S-Bahn station to the campus
Subsidy for the job ticket as well as discounts in the campus canteen
On-campus health and fitness center
additional health benefits such as flu vaccination, eye test, ergonomics advice at the workplace

Applications to the MDC Global Fellow postdoctoral program must be submitted via the MDC’s online recruitment portal.
Applicants are required to develop their own project vision proposal in direct consultation with at least two MDC research groups who will serve as co-supervisors. The proposed research should demonstrate a strong interdisciplinary approach and capitalize on the expertise and infrastructure of the selected groups. A list of eligible MDC research groups is provided on MDC website.

Candidates are expected to initiate contact with potential hosts and discuss their proposed project prior to submitting their application.

Required documents:

Degree certificate
Curriculum vitae (CV)
Motivation statement (max. 3000 words) focused on interest in team science
Project vision proposal (max. 4000 characters including spaces)
Rationale for selecting co-supervisors and anticipated scientific impact (max. 2000 characters including spaces)
Contact details of two referees
Only complete submissions received by the deadline will be considered. Each applicant may submit only one proposal per call.

If you have a foreign degree, please submit proof of the recognition of your Master's degree in Germany with your application. The proof can be determined via the anabin database and can be submitted as a PDF attachment to the application. Further information can be found at Recognition of Degrees and Achievments.

For information on fair mobility, click here: .

Application deadline: August 28, 2025 (11:59 PM CET)
Online interviews: September 12, 2025
Notification of results: October 2025
In-person visits to MDC: October 2025
Start of fellowship: January 2026 (max. 6 months from application)

MDC Global Fellowships – Postdoctoral Research (m/f/d) in Berlin