ISTA-Fellow Postdoctoral Fellowship — Fellowship

The ISTA-Fellow program supports postdoctoral researchers carrying out an independent project within an eligible research group at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria. Fellows work on the ISTA campus in Klosterneuburg, Austria, with a host supervisor and access to shared scientific facilities.

The 2026 call covers scientific fields represented at ISTA except projects hosted by Astronomy groups. Up to ten fellows will be recruited.

Benefits & funding

A two-year, full-time employment contract with a minimum gross salary of EUR 73,500 and full social security coverage.
A basic budget for project-specific costs, including consumables, travel, conference and membership fees, internal scientific-service costs, and external services; ISTA does not publish the budget amount.
Access to shared research facilities, visa support, German-language courses, and, subject to availability, rental accommodation and on-site daycare.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a PhD or equivalent by the September 8, 2026 deadline, or complete it before starting the fellowship and no later than June 15, 2027. Proof of successful defense or the diploma is required before a contract is issued.
The proposed project must align with an eligible ISTA host group. Astronomy groups are excluded from this call.
Researchers employed at ISTA before September 1, 2026 are not eligible.
ISTA publishes no nationality, residency, age, gender, or minimum-experience restriction.

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Education required
PhD Enrolled · PhD

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Application process

1
Review the 2026 Guide for Applicants and identify an eligible ISTA host supervisor.
2
Contact the intended host supervisor and secure agreement before submission; contact any secondary supervisor as well.
3
Create and verify an account on the Apply@ISTA platform.
4
Complete the online form and upload the required research proposal, CV and publication list, achievements summary, and ethics self-assessment.
5
Enter three referees and ensure at least two reference letters arrive by the deadline.
6
Submit the complete application by 14:00 CEST on September 8, 2026.

Program timeline

Application deadline.
September 8, 2026 at 14:00 CEST
No later than four months after the deadline
Applicants are notified, including reserve-list status where relevant.
Successful fellowships begin.
December 15, 2026 to June 15, 2027
Two years after each fellow’s start
Employment contract ends.