The ICM is offering ten predoctoral fellowships to conduct cutting-edge research addressing the ocean dimension of climate change, seafood security, biodiversity loss, the effects of multiple stressors on marine systems, as well as the society – ocean science interface.
The Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), the leading marine research institute in Spain (the only research center in ocean science to be accredited with the Excellence Accreditation Severo Ochoa), We are currently offering ten predoctoral fellowships to address major societal and environmental challenges related to ocean health, biodiversity conservation, climate change, sustainable seafood systems, and the interface between marine sciences and society.
Strongly committed to train the next generation of researchers in marine sciences, the ICM offers a thriving scientific environment to complete your predoctoral training. Based in Barcelona, you will have access to top-notch equipment, and will be part of a highly stimulating scientific community to fully develop your research potential.
The 4-year fellowships are expected to start in January 2027, and offer additional funding to cover research expenses, training and international mobility.
Fellowships will be awarded through a competitive call. Candidates can find full information about the PIX2026 call here. Please, find below the direct links to:
The application period runs from September 22, 2026, to October 5, 2026.
The main requirements of the call are, broadly, as follows:
- Applicants must hold a Master’s degree, or be currently enrolled in a Master’s programme, and must have their CV uploaded to Europass.
- At the time of signing the contract, successful applicants must hold a Master’s degree and have been admitted to a Doctoral programme. Applicants holding degrees obtained outside the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) must also provide proof that they have initiated the degree equivalence recognition procedure.
- Documents may be submitted in either Spanish or English.
Candidates will be able to apply to one of the following projects:
#01 | Uncovering the hidden microbial links between marine wildlife and ecosystem health
Supervisors: J. Gasol (pepgasol@icm.csic.es); J. Navarro (joan@icm.csic.es)
#02 | Tracing back Cold-Water Coral resilience and biodiversity reorganization since the Last Glacial Maximum to forecast deep-sea ecosystem response to accelerating climate change
Supervisors: C. Lo Iacono (loiacono@icm.csic.es); P. Cermeño (pedrocermeno@icm.csic.es)
#03 | Adaptive and plastic responses in marine species distribution models: integrating genomics, epigenetics and climate projections for sustainable fisheries
Supervisors: N. Díaz (ndiaz@icm.csic.es); M.G. Pennino (grazia.pennino@icm.csic.es)
#04 | Seafood Quality and Safety under Global Change: Contaminant Trends, Nutritional Trade-offs, and Risk Assessment in Mediterranean Marine Food Webs
Supervisors: A.G. Bravo (andrea.bravo@icm.csic.es); M. Blázquez (blazquez@icm.csic.es); Isabel Forner (iforner@icm.csic.es)
#05 | From the Holocene to the Anthropocene: Assessing palaeoecological and sedimentological responses to multiple environmental and anthropogenic stressors along the Catalan coast
Supervisors: F. Maynou (maynouf@icm.csic.es); R. Durán (rduran@icm.csic.es)
#06 | AI-assisted fibre-optic and robotic observatories for whale-ship interactions and underwater noise monitoring
Supervisors: I. Masmitjà (masmitja@icm.csic.es); A. Ugalde (a.ugalde@icm.csic.es)
#07 | Linking marine ecosystem variability to climate-driven physical and biogeochemical processes in the coastal NW Mediterranean Sea: Decadal variability and trends
Supervisors: J. Ballabrera (joaquim@icm.csic.es); M. Vila (magda@icm.csic.es); S. Galiana (galiana@icm.csic.es)
#08 | Southern Ocean Convection: Current State, Historical Context, and Global CO₂ Implications
Supervisors: E. Olmedo (olmedo@icm.csic.es); C. Pelejero (pelejero@icm.csic.es)
#09 | Analysing the educational and scientific impact of Open Schooling environmental initiatives: a co-creation approach to monitoring marine biodiversity
Supervisor: C. Rodero (rodero@icm.csic.es); external co-supervisor to be confirmed.
#10 | Ocean Cities as Diplomatic Actors: How Coastal Cities Use Marine Science to Shape Global Ocean Governance
Supervisor: M. Talone (talone@icm.csic.es); external co-supervisor to be confirmed.
A comprehensive description of the projects is available here.
Grant CEX2024-001494-S funded by AEI 10.13039/501100011033