Apply for One of Ten COMENZE PhD Positions

Choose up to three research projects and complete your application below.

Apply for One of Ten COMENZE PhD Positions

Choose up to three research projects and complete your application below.

Join the Future of Sustainable Polymers with COMENZE

Are you a passionate researcher eager to make an impact in enzyme engineering and the bio-based polymer industry? The COMENZE project is offering 10 fully funded PhD positions across top-tier European institutions. As a Doctoral Candidate, you will be at the forefront of computational and experimental enzyme design, contributing to groundbreaking advancements in polymer sustainability, biodegradability, and recyclability.

This is your opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary, collaborative network that aligns with the European Green Deal, shaping a more sustainable future for materials science. Apply now and become part of the next generation of experts driving the transition to a circular economy!

Below, you’ll find the essential information about eligibility, required qualifications, and the selection process. Make sure to review these details carefully before submitting your application.

COMENZE-Application-illustration

Evaluation and Selection Procedure

This project seeks outstanding candidates eager to pioneer innovative enzyme engineering strategies for polymer applications. COMENZE will focus on advancing computational tools for enzyme-polymer interaction analysis, optimizing enzyme functionality for monomer and polymer modifications, such as amidase-polyamide interactions. The ultimate objective is to engineer enzymes that boost the recyclability and biodegradability of lignin-derived polymers, with applications spanning pharmaceuticals and food science.

Beyond research, COMENZE provides world-class scientific training, researcher mobility opportunities, and skill development initiatives to attract top talent at all career stages.

More details are available here on the 10 individual research projects (IRPs) proposed within the COMENZE doctoral network.

Requirements and eligibility conditions

Required Qualifications

  • Master’s degree (or equivalent) in either

    • biochemistry
    • computational biology
    • biotechnology
    • chemistry
    • computer science
    • or related fields

    Candidates must have completed the studies that lead to an official university degree that gives access to doctoral studies according to the host organization and national rules.

  • Fluency in English
Comenze-Apply-laboratory
Comenze Scientist in laboratory

Eligibility Conditions

  • Open to candidates of any nationality.
  • Candidates must not have resided or worked/studied in the recruiting country for more than 12 months within the past 3 years before the recruitment date.
  • Candidates must be doctoral candidates, i.e., not already possessing another PhD/doctoral degree by the recruitment date.

Additional Assets:

  • Strong motivation to embark on a PhD/doctoral studies.
  • Experience in enzymology and/or computational biology.
  • Research experience, teamwork, and organizational skills.
Comenze students

How to apply?

Candidates should complete the online application form (the application form is available at the bottom of this page), where they can select up to three Individual Research Projects (IRPs) in order of preference.
The application must include the following documents in PDF format:

  • Curriculum Vitae (max 2 pages)

  • Motivation letter (max 1 page)
  • MSc Degree Certificate (or equivalent) or a Headed Letter with expected date of the MSc degree award

  • Two Letters of Recommendation (max 1 page each)

Laptop with female hand

Application Deadline: 15 May 2025, 17:00
The Selection Process, timeline and other important information are outlined below.
The expected time of recruitment of the successful candidates will be September/October 2025.

The data collected in the application form will solely be usedassess, evaluate and select the candidates.
For more information, see our Privacy policy.

Only applications with a complete submission file will be deemed admissible.
The eligibility conditions will be checked in parallel to the candidates’ assessment.

Selection Process

The selection procedure will be overseen by a temporary recruitment committee (TRC), composed of the 10 PhD supervisors (PIs) and the Project Manager.

The evaluation and selection process will consist of 3 phases:

Phase 1 – Admissibility and Eligibility Screening

The Project Manager will review applications to ensure candidates meet all admissibility and eligibility criteria.

Applications will be considered admissible if candidates

  • have the required academic background and degree, and

  • submit a complete application file (see above), with all documents required, and respecting the page limits.

For those applications declared admissible, candidates will be considered eligible if they fulfill the eligibility conditions specified above under Section “Eligibility Conditions”.

Phase 2 – Review of Applications

The Temporary Recruitment Committee (TRC) will assess the admissible and eligible applications. Applications will be distributed to the supervisors (PIs) of the applicants’ first-choice Individual Research Projects (IRPs).

