Programme Overview

EIPOD-LinC is a Postdoctoral fellowship programme supporting promising researchers from around the world who are passionate about interdisciplinary research. The programme is designed to support the increasing diversity of career paths in Europe’s research landscape providing researchers with the mentoring, training and career development support needed to become leaders in academia, industry and beyond.

The programme is embedded in EMBL’s unique interdisciplinary and collaborative research environment. Candidates work on self-designed interdisciplinary research projects in the context of EMBL’s research programme: Molecules to Ecosystems. All projects require an EMBL Host and a partner. Partners may come from an academic institute, industry or clinic located in an EMBL Member State, Associate Member State or Prospect Member State. Importantly, projects must allow candidates to gain new skills contributing to interdisciplinary research skill sets. The full breadth of EMBL research is available here. The EMBL Hosts participating in the 2025 call will be available here shortly before the call opening.

Join us on November 26th at 14:00 CET for an information webinar to learn more about the ARISE2 programme and how to apply (register here)

The EIPOD-LinC programme has one annual call for applications per year. The dates for the 2025 EIPOD-LinC call are shown in the table on the right.

Active EIPOD4 fellows and their research projects.

All EIPOD fellows (current and alumni)

EIPOD-LinC has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe’s research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 101217201.

Interdisciplinary Research Projects

Fellows work on self-designed interdisciplinary research projects in the context of the EMBL research programme: Molecules to Ecosystems. The overarching goal of the research programme is to drive our understanding of life on earth and inform potential solutions to society’s biggest challenges such as irreversible loss of biodiversity, antimicrobial resistance, pollution, climate change, food security and emergent pathogens. A detailed summary of the individual themes are available on the EMBL webpages (see below). 

As part of the application,  candidates are asked to develop an interdisciplinary research project  in one of the 4 main programme themes listed below which are directly linked to EMBL’s research programme.  

(1) Molecular Mechanisms: investigates how systematic environmental changes affect molecular structures, modifications, and macromolecular complexes, including subcellular structures; develops innovative experimental methods and advanced technologies to measure and manipulate living systems and their interactions with the environment. 

(2) Human Health: applies molecular insights to disease models and therapeutic strategies, e.g., in combating antimicrobial resistance and infectious diseases; uses human cohort data and molecular genetics in cells, organoids, organs-on-a-chip, and animal models to explore the interplay between genetics and the environment. 

(3) Planetary Ecosystems: investigates interactions between microbes, plants, animals and their environment at the molecular level to gain insights into planetary health and address environmental challenges. 

(4) AI and Theory: uses mathematical models, physics principles and AI to predict biological processes at all scales, from molecular to population levels, with a focus on structural biology, omics, and imaging.

The projects require a main EMBL host who is taking part in the call and a partner from an EMBL Member State, Prospect Member State or Associate Member State.

EMBL Member and Associate Member States

Austria | Belgium | Croatia |Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia |Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Hungary | Iceland | Israel | Italy |Latvia | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malta | Montenegro | Netherlands | Norway | Poland | Portugal | Slovakia | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | United Kingdom | Australia

EMBL Prospect Member States|

Bulgaria | Serbia

Training

The interdisciplinary research training fellows receive in the lab is complemented by a rich portfolio of transferable skills courses in line with the needs of future employers from the academic, private and public sectors. Workshops include gender and diversity dimension in research, research integrity, open science and data management, dissemination and communication and IP and entrepreneurship, and leadership. They also complete a specialized workshop of their choice either on Innovation or Science policy.

Public Engagement

EMBL is committed to sharing its science with the general public, policy makers and other target groups. EIPOD-LinC Fellows complete public engagement training as well as 1 public engagement activity during the course of their fellowship. They can contribution to one the many activities organised by EMBL’s Science Education and Public Engagement Office. Alternatively, they can put forward a suggestion of an activity to the Programme Office for approval.

Career Development

Fellows have access to professional career development support via the EMBL Fellows Career Service. This includes 1-to-1 career guidance sessions, access to career development resources and workshops and trainings. They are asked to complete 1 career workshop offered by the Career Service.  Conference funding to support participation in a conference is also available.

EMBL as an Employer

EIPOD-LinC fellows receive 3 year fully funded contracts based on the EMBL site at which they are based. The 2025 Postdoctoral Fellowship rates are available here. Fellows with a Member State (MS) partner can request a 6-month extension of their contract provided that they spend 1 year of their 3-year fellowship in the MS partner lab.

The EMBL HR pages provide an overview of the Laboratory’s conditions of employment. Positions come with:

• Social securities including health insurance, unemployment insurance and pension scheme
• Travel and accommodation support to visit partner labs (EMBL and external if relevant)
• Allowances: family allowance for fellows in a union and children’s allowance if relevant

The programme supports equal opportunities in the broadest possible sense. Some of EMBL’s sites have onsite child care and the others have arrangements with local providers. Part-time is a possibility for fellows returning from parental leave. 

