DKFZ Clinician Scientist Fellowship
The DKFZ Clinician Scientist Fellowships provide protected research time, comprehensive training offers and intersectoral mentoring relationships to ambitious and outstanding clinician scientists in training.
The call for the DKFZ Clinician Scientists Fellowships is currently closed. The next call will open in February 2026.
This year DKFZ is offering 6 Clinician Scientist Fellowships at two different locations. All Fellowhships offer equal benefits and opportunities. Please check out the sections below as well as our FAQ for more information.
Our selection process is ongoing for the following fellowships:
- a DKFZ Clinician Scientist Fellowship in Heidelberg,
- a DKFZ-Hector Clinician Scientist Fellowship in Mannheim and
- a HI-TRON Clinician Scientist Fellowship at the DKFZ HI-TRON Institute in Mainz.
One DKFZ Clinician Scientist Fellowships is especially reserved for research in the field of cancer prevention, including early detection and survivorship.
Invitations to the interview round/selection symposium will be sent by the beginning of May to selected candidates.
Eligible projects for both locations as well as in the field of cancer prevention can be found on our research profiles page.
What the DKFZ Clinician Scientist Fellowship has to offer
Funding and Duration
DKFZ Clinician Scientist salaries are competitive by national standards and are negotiated and confirmed during the recruitment phase should a fellowship be offered.
Fellowship contracts are initially offered for two years and can be used within the Clinician Scientist Program period of four years, e.g. if clinical work needs to be interspersed. We acknowledge that clinician scientists' careers need to be handled with great flexibility. Therefore, Fellows must develop their individual fellowship timeline together with their mentors and present this to the Clinician Scientist Program Office within the first 1,5 months after starting the fellowship.
Competitive 2-year full-time Fellowships are offered to early-career physicians undergoing specialized medical training, aiming to enhance their careers through valuable research experience. DKFZ Clinician Scientist Fellowship working contracts are exclusively intended for academic research purposes. Recognizing the need for flexibility in clinician scientists' careers, fellowship contracts can be used in part-time within the period of four years, e.g. if clinical work needs to be interspersed. (Note: if fellows wish to pursue clinical work alongside the fellowship, it is their responsibility to independently explore and apply for a clinician position elsewhere.)
We acknowledge that clinician scientists' careers need to be handled with great flexibility. Therefore, Fellows must develop their individual fellowship timeline together with an academic and clinical supervisor.
Throughout the fellowship, each CSP-Fellow benefits from the guidance of two supervisors - one academic (typically the head of the research laboratory at the DKFZ) and one clinical. Additional to regular monthly meetings with each supervisor, an annual progress meeting with the supervisors, an external advisor, and the program coordinator provide a platform for discussing the development of the research project and planning future career steps of the fellow.
Throughout the program, fellows participate in a variety of mandatory and elective scientific and non-scientific courses. Additionally, they also have access to countless training courses offered by DKFZ, as well as events for personal and professional development organized by the DKFZ Career Center and various Clinician Scientist Networks.
What you need to know about the application process
We are looking for clinical candidates who ...
- show enthusiasm for science and wish to link basic and clinical research
- have obtained a higher medical degree (equivalent to MD-PhD)
- are at an early stage of their career, i.e. are currently working on their specialized medical training (Germany: Facharztweiterbildung).
- Prior experience in a cancer-relevant research area is desirable but not a must
- Fellowship applications are open for national and international candidates who wish to focus on basic and translational cancer research.
The most important selection criterion is academic quality, demonstrated by outstanding publications.
Other criteria that will be considered during the selection process include research prizes and awards, demonstration of mobility, or successful application for research funding.
Although it is not mandatory that applicants contact a research group before applying, showing a clear idea about the future research focus is of great advantage. Here is a non-exhaustive list of research projects that one can apply to.
In order to prepare your application please make sure to compile all the required information in one single PDF document which you need to upload during the online application process. Applications need to be submitted in English.
- One-page motivation letter* (incl. statement of your research interests)
- Curriculum vitae (incl. publication list and documentation of your clinical/research experience)
- Names of the groups you would like to interview with (make sure to check out the offered projects)
- Copy of degree certificates (originals, transcripts and translations if applicable)
- Contact details of two references who are familiar with your work
Please note that applications need to be submitted in English.
Candidates are encouraged to contact division heads and group leaders at the DKFZ Heidelberg before application to discuss potential projects.
*Imporant Note: When applying for the DKFZ Clinician Scientist Fellowship your motivation letter is a critical component of your application. It should effectively convey your passion for cancer research by addressing the underlying scientific question that inspires you. Additionally, your letter should highlight your academic and research background, as well as your potential contributions to DKFZ by explaining how you will enrich their research environment. Furthermore, please explain why you want to pursue a position as a clinician scientist and why you are specifically interested in joining the DKFZ Clinician Scientist Program.
The selection procedure for the DKFZ Clinician Scientist Fellowships is composed of multiple steps which are highlighted below.
Selection Process
STEP 1:
- Submit the requested application documents via our application portal (link on the website).
- All application documents will be evaluated by the Clinician Scientist Program Committee in a competitive selection process.
- Top-scored candidates will be invited for a visit to the DKFZ in Heidelberg. Letters of invitation will be provided for VISA application, if necessary.
STEP 2:
- About 8-10 weeks after the application deadline, a 2-day DKFZ Clinician Scientist Selection Event (incl. interviews) will be held in Heidelberg. A number of invited candidates will be participating in this event. *
- Applicants will have the opportunity to meet with individual division heads and research group leaders to discuss potential research projects.
- In addition, candidates will meet with members of the Clinician Scientist Program Committee to present a former research project or a scientific publication and to discuss their plans for the fellowship time at the center.
STEP 3:
- Applicants will be informed about the outcome of the selection process shortly after the symposium.
- Start dates for fellowships will be mutually agreed upon after acceptance of the offered fellowship contract. Fellowship positions should be filled within 6 months after the fellowship has been accepted.
FAQ - DKFZ Clinician Scientist Fellowships
The call opens every year around February.
The deadline for applications is every year on the 15th of March.
All the research groups that are actively looking for a fellow are sharing their research profiles here. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. If you're interested in other research groups, please feel free to contact them and include them in your application. If you're in contact with a group that hasn't uploaded a research profile please ask them to contact us at the DKFZ Postdoc Office.
An overview of all research groups at the DKFZ can be found here.
Please click here for detailed information and required documents. Please note that all applications need to be made via our online application system. Applications made via e-mail will not be considered.
Please click here for detailed information.
Please click here for detailed information.
The DKFZ Clinician Scintist Fellowship Selection Symposium will take place online on May 28 2025.
It is not mandatory to contact group leaders before applying. However we encourage you to consider contacting them to be well informed about the projects available. Please keep in mind that if you get selected for the in-person interviews (Step 2) you will have to contact them.
In 2025's call the following fellowships are available:
- 1 HI-TRON Clinician Scientist Fellowship at the HI-TRON Institute in Mainz
- 2 DKFZ-Hector Clinician Scientist Fellowships in Heidelberg
- 3 DKFZ Clinician Scientist Fellowships in Heidelberg