Applications will be evaluated against the following evaluation criteria:

  • Academic excellence – 50%

  • Research experience & skills – 20%

  • Motivation – 20%

  • References and recommendations – 10%

For each application, each criterion will be scored on a scale from 1 to 5:
1 for Poor, 2 for Fair, 3 for Good, 4 for Very Good, and 5 for Excellent. Half points can be attributed.

Each criterion will have a pass threshold of 3, and an overall threshold of 3.5 will apply to the total application score. The top-ranked applicants (up to 6), with all scores above thresholds, will be invited for online interviews.

Phase 3 – Interviews (June 2025)

Candidates passing the previous phase will be invited to online interviews to assess their academic qualifications, research potential, and motivation.

The interview, lasting 30–45 minutes (with a maximum duration of 60 minutes), will include an 8–10 minute presentation where the candidate pitches their research experience and scientific interests. The panel will consider the candidate’s research knowledge, soft skills, and motivation during the evaluation. This process selects the most suitable candidates for each position based on their potential and alignment with the project’s objectives.

The interview panel will consist of the main supervisor (PI) of the selected IRP, plus co-supervisor(s), and/or an additional member of the project coordination team.

Interviews will be evaluated against the following criteria:

  • Academic Excellence & Research Background – 50%

  • Communication and Soft skills – 25%

  • Motivation – 25%

A final ranking list will be established for each IRP. Each IRP should ideally have a first-ranked candidate and an additional 2-3 reserve list candidates to fill the post if the first candidate withdraws.

For equally qualified candidates, preference will be given to those contributing to gender balance, particularly encouraging female applicants.

All TRC members will approve the final ranking lists.

Timeline

Publication of vacancies 15th March 2025
Deadline for application 15th May 2025
Evaluation and selection Mid-May to Mid-June 2025
Online interviews with shortlisted candidates 2nd half of June 2025
Results communicated to candidates Mid-July 2025
Recruitment/Start of contract September/October 2025

Publication of vacancies
15th March 2025

Deadline for application
15th May 2025
Evaluation and selection
Mid-May to Mid-June 2025
Online interviews with shortlisted candidates
2nd half of June 2025
Results communicated to candidates
Mid-July 2025
Recruitment/Start of contract
September/October 2025

Communication of results and request for review

Candidates will be notified of the selection results by Mid-July. They will receive a summary report outlining their overall assessment. Unsuccessful candidates can request direct feedback from the TRC.

Start of the projects and employment conditions

Successful candidates will be offered a full-time employment contract for 36 months by their respective host institutions. They will be enrolled as doctoral candidates. For those recruited by the industrial institutions (ZYMVOL, GECCO and BASF SE), special arrangements will ensure that they enrol as doctoral candidates in one of the network’s partner universities.

The EU contribution for the recruited researchers will consist of a living allowance (3400 EUR/month) and a mobility allowance (600 EUR/month). In specific cases, i.e., married researchers (or status equivalent to marriage) or researchers with dependent children, the EU contribution may include a family allowance. The MSCA Work Programme 2023-24 outlines detailed conditions for these entitlements.

A country correction coefficient applies to the living allowance to ensure equal treatment and purchasing power parity across all researchers, depending on the country of the recruiting beneficiary (see Table 1 of the MSCA Work Programme 2023-24). The living allowance is a gross amount that includes compulsory deductions under national law, such as employer and employee’s social security contributions and direct taxes.

Ready to apply?
Fill out the online application form below and take the next step toward joining the COMENZE Doctoral Network.

Application Form

How to apply:
Candidates should complete the on-line application form, selecting up to a maximum of 3 Individual PhD projects and provide the following documents in pdf format:

  • Curriculum Vitae (max 2 pages)
  • Motivation letter (max 1 page)
  • MSc Degree Certificate (or equivalent) or a Headed Letter with expected date of the MSc degree award
  • Two Letters of Recommendation (max 1 page each)

Mandatory fields are marked with (*)

Deadline of application:

15th May, 2025

Selection process ends:

Mid July, 2025

Start of contract:

Sept./Oct., 2025

Gender
Total max. 3.5MB. PDF format only

IMPORTANT: Mark and upload ALL your PDF files in one go.

Only applications with a complete submission file will be deemed admissible.

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