Offer Description
The Respiratory Viruses Unit is currently seeking a highly motivated bioscientist to study the genetic features of respiratory viruses, and the host and viral "omics" profiles associated with several clinical outcomes by next generation sequencing.
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – Predoctoral Fellowships (MSCA)
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Predoctoral Fellowships (MSCA) are part of the Horizon Europe programme and support predoctoral researchers in developing an original research and innovation project through international mobility.
DETECTIVE (Data driven Excellence in Training of Epidemiological, Clinical, Technological and Innovative Virus Experts) is an EU-funded MSCA training programme aimed at developing new, data-driven methods to anticipate, detect and respond to emerging viral threats at an earlier stage than before. Coordinated by Prof. Dr. Heli Harvala, Professor of Virology at the University of Turku in Finland, the network brings together 8 academic institutions and 14 associated partners from across Europe.
Within DETECTIVE, researchers will develop innovative methods used to detect emerging pathogens earlier, understand who is most at risk, and translate the complex multi-source data into real-time, evidence-based decisions and clinical applications. The project's overall goal is to establish a unified, end-to-end epidemic-intelligence framework, enhancing Europe's capacity to respond to threats quickly and in a coordinated manner. This will be achieved by an integrated approach combining virology, evolutionary genomics, epidemiology, diagnostics and AI-based analytical methods.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases represent one of the greatest threats to global health and societal stability in the 21st century. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated with unprecedented clarity how quickly novel pathogens can spread, overwhelm healthcare systems, and disrupt economies.
This doctoral project aims to develop and improve new tools for the rapid detection of viruses and the identification of novel viral and host markers in severe respiratory infections, through the application of omics technologies. The objective will be to contribute to the standardisation of the different diagnostic protocols used among the various laboratories and, at the same time, to discover and validate biomarkers associated with severe respiratory infections.
Main responsibilities and duties:
At the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona, Spain), DETECTIVE is looking for a Doctoral Candidate (DC) to work on Work Package 1. As DC10, your research objectives are:
- To enhance the genomic sequencing by NGS of viruses detected at different settings.
- To characterise host molecular profiles with integrated omics.
- To discover and validate biomarkers related to severe clinical outcomes.
- To standardise sampling and processing workflows between laboratories.
Where to apply
Website: https://jobs.vhir.org/jobs/8353742-vhir-msca-predoctoral-fellowship
Requirements
Research Field: Biological sciences
Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
Education and qualifications:
Required:
- Hold a master's degree in bioinformatics, computational biology, genomics, data science, epidemiology, virology or related fields.
- Have a strong interest in infectious disease research and emerging pathogens.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English (minimum C1/C2 CEFR level).
- Demonstrate the ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary and international research environment.
- Have not resided/carried out work or studies in Spain for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the March 1st, 2027.
Experience and knowledge:
Required:
- Experience with next-generation sequencing, molecular diagnostics and/or transcriptomic, proteomic or metabolomic data analysis highly beneficial.
- Previous laboratory experience in infectious disease research.
Research Field: Biological sciences
Additional Information
Selection process
Application deadline: 08-10-2026
How to Apply:
To be considered for this position, applicants must complete BOTH application steps by 8 October 2026.
Step 1: Complete the DETECTIVE Webropol Application Form
Complete the DETECTIVE Application Form and provide the following documents:
- Curriculum Vitae (maximum 2 pages)
- Motivation Letter (maximum 1 page)
- Details for two referees
Access the application form here.
Step 2: Apply via the VHIR Careers Website
Applicants must also submit their application through the VHIR Careers Website via this vacancy.
Website for additional job details: https://jobs.vhir.org/jobs/8353742-vhir-msca-predoctoral-fellowship
Work Location(s)
Number of offers available: 1
Company/Institute: Fundació Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron- Institut de recerca
Country: Spain
Contact
State/Province: Catalonia
City: Barcelona
Website: https://vhir.vallhebron.com/en
Street: Passeig Vall d'Hebron, 119-129
Postal Code: 08035
E-Mail: seleccio@vhir.org
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