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How to become a Postdoc at DKFZ

Join our more than 1,300 scientists who actively investigate how cancer develops, identify cancer risk factors, and endeavor to find new strategies to prevent people from getting cancer and make the treatment of cancer patients more successful. 

We want you to excel in your research and we will do our best to support you in mastering this very important phase of your scientific career.

If you are interested in starting your Postdoc at the DKFZ you can enter via one of the following routes.

Join our more than 1,300 scientists who actively investigate how cancer develops, identify cancer risk factors, and endeavor to find new strategies to prevent people from getting cancer and make the treatment of cancer patients more successful. 

We want you to excel in your research and we will do our best to support you in mastering this very important phase of your scientific career.

If you are interested in starting your Postdoc at the DKFZ you can enter via one of the following routes:

DKFZ Postdoctoral Fellowship

The DKFZ Postdoctoral Fellowships are awarded through a competitive recruitment process. Highly talented and motivated young scientists, who wish to work at the forefront of basic and translational cancer research are very welcome to apply. This 2-year program offers up to 7 fellowships per year and provides interdisciplinary training and research opportunities in state-of-the-art research facilities for excellent young scientists, no longer than 2 years past graduation. The call is currently closed and will open again in August 2025.
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Dr. Rurainski Fellowship at DKFZ

The Dr. Rurainki Postdoctoral Fellowships at DKFZ are awarded through a competitive recruitment process to highly talented and motivated young scientists, who wish to work at the forefront of basic and translational cancer research in the field of epigenetics. This program offers 1 fully-funded fellowship for an extension of 3 years and provides interdisciplinary training and research opportunities in state-of-the-art research facilities for excellent young scientists, no longer than 2 years past graduation.
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Apply for a posted job opening

Apart from our central fellowships, groups may have their own funding for clinician scientist or postdoc positions. Visit our Job Portal to find out the current open vacancies.
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Get external funding and contact a research group at the DKFZ

If you have already secured your own funding you may contact a DKFZ scientist to be your host, to inquire as to whether a position may be available in their laboratory. If you have not secured funding yet, there is a list of links below where you can look for external funding opportunities.
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External funding links

German Research Foundation (DFG) Research Fellowships
German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe) Funding Programs
Helmholtz Association Current open calls
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Various Programs
Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships
Daimler and Benz Foundation Various Programs