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

The Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association aims to transform tomorrow’s medicine through our discoveries of today. At locations in Berlin-Buch, Berlin-Mitte, Heidelberg and Mannheim, our scientists collaborate across disciplines to unravel the complexities of disease at the systems level – from molecules and cells to organs and entire organisms. Through strong academic, clinical, and industry partnerships, as well as global networks, we translate biological insights into innovations for early detection, individualized therapies, and disease prevention. Founded in 1992, the Max Delbrück Center is home to a vibrant community of 1,800 people from more than 70 countries.

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.

Job Description

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.

Requirements

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 ecosystem
  and 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

We offer

• international working environment with communication in English and German
• interesting career opportunities and a range of opportunities for further qualification and training
• Compatibility of family and career certified by the workandfamily audit (“berufundfamilie audit”)
• Support for "New Berliners" through the MDC Welcome & Family Office

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