What is it like, working at the IMP? Allow the institute to make you an offer: join a lively research hub of 250 passionate people with sharp minds who challenge, push, and support each other; use the excellent facilities and services that will allow you to focus on your research; attend world-class lectures; and enjoy competitive funding. The IMP is an international environment with global ties to the very best academic institutions in the world. Make the IMP a building block in your academic career. Claim your place among us.
Work at the IMP: What's it like?
The IMP offers opportunities for any level of a high-flying career in molecular biology, from undergraduates to senior scientists. All researchers who join the IMP are embedded in the wider community of Vienna Biocenter with about 150 research groups and scientists from 80 countries, one of the most dynamic and stimulating life science hubs in Europe.
IMPressions from a living institute
The IMP is characterised by a supportive and stimulating atmosphere and generous funding that allows the operation of outstanding services and facilities in support of the scientists. The IMP is a friendly place where people challenge and support each other, small enough to be very personal, but embedded in a larger community that includes hundreds of students, postdocs and other scientists at the Vienna BioCenter.
Exceptional seminars including our own flagship lecture series "Max Birnstiel Lectures" and distinguished academic programmes such as the Vienna BioCenter PhD Program or the highly regarded Vienna BioCenter Summer School connect promising talents with current leaders in their fields.
Our offer for your career
Outstanding undergraduate and master students may find an interest in the Vienna BioCenter Summer School, a roller-coaster of laboratory placements, lectures and intellectual exchanges.
Smart and ambitious graduates can do research for a master thesis at one of the IMP’s groups. For your future, keep an eye on the international Vienna BioCenter PhD Program.
Apply for the international Vienna BioCenter PhD Program. One of the first programmes of its kind in Europe, it accepts applications twice a year. Look at our alumni stories to see how students from the past used their time at the IMP to push their careers.
Strong applications from Postdoc candidates are always encouraged. You will find information on our research groups and the work they do on the respective research group pages; calls for specific postdoc positions are also advertised via our "open positions" page on this website. There are also calls for the VIP2 Postdoc Program that is carried out through the Vienna BioCenter Scientific Training.
The IMP provides outstanding facilities, services and social activities to maximise chances for postdocs to make their time here a success. In addition, the Vienna BioCenter offers a broader framework for a thriving intellectual life, including lecture series, networking opportunities through a postdoc association, and a community of over 100 research groups.
Principal investigators (PIs) at the IMP can join either as Group Leaders, Senior Scientists or through more specific positions such as Fellows or Adjunct Investigator. All PIs enjoy full academic freedom in choosing their research questions as well as ample support in pursuit of these questions.
Group leader positions at the IMP are limited to a certain number of years; senior scientists have permanent positions with periodic reviews. The IMP offers competitive conditions to its PIs in terms of funding, facilities, and services – a package that one of our group leaders described as "scientific heaven".
Life at the IMP
‘Science first’ is the secret to the IMP’s success and the theme underlying life at the institute. Social activities include the “social hour” get-together every Friday night, retreats, the Vienna BioCenter's own Amateur Drama Club and other occasions that knit IMP scientists into a tight community. Discussions about science abound at the IMP, even at such occasions, bringing great minds together and fostering a stimulating environment.
The IMP as an employer is committed to diversity, and Vienna is a cosmopolitan, vibrant place with global links and an international airport at the IMP’s doorstep. If you move to Vienna with a family, the IMP will be able to provide guidance and support.
The IMP Lecture Hall
The IMP Lecture Hall is a vibrant space that fosters scientific exchange and community. As the largest lecture hall on campus, it serves as an important meeting point for a variety of activities beyond science, including:
- Academic Orchestra rehearsals: bringing together staff and students to share their passion for music is only fitting in Vienna, a city renowned for its rich musical heritage.
- Meditation practice: offering a peaceful retreat, these sessions support mental well-being and provide an opportunity to feel rejuvenated and centered before the workday begins.
- Yoga sessions: a perfect mix of movement and mindfulness, these classes help participants to loosen up, and feel more balanced.
- Amateur drama club performances: a dedicated club where participants engage in creative expression through drama, cultivating creativity and teamwork, which are also beneficial to their scientific work.
Conditions for applying
The IMP is a community of scientists that is committed to excellence. Its academic staff are very ambitious and work conditions can be demanding. To ensure that your profile and attitude match with our work culture, all recruiting entails careful consideration, and it is also very selective.
The IMP is an exclusive institute by virtue of its academic standards; a promotion from one academic career level to the next (e.g. from postdoc to group leader) within the IMP is generally not a goal. People are recruited from outside the institute and take positions with other organisations after their assignment with us.
If you think that the IMP and you would make a good match, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please also take note of our "open positions" page and information on funding opportunities.