EMBL is committed to promoting a fair, diverse and inclusive workplace as a driver of scientific excellence and innovation. We provide additional support to fellows with disabilities (e.g., workplace modifications, extra assistance), neurodivergent fellows (e.g., coaching) and to researchers at risk (e.g., postal application when the online application is not possible). The application form contains a voluntary self-disclosure section only seen by the EIPOD team to indicate if applicants require additional support during the interview process.

Application

Eligibility requirements

Academic requirements:

Applicants must have a Ph.D. by the call deadline (February 2nd, 2026). Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet been formally awarded the doctoral degree are eligible to apply. A maximum of eight years of experience in research, from the date of the award of their PhD degree is permitted. Years of experience outside research and career breaks will not count towards the maximum.

Successful candidates have 4 months to take up their fellowship. The latest start date is August 31, 2026 for fellows recruited in the 2025 call for applications.

Mobility requirements:

The EIPOD-LinC programme is open to experienced researchers of all nationalities. Prior association (including visitor contracts) of a postdoctoral candidate with EMBL and/or a Member State partner is compatible with application to the programme but cannot exceed 12 months within the last 3 years prior to the submission deadline. Prior association relates to having worked with a person/group. It can include having done a Ph.D. or Postdoc with the supervisor or having been a visitor in their lab/group. Any previous association must be indicated on the application form.

Ethics requirements:

Projects must align with EMBL and Horizon Europe ethics guidelines. Candidates complete and submit a Horizon Europe ethics self-assessment for their project as part of their application. 

Secondment requirements:

All applicants must include a partner lab from an EMBL MS who will participate in the research project as a co-supervisor. The partner can be from an academic institute, industry or clinic. Successful applicants will spend between 3 months to 1 year in the MS lab on research secondment.

If you have questions related to your personal situation please get in touch with us at eipod@embl.org

Application

1. Read the guide to applicants which will be available here shortly before the call opens.
2. Watch an information webinar taking place on November 26th at 14:00 CET (Register here: https://embl-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rvrR_nPZTDirYkzMVI20wQ). The webinar will give an overview of the programme and how to apply. A recording will be made available here.
3. Develop an interdisciplinary project proposal under the overarching theme of life in context. This will be submitted as part of your application (see 7). The project template (available here at the beginning of November 2025) must be used.
4. Decide on what combination of groups has the skills needed to support your project. All projects need an EMBL host and at least 1 partner. Partners must come from an academic institute, industry or clinic from an EMBL Member State, Associate Member State or Prospective Member State (MS). In order to participate, a MS partner must be actively engaged in research at the level of lab head or equivalent. They should also be eligible to supervise postdocs at their home institution.
5. Contact an EMBL host. EMBL’s research groups can be screened by research area. Make sure the group leader(s) you are interested are participating in the call (available here when the call opens).
6. Choose a partner from an external academic institute, industry or clinic from an EMBL Member State, Associate Member State or Prospective Member State. Not sure who to choose? Most EMBL hosts have suggested collaborators (available here when the call opens). Discuss with your EMBL host. Check collaborator suggestions from your EMBL host listed on the participating faculty page (to be updated at the beginning of November 2025).
7. Complete the application form
8. Convert your application, project and ethics forms to a single PDF and upload them in the application portal available here:
9. Please ask your referees to send their references to: EIPOD-references@embl.de
   Note: the references are due by the call closing on February 2, 2026. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the reference letters are submitted to the EIPOD Office on time. 
   

Evaluation and Interviews

Evaluation of Written Applications

EIPOD-LinC is a competitive merit-based fellowship programme. It follows a well-defined weighted scoring system (see the Guide to Applicants). Eligible applications are independently reviewed by 3 external experts. Evaluators are asked to provide an overall impression of a candidate’s application in terms of excellence, impact and implementation as described in the guide to applicants (available here at the beginning of November)

Interviews

The interviews will take place by Zoom on April 20 and 21, 2026. Candidates give a presentation (10 min.) on their scientific contributions to date and their self-designed research project to an interview panel. This is followed by a discussion covering scientific aspects of the previous and proposed work, motivation of the candidate and career-related topics (30 min.).

Appeal

Ineligible candidates, candidates who are not short-listed or who do not receive an offer after the interview may request an appeal if they suspect procedural errors limited the success of their applications. The scientific judgement of the expert evaluators and interview panels is not open to appeal. The details of the appeal procedure are included in the outcome email. Candidates must document the procedural error that they felt limited their success and return it to the EIPOD team within 7 days of receiving the outcome email informing them about the appeal option. 

FAQ

If you do not find an answer to your question, please contact the EIPOD office (eipod@embl.org).