Job and Study Opportunities

PhD Positions in Cancer Research at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)

PhD position

Application deadline: 19 Oct 2026

Institute: German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Country: Germany
More information: https://www.dkfz.de/en/career/international-phd-program?mtm_campaign=phd&mtm_kwd=eacr

Are you looking for excellent research opportunities for your PhD studies at the forefront of cancer research? The DKFZ International PhD Program is a fully funded, structured program within the DKFZ Cancer Research Academy, providing its over 600 PhD students tailored mentoring and training in cancer research and thus lays the foundation for a career path as a world-class researcher. Doctoral research projects are conducted either at the DKFZ core site in Heidelberg, the DKFZ Dresden, or its partner sites across Germany at the National Centers for Tumor Disease (NCT), the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), the Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON) Mainz and the DKFZ Hector Cancer Institute at University Medicine Mannheim.

PhD students of the program are supported by a Thesis Advisory Committee, participate in scientific and professional skills courses, attend international conferences and receive career development support. The language of the PhD program is English, and full funding is provided for the duration of the PhD, either by the DKFZ or by third-party sources.

Applicants holding (or expecting to soon hold) a Master´s degree (MSc or equivalent) including a written master´s research thesis are eligible to apply. Our PhD students typically have a background in (molecular) biology, (bio-)chemistry, (bio-)physics, computational biology, computer science or epidemiology/public health studies.

Research at the DKFZ is organized into the following programs with a lot of interaction and interdisciplinary PhD projects available across different topics:
- Cell Biology and Tumor Biology
- Functional and Structural Genomics
- Epidemiology, Public Health, Prevention and Survivorship
- Immunology, Infection and Cancer
- Imaging and Radiooncology

Furthermore, the DKFZ has a lively PhD community represented by the PhD council, which organizes regular scientific networking activities and social events. In collaboration with the DKFZ Career Service & Alumni Relations, the Program offers comprehensive guidance and career development resources, providing a strong foundation upon which our students take their next career step in both academia and industry.

The next application deadline is 19 October 2026.
For more information and to apply online visit our website.

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