Doctoral Candidate Position (m/f/d)

enable controlled release under digestion-relevant conditions. Food-grade purification, processing and bench-scale

fabrication workflows will also be optimised to support future industrial translation.

The performance of the developed systems will be evaluated by quantifying encapsulation efficiency, oxidative stability

and release kinetics . Promising formulations will subsequently be evaluated in practical formats, including capsules, dry

blends and nutraceutical-enriched foods. Within FAroGels , DC6 will provide a validated hybrid aerogel platform for

stabilising and delivering selected nutraceuticals, together with quantitative performance datasets, structure–function

maps and bench-scale fabrication and evaluation protocols.

The position will involve laboratory-based research, data analysis, scientific communication and close collaboration with

other FAroGels Doctoral Candidates, supervisors and partner organizations.

Main Responsibilities The Doctoral Candidate will be expected to: • Conduct research on the design, development and characterisation of hybrid biopolymer aerogels for the

encapsulation, stabilisation and controlled release of selected nutraceuticals.

• Plan, perform, document and analyse experimental work using relevant laboratory, analytical, processing and/or

modelling methods.

• Participate actively in FAroGels network meetings, workshops, training schools, seminars and transferable-skills

activities.

• Undertake planned secondments at FAroGels partner organisations, as specified for the DC project.
• Work collaboratively with academic and non-academic partners across the FAroGels network.
• Prepare scientific reports, project deliverables, presentations, publications and, where relevant, other dissemination

or exploitation-related outputs.

Your profile

Requirements

• Educational Background : Master’s degree (or equivalent) in life science (included but not limited to chemistry,

pharmacy, biotechnology, etc) or related field.

• Skills : Strong laboratory and analytical skills in biopolymer processing, encapsulation, physicochemical

characterisation, spectroscopy, and data analysis.

• Languages : Proficiency in English (written and spoken) is required.
• Strong motivation to pursue doctoral research in an international and interdisciplinary environment.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to collaborative research activities.
• Good organization, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to travel for planned secondments, network meetings and training activities.

MSCA Doctoral Network Eligibility Criteria

Applicants of any nationality are welcome to apply. At the date of recruitment, applicants must meet the following MSCA

Doctoral Network requirements:

• Doctoral candidate status: Applicants must not already hold a doctoral degree. Applicants who have successfully

defended their doctoral thesis but have not yet been formally awarded the doctoral degree are not eligible.

• PhD enrolment: Doctoral Candidates must be enrolled in a doctoral programme leading to the award of a doctoral

degree in at least one EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country. For this position, this is the doctoral

programme at Saarland University, applicants must therefore meet its admission requirements.

• Institution-specific requirements: Basic knowledge of data analysis and proficiency in Microsoft Office. German

knowledge is a plus.

• Visa and residence permit: a visa or residence/work permit is not required at the application stage and is not a

selection criterion. Where needed, it will be arranged after selection and before the start of employment, with the

support of the recruiting organisation. Candidates from non-EU countries are equally welcome to apply.

ItemInformation

Relevant faculty / department Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, Department of Pharmacy, Biopharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology

Recognised Master of Science degree (normally corresponding to at least 300

ECTS credits obtained through Bachelor's and Master's studies). For international

degrees, the awarding institution should ideally have H+ status in the anabin

PhD admission and enrolment database or be otherwise recognised as equivalent to a German university. The

requirements programme should include a research-oriented curriculum, practical/research

experience, and a Master's thesis comparable to the standards of a German

Master's thesis. Final eligibility is subject to approval by the faculty at Saarland

University.

We offer

DC[6] – Hybrid Aerogel-Microencapsulation for Nutraceutical Stability and Delivery

Position DC6: Hybrid Aerogel-Microencapsulation for Nutraceutical Stability and Delivery

Project FAroGels – Food-Grade Aerogels for Sustainable Food Systems

Funding programme Horizon Europe – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (HORIZON-MSCA-2025-DN-01-01)

Grant Agreement number 1

Recruiting/Host organisation MyBiotech GmbH, Research & Development, Überherrn, Germany

PhD awarding institution Saarland University, Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Saarbrücken, Germany

Type of contract Fixed-term employment contract, 36 months

Job status Full-time (100%)

Application deadline 09 December 2026, 23:59 (CET)

Expected start date March 2027 (earliest)

FAroGels – DC Position | Page 1 of 6

Supervisory Team

The Doctoral Candidate will be supervised by a team combining academic and non-academic expertise:

RoleNameOrganisationCountry

Main supervisor Dr. Nazende Günday-Türeli MyBiotech GmbH (MyB) Prof. Marc Schneider Universitat des Saarlandes (USAAR) Germany

Academic co-supervisor Dr. Akif Emre Türeli MyBiotech GmbH (MyB) Germany

Industry supervisor Main supervisor is non-academic.

