Fully funded PhD Opportunities in AI/ML, Public Health, Life Sciences, and More at MedUni Vienna

The new PhD call at MedUni Vienna is now open, offering fully funded positions across a wide range of research areas, including but not limited to AI/ML, public health, life sciences, RNA biology, immunology, cancer research, and bioinformatics. Starting dates are flexible in summer and/or autumn 2025.

We offer 18 well-structured PhD programs designed to support your growth as a researcher and professional. Whether you're interested in clinical research, hands-on experiments, or theoretical studies, you'll have the opportunity to work on interdisciplinary projects that advance medical knowledge, refine precision medicine, and develop preventive health strategies.

At MedUni Vienna, we believe in supporting your personal and professional development. Our PhD programmes are designed to help you grow as a scientist, while offering competitive salaries and the opportunity to work in one of the most liveable cities in the world - Vienna, which is consistently ranked among the top cities for quality of life.  Our university is a leader in translational science, offering state-of-the-art research facilities and close collaboration with one of the largest university hospitals in Europe. This unique environment provides researchers with access to, or direct involvement in, clinical applications and patient-centred research or data. Our dynamic and growing international research community provides strong networking opportunities both nationally and internationally. Medicine is an integral part of everyone's life. Your research will not only advance your career and science in general, but will also have a direct impact on improving the lives of the people around you.

Available PhD Projects

We currently have several PhD projects available across different areas:

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning:

• Pharmacokinetic modelling of [18F]FET PET in Gliomas and associations with tumor microenvironment
• Machine Learning for treatment response monitoring of glioma patients
• Best practices in ML workflows for medical imaging with small training sample sizes
• Integrating PET/MR Imaging Parameters with Biological Insights in Preclinical Glioma Models
• Multi-modal machine learning for predicting Glioma progression
• Germs with benefits

Life Sciences:

• Exploiting tumor-immune interactions in organ-specific metastasis using single-cell and spatial omics approaches
• Dynamics and impact of RNA modifications
• CLOCK risk
• Germs with benefits
• Environmental pathogen surveillance of viruses with zoonotic potential

Your role:

As a PhD student at MedUni Vienna, you will become part of one of our research teams, where you’ll have the freedom to design and carry out your own original research. Your work will bridge multiple disciplines—whether clinical, theoretical, or experimental—allowing you to explore innovative solutions to medicine and health care challenges. While you will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in your work, you will also receive the guidance and mentorship necessary to help you grow and succeed in your academic and professional journey.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct independent research in your chosen area, focusing on clinical, experimental, or theoretical approaches within medicine, technology, life sciences, or public health.
• Design, carry out, and analyze your own research projects, drawing conclusions that could influence medical practices or public health strategies.
• Present your findings through publications in academic journals and at conferences, sharing your research with the broader scientific community. 
• Stay current with advancements in your field and incorporate new methods into your research as needed. 

About the learning outcomes:  

Our doctoral programmes are designed to develop high-level competencies and skills in preparation for a career as an independent researcher and leader in your field. The learning outcomes of these doctoral programmes typically focus on several key areas:  

• Expertise and understanding in your field
• Research competence
• Technical and/or laboratory skills
• Scientific communication and writing
• Personal and professional development

The learning outcomes are designed to prepare you for a successful career as an independent researcher or expert in academia and beyond. Every PhD journey at MedUni Vienna is unique—this is just one example of the many research paths our students take.

General requirements:

• Master degree or equivalent in a relevant field (depends on the open Ph.D. positon). You can apply to the PhD call before graduation and indicate the expected graduation date in your application.
• Excellent English skills - we are an international crowd and English is our working language!
• A strong academic background in the science field you are applying in
• Motivation to work in an interdisciplinary and collaborative international research environment
• Drive to develop and work on your own research project
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and data analysis skills.
• Project-specific qualifications as described in the respective project description

Preferd:

• Proven previous research experience
• Experience abroad

Terms:

The initial contract is limited to one year, with possible extension for the duration of the dissertation if the project progresses.  Depending on how the project is funded, the salary is paid according to the Collective Agreement for University Employees or according to the FWF Salary Agreement for Doctoral Students. We offer tuition fee waiving programmes for students from outside the EU, which makes our PhD Programme very affordable. There is an annual fee of EUR 25 for all students.

Application Process:

Applications have to be made via the University online application portal, please click here to apply. All open PhD studentships are advertised on our website, and applicants can choose up to 3 projects of interest. For the application procedure, you must submit all diplomas and certificates in English or German. You may do the translation yourself for the application process. At admission you will need to provide us with an official translation of the documents.

Interviews: Online interviews will take place in May, 2025 and the organized campus visit will take place end of June, 2025 for successful Ph.D. applicants.

For inquiries about the application process, please feel free to consult our PhD Call application manual or  contact our PhD recruiting Manager at [email protected]

Closing date for application: 24.04.2025, 23:55 CET

Our Commitment to You:

We believe in what we do. Training the next generation of young scientists is a long tradition of ours! MedUni Vienna has trained young doctors and scientists since 1365. Here you can work closely with respected academics and researchers while taking your first independent steps as a scientist. Your work will shape the knowledge base of tomorrow´s doctors and have a positive influence on the lives of many people A Ph.D. is the launch pad for a career where you'll work on interesting and diverse projects that impact society while building a career you love. For more information about our interdisciplinary Ph.D. programme, visit our website and apply today.