FAQs E-STEEM

1. Coordination: DLE FSNF project coordination; administrative coordination of recruitment and selection process
2. Faculties: scientific coordination of recruitment and selection process; onboarding and integration of prospective postdocs
3. Departments: contribution to interviews and selection process; onboarding and integration of prospective postdocs
4. Research Groups: onboarding and integration of prospective postdocs
5. Panels: examination of applications; conduction of interviews
6. Applicants: submission of application to E-STEEM positions
7. Human Resources (HR): administrative support, contract preparation
8. AKGleich: support in checking eligibility, confirmation of final selection

The University of Vienna funds the salary of E-STEEM through its global budget. The host department or research group must provide all necessary research resources. These resources include, but are not limited to, laboratory equipment, subject-specific expertise, and, where appropriate, travel funds. Successful candidates will also have access to the full range of postdoc career development offers.

The University places significant emphasis on the integration of E-STEEM postdocs within the respective research group, department, and faculty. This integration ensures the postdoc benefits from the host's expertise, access to established methodologies, and participation in the ongoing scientific dialogue. By becoming a core part of the research environment, postdocs can effectively conduct their proposed projects, contribute to the group's overall research goals, and actively participate in departmental seminars, workshops, and intellectual life, fostering vital collaboration and knowledge exchange.

We offer our scientists the opportunity to advertise their PostDoc positions as part of this call for applications. These positions can be filled immediately as they become vacant. These candidates will be recruited using the same procedure as the E-STEEM postdoctoral fellows. 

The host plays an active role in the selection process. Specifically, the host is responsible for the scientific evaluation of all applications submitted to their faculty or department. Hosts participate in candidate interviews as part of a larger panel of at least two members.

• Gender: The applicant must be a woman (or identify as one), as these positions are specifically designed to combat underrepresentation of women in STEEM disciplines.

• Doctoral Degree: The applicant must hold a PhD/doctoral degree in a relevant STEM or Economics/Business Administration field. The PhD must be successfully defended by the application deadline.

• Academic age: The applicant must have completed their PhD in 2022 or after. Documented career interruption (e.g. parental leave, long-term illness, or compulsory service) will be subtracted.

No. The positions advertised within this specific programme are explicitly dedicated to supporting and advancing the careers of women in STEEM fields.

The most frequent reasons for ineligibility are:

• Exceeding the academic age limit
• Lack of a PhD degree
• Missing or incomplete application documents
• Failure to meet the gender eligibility requirement of the programme

Selection is based on the academic excellence of the applicant, the quality of prior research outputs, the originality and feasibility of the proposed research, and its fit with the host environment.

E-STEEM is a highly competitive programme. A limited number of fellows will be selected from a large international applicant pool. 

No. We request a successful PhD defense by the time of the application deadline. 

If selected, non-EU/EEA citizens will need an appropriate visa or work permit. The applicant is responsible for initiating the process with the relevant authorities. The University of Vienna will support the application by providing guidance and documentation. 

Yes. In addition to selected candidates, a ranked waiting list will be established in case successful candidates decline their offer.

No. Applicants are not required to contact a potential host before applying. The centralized selection process is designed to ensure fairness and equal access for all candidates, regardless of prior personal or professional connections. Applicants should carefully review the host profiles and research areas to ensure a good match between their proposed project and the host environment.

You must have defended your PhD before the application deadline on March 2^nd 2026. Please upload a document confirming the date of your defense, signed by your supervisor will fulfill this requirement. 

Yes. The applicant must have completed their PhD in 2022 or after. Documented career interruption (e.g. parental leave, long-term illness, or compulsory service) will be subtracted.

Documented career interruption (e.g. parental leave, long-term illness, or compulsory service) will be subtracted. Maternity or parental leave (one year per child). Care obligations for family members. Serious or prolonged illness.

No, you are limited to one application within the E-STEEM programme. However, in your research statement you can state your interest in collaborating with more than one scientist at the University of Vienna. 

Yes. Interdisciplinary, cross-faculty or cross-sector approaches are explicitly welcome, provided that the proposed project remains clearly anchored in a host department at the University of Vienna, see 3.9.