Planned Secondments

As part of the training programme, the Doctoral Candidate will complete planned secondments at FAroGels partner

organisations:

Host organisationSectorCountryDuration

Universita degli Studi di Udine (UNIUD) Academic Italy 2 months

Middle East Technical University (METU) Academic Türkiye 1 month

Pard Mühendislik ve Otomasyon Sanayi Ticaret Limited Sirketi

(Superex) Non-academic Türkiye 1 month

BKEA LTD. (BKEA) Non-academic Malta 1 month

Gurok Turizm ve Madencilik A.S. (AVOYA) Non-academic Türkiye 1 month

Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, M.P.

(Spanish National Research Council, CSIC) Academic Spain 1 month

• Mobility rule: Applicants must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Germany

for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the recruitment date. Compulsory national service,

short stays such as holidays, and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva

Convention or EU temporary protection are not taken into account. Compliance is verified before the start of

employment, on the basis of the candidate’s passport and, where necessary, other documents.

FAroGels – DC Position | Page 2 of 6

What FAroGels Offers

• A full-time doctoral position funded through the FAroGels MSCA Doctoral Network.
• A fixed-term employment contract for 36 months at MyBiotech GmbH.
• A competitive salary and employment conditions in accordance with the MSCA Doctoral Networks funding

provisions, applicable national legislation and the policies of MyB.

• Social-security coverage and other employment-related benefits in accordance with the applicable national and

institutional framework.

• A Personal Career Development Plan (PCDP), prepared with the supervisory team and reviewed and updated during

the project.

• Access to research facilities, infrastructure, training and support services at the Host Institution and within the

FAroGels network.

• Participation in a structured doctoral training programme including scientific and technical training, transferable

skills, career development and innovation-oriented activities.

• Planned secondments at FAroGels partner organizations, offering complementary scientific, technical and cross-

sectoral experience.

• An international research environment and opportunities to build a professional network across academia and non-

academic organizations.

Salary and Financial Package

This position is funded by the FAroGels MSCA Doctoral Network (HORIZON-MSCA-2025-DN-01-01, Grant

Agreement No. 1). The salary is based on the following monthly MSCA allowances:

• Living allowance: EUR 4,010, adjusted by the country correction coefficient of the country of the recruiting

organisation to ensure equal treatment and comparable purchasing power for all researchers.

• Mobility allowance: EUR 710, contributing to mobility-related costs such as relocation and travel.
• Family allowance (if applicable): EUR 660, paid for the months in which the Doctoral Candidate has a family

during the project, including where family obligations arise after recruitment. ‘Family’ means persons linked to the

researcher by marriage (or a relationship with equivalent status recognised by the legislation of the country where it

was formalised) or dependent children actually being maintained by the researcher. The allowance is paid in

accordance with the rules of the recruiting organisation, and supporting documents may be requested.

Monthly MSCA allowances for this position

ComponentCalculation (per month)

Living allowance EUR 4,010 × [country correction coefficient = 101.2%] (see guidance below)

Mobility allowance Fixed amount = EUR 710.00

Total without family allowance Living + mobility allowance

Total with family allowance Living + mobility + EUR 660

Please note: the amounts above represent the total employment cost, from which the employer’s and the employee’s

compulsory social-security contributions and taxes are deducted in accordance with national law. Unless the recruiting

organisation provides additional funding, the gross salary paid to the Doctoral Candidate is therefore lower than these

amounts, and the net salary depends on personal circumstances.

Country correction coefficients of the FAroGels beneficiaries

CountryCCCLiving allowance+ mobility (EUR + family (EUR 710)660)

Türkiye 64.5% 2,586.45 3,296.45 3,956.45

Poland 74.1% 2,971.41 3,681.41 4,341.41

Italy 95.3% 3,821.53 4,531.53 5,191.53

Spain 95.6% 3,833.56 4,543.56 5,203.56

FAroGels – DC Position | Page 3 of 6

CountryCCCLiving allowance+ mobility (EUR + family (EUR 710)660)

Germany 101.2% 4,,768.12 5,428.12

Finland 118.0% 4,731.80 5,441.80 6,101.80

United Kingdom 141.7% 5,682.17 6,392.17 7,052.17

Employment conditions: the Doctoral Candidate will be hired full-time (100%) by the recruiting organisation on a 36-

month employment contract, with social-security coverage under national law that continues during secondments.

Funding Duration and PhD Completion

• This Doctoral Candidate position is funded by the FAroGels MSCA Doctoral Network for a maximum period of 36

months.

• The overall period required to complete a PhD degree may, depending on the regulations of the PhD awarding

institution and applicable national requirements, extend beyond the 36-month FAroGels funding period.

Please note: any employment, scholarship or other financial support beyond the 36-month FAroGels funding period is

not covered or guaranteed by FAroGels. Any potential continuation of employment or funding would need to be

considered separately between the relevant institution and the Doctoral Candidate, subject to institutional regulations

and the availability of funds.

