Fifteen fully funded PhD positions in ORFeus, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network

PhD position

Application deadline: 22 Oct 2026

Institute: Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology
Country: Netherlands (and 7 other countries)
More information: https://www.orfeus-dn.eu/

ORFeus studies the dark proteome: the microproteins encoded by small open reading frames (smORFs) that were long dismissed as non-coding. Many of these proteins are missed by standard genome annotation and proteomics, yet a growing number turn out to play roles in cell regulation and disease. In cancer they are of particular interest as a source of tumor-specific antigens and new therapeutic targets.

The 15 doctoral candidates work at 14 research institutions in eight European countries: the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Norway, and Switzerland. The projects run from discovery to application. Some map translation with ribosome profiling, long-read and single-cell sequencing. Others identify microproteins by mass-spectrometry proteomics and immunopeptidomics, predict their function with evolutionary analysis and machine learning, or design protein binders against them. A third group investigates their role in cancer and immunology, including HLA presentation of cryptic peptides, antigen discovery in HPV-driven cancers, and stress-induced codon substitutions as a source of neoepitopes. The projects range from fully experimental to fully computational.

Each doctoral candidate carries out their own project at the host institution and enrolls in a doctoral program leading to a PhD. Candidates work with mentors across institutions, across academia and industry, and spend around three months on a secondment with one of the network's industry or research partners. A shared training program connects the cohort through network schools, workshops, transferable-skills training and international conferences.

The positions are full-time, 36-month employment contracts with full social security under MSCA conditions, with a living allowance, a mobility allowance and, where applicable, a family allowance. MSCA eligibility rules apply. Candidates must not hold a doctorate, and must not have lived or worked in the host country for more than 12 months in the 36 months before recruitment. Applicants of any nationality are welcome.

Candidates can apply to up to three projects. Applications are open from 1 October to 22 October 2026, 23:59 CET, and positions start around March 2027.

Full project descriptions, eligibility details and the application forms are at orfeus-dn.eu/apply.

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