A complete application consists of the fully complete application form and the correctly uploaded PDF files. The form can be saved and edited using the save function until it is finally submitted. Once submitted, no further submissions or changes are possible.

Please upload the following documents as PDF files in the form where indicated:

• Full academic CV that details your education, academic expertise and list of publications
• Research Statement (max. 3 pages, upload as pdf). The Research Statement must describe your research interest, summarize your research accomplishments, address your current work, and describe the future trajectory in which you intend to take your research.
• PhD Certificate 

The research statement (max. 3 pages, upload as pdf) should outline your motivation for applying, describe the central research question or work programme you intend to pursue during the fellowship, and explain its relevance, originality, and fit with the proposed host environment. 

No. Once the application is submitted, the selected host cannot be changed. Applicants must therefore carefully consider and confirm their preferred host before submission.

No, all application documents must be submitted in English. With the exception of PhD certificates, any documents submitted in a language other than English will not be considered as part of your application.

No, the programme's eligibility criteria do not impose any mobility restrictions.

Interviews for E-STEEM positions will take place between the end of March and mid-May 2026. If you are invited for an interview, you will be notified in due course. 

All interviews will be conducted online. 

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of the selection process in June 2026 at the latest. Individual feedback will not be provided.

Yes. If you are not selected for the E-STEEM programme, you are welcome to apply for other postdoctoral positions announced at the University of Vienna in the future, provided you meet the eligibility requirements. 

In principle yes. Please disclose this in your letter of motivation/form. 

Researchers from the University of Vienna, including the specific host you applied to, will be reviewing the applications and conducting the interviews. If you applied to a host with close connections to other institutions (such as the Max Perutz Labs with the Medical University of Vienna), members of this other institution will likely be involved in the review and interview process.

No. Your fellowship should end before the latest possible start of employment in E-STEEM, October 1st 2026.

• The University of Vienna provides a postdoctoral salary conforming to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (Uni-KV) for University Staff. The minimum monthly gross salary for a full-time (40 hours/week) Postdoc (B1 salary group) is approximately €4,932.90 (14 Payments Per Year). The gross salary is subject to deductions for income tax (which is progressive) and social security contributions. Social security is comprehensive and covers:

  • Health Insurance (including family members and unemployed partners).

  • Pension contributions.
  • Unemployment insurance

 To calculate the approximate salary after tax, you can use calculator of the Arbeiterkammer: https://bruttonetto.arbeiterkammer.at/

The application portal will open in January 2026 and will close on March 2, 2026 at 14:00 CET. Applications submitted after this deadline cannot be considered.

No. Once your application has been submitted, it can no longer be edited. Please make sure that all information and documents are complete and correct before final submission.

Applicants who are selected for the interview stage are expected to be informed between late March and mid-April 2026.

All applicants will be informed of the final outcome of the selection process by end of June 2026 at the latest.

Candidates will be asked to confirm acceptance of the position within 2 weeks after receiving the offer. If an offer is declined, the position may be offered to a candidate from the waiting list.

The earliest possible start date is July 2026. The latest start date is 1 October 2026. Start dates must fall within this window.

Applicants are strongly advised not to wait until the last day to submit. In case of technical problems, please contact the programme coordination team before the deadline. Technical issues reported after the deadline cannot be considered.

The positions in the E-STEEM programme can be started as early as July 2026. The latest possible date to start the position is Oct. 1^st 2026.

The latest possible date to start the position is Oct. 1^st 2026, earlier appointments are preferred.

No. The positions in E-STEEM are intended to be full-time positions.

This should be discussed with your host at the start of your employment. 

Teaching is included as a contractual obligation is variable and depends entirely on the specific research group, institute, and the funding source of the E-STEEM position.

The additional funding to your position depends on the faculty or research group you will be joining. The E-STEEM programme covers the basic salary cost of the position. Other funding, such as travel funds or additional research resources, will be covered by the faculty or research group.

If traveling is necessary for your research, your faculty or research group will provide the necessary funding for the mobility. 

This is not foreseen.

The Postdoc Program of University of Vienna offers services specifically tailored to the needs of our postdocs: https://pstdocs.univie.ac.at/, career coaching events and courses, as well as social events for the PostDoc community.