University assistant predoctoral Universität Wien

Job description:

At the University of Vienna, almost 11,000 people work together on the big questions of the future. Approximately 7,700 of them are academic staff members. These are individuals who, with their curiosity and their continuous pursuit of excellence, engage in international cutting-edge research and teaching. With us, you will also find space to unfold your potential. We are looking for a/an ...

University assistant predoctoral

Explore and teach at the University of Vienna, where more than 7,500 academics thrive on curiosity in continuous exploration and help us better understand our world. Does this sound like you? Then join our accomplished team!

Your personal sphere of influence:

As a PhD student (University Assistant, predoctoral) in the laboratory of Sascha Martens, you will investigate mechanisms of autophagy. Autophagy protects cells from various harmful substances through their degradation within lysosomes. The substrates include aggregate-prone proteins such as alpha-synuclein and Tau, which are associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

The Martens lab studies the interaction of the autophagy machinery with these protein substrates in cellular models and reconstituted systems.

The group is based at The Max Perutz Labs, a joint research institute of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna. It was founded in 2005 to deepen the collaboration between the two universities in the field of molecular biosciences. Approximately 450 scientists from over 40 nations work in 40 research groups at the institute, investigating fundamental questions in molecular and cell biology. State-of-the-art research infrastructure supports their work in basic biomedical research.

We are looking for a candidate to join us within the framework of a newly established research platform “Non-Enzymatic Protein Modifications in Neurodegeneration” to investigate how the autophagy machinery targets proteins such as alpha-synuclein and Tau.

We are part of the Vienna BioCenter (VBC), providing PhD students with state-of-the-art scientific infrastructure, unique opportunities for scientific and personal development, as well as a large network of peers. Vienna is a beautiful, vibrant, and affordable city.

Your future tasks:

You will actively participate in research, teaching, and administration, which includes:
•    Contributing to the investigation of autophagy
•    Presenting your work in lab meetings, institute seminars, and meetings with your thesis advisory committee
•    Finalising your dissertation agreement within 12–18 months
•    Completing your dissertation and contributing to the preparation of research papers
•    Participating in teaching within the scope of the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement
•    Supervising BSc and MSc students

This is part of your personality:

•    Ability to work in a team and excellent communication skills
•    University masters degree in a relevant field
•    Excellent command of written and spoken English (C1 level or higher)
•    Basic experience in academic writing
•    Successful completion of the VBC PhD programme selection

What we offer:

Employment duration: 4 years

Fair salary: EUR 3.776,10 gross per month (on a full-time basis), paid 14 times per year. Job grading in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement: §48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc).

Work-life balance: Flexible, family-friendly working hours.

Inspiring working atmosphere: You will be part of an international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment.

Good public transport connections: Your workplace in beautiful Vienna is easily accessible by public transport.

Internal further training & coaching: Opportunities to deepen your skills on an ongoing basis. There are over 600 courses to choose from—free of charge.

Equal opportunities for everyone: We look forward to diverse personalities in the team.

It is that easy to apply:

•    Scientific curriculum vitae
•    Short motivation letter with reference to the PhD programme application
•    Master’s degree / diploma
•    Via our job portal (“Apply now” button)

If you have any questions, please contact:
Sascha Martens
Sascha.martens@univie.ac.at

We look forward to welcoming new personalities to our team.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Sascha Martens  

sascha.martens@univie.ac.at

We look forward to new personalities in our team! 
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

University of Vienna. Space for personalities. Since 1365.

Data protection
​Application deadline: 04/17/2026 

Apply now