For further information about MyBiotech GmbH please visit www.mybiotech.de .

The successful candidate must fulfil the admission and enrolment requirements of USAAR.

Equal Opportunities and Data Protection FAroGels and MyBiotech GmbH are committed to equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion. Applications from all

qualified candidates are welcome, irrespective of gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnic or social

origin, nationality, disability, age, religion or belief.

Personal data submitted with applications will be processed by MyBiotech GmbH exclusively for recruitment purposes

and in accordance with the applicable data-protection legislation and institutional privacy policies.

• General information on FAroGels: https://farogels.eu/

This project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under the Marie

Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks, Grant Agreement No. 1.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not

necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the

European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

FAroGels – DC

Contact

Official PhD admission / Doctoral research and PhD programmes | Universität des Saarlandes / Enrolling

enrolment webpage or registering as a doctoral research student | Early Career Office | Universität des Saarlandes

Yes. Applicants must submit a short project proposal (approximately 2 pages,

including a preliminary timeline), the required application forms signed by the

Separate PhD application or applicant, the PhD supervisor, and a second faculty supervisor. In addition, an

enrolment procedure evaluation letter from the Master's thesis supervisor is required to assess the equivalence of the Master's degree and thesis. There are no fixed application

deadlines; applications can be submitted throughout the year. The process is

managed by the faculty/doctoral office.

Recognition of foreign

qualifications Please check anabin: Information portal on foreign educational qualifications

Proof of English language proficiency may be required if the applicant does not

possess sufficient German language skills or if requested by the faculty.

Applicants must provide certified copies of their academic documents and present

the original documents for verification during enrolment. Health insurance is

Additional requirements required for enrolment. Doctoral candidates who choose to enrol as students must pay the semester fee (please check Fees | Universität des Saarlandes). There are

enrolment and re-registration deadlines each semester; however, doctoral

candidates may alternatively register as a doctoral researcher without full student

enrolment. A combined doctoral registration/enrolment option ("Freemover") is

available and may involve an additional administrative fee.

FAroGels – DC Position | Page 4 of 6

Application Documents

Applicants are strongly advised to read the position description and the eligibility criteria carefully before applying. Each

application must include:

• A detailed curriculum vitae (education, research experience, technical skills and relevant achievements), including

the dates and countries of residence, studies and employment for the last 36 months.

• A motivation letter explaining your interest in this specific DC position, your relevant background and your suitability

for the project.

• Copies of Bachelor’s and Master’s diplomas and academic transcripts, or evidence that the Master’s degree will be

completed before the recruitment date.

• Contact details of two referees and reference letters according to the requirements of MyBiotech GmbH.
• Proof of English-language proficiency, if required by the PhD awarding institution.
• Incomplete applications may not be considered.

How to Apply Applications for this position must be submitted through both of the following channels:

1. send a complete CV and a letter of motivation (up to 2 pages) stating the research experience and interest and

name and contact information of at least two referees providing recommendation letter to n.guenday-

and Ms. Anke Wagner-Schon, Head of HR, at . Please

use the formula “ FAroGels – Application DC6 ” in the object of your correspondence. Additionally, copies of

diplomas and list of courses taken, and grade obtained as well as proof of English level needs to be included in

the application.

Any other information you deem relevant for application purpose may be included in the application (e.g. pdf

of a recent scientific publication, extra curriculum activities, certificates).

Eligible applicants will undergo a pre-selection evaluation based on the CV, experience and skills. Short-listed

applicants will be invited for an interview with the evaluation committee members.

2. FAroGels online application form – in addition, please complete the application form at

https://farogels.eu/apply/ and upload the same documents there.

Indicative timeline

• Application deadline: 09 December 2026, 23:59 (CET)
• Interviews: January 2027
• Evaluation: February 2027
• Selection outcome: February 2027
• Expected start of employment: March 2027 (earliest)

Please note: Applicants should ensure that all required documents are submitted before the stated deadline. Please note

that a separate PhD admission and/or enrolment procedure may apply at MyB.

Selection Process

FAroGels follows an open, transparent and merit-based recruitment process in line with the European Charter for

Researchers:

• Eligibility check by the FAroGels Project Manager.
• Evaluation of the eligible applications by an Interview Committee (primary supervisor, co-supervisor(s) and a

representative of a non-academic partner) with a standardised scoring matrix; the three to five best-ranked candidates

are shortlisted.

• Online interview with the shortlisted candidates.
• Approvalof the selection by the FAroGels Supervisory Board, after which an offer is made.

All applicants are informed of the outcome and receive feedback on request.

Contact Information Interested candidates are strongly advised to carefully read the job description and eligibility criteria before applying.

• For inquiries, please contact:

FAroGels – DC Position | Page 5 of 6

Email:

Email object: FAroGels – Information DC6

• General questions about FAroGels and the recruitment process: FAroGels Project Management Team, Middle

East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Türkiye –

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