The UAM-CSIC Institute of Theoretical Physics is offering four training contracts for research staff (PhD positions) as part of the Severo Ochoa 2025 Excellence Program.
Interested candidates must submit their CV and letters of motivation to phdgrants.ift@csic.es before the application deadline, also indicating the name of the position they wish to apply for (applicants may apply for only one position). Please also indicate whether you have contacted an IFT researcher who has agreed to supervise your thesis should you be awarded the fellowship: https://www.ift.uam-csic.es/es/personas/personal-investigador/
IFT is an equal opportunity institution, and follows guidelines that promote internationalization, diversity and gender balance. Applications to this program from women and individuals with diverse personal, cultural, and geographical backgrounds are particularly encouraged.
Terms of the contract:
PhD positions researcher with a 4-year contract. Annual gross salary of €25,456.10.
Estimated start date: January 1, 2027.
For more information, see the job posting at: https://sede.csic.gob.es/tramites/convocatorias-de-personal/convocatoria/38234
Application period via Convoca (https://www.convocatorias.csic.es/convoca/): September 22, 2026, through October 5, 2026
PIX2026 – Strings and Quantum Gravity
This project aims to investigate the fundamental principles governing the unification of matter and spacetime, using tools from string theory, gravitational holography, and quantum gravity. The research will focus on the study of particle physics and cosmological models compatible with a consistent quantum theory of gravity, particularly within the framework of the Swampland program.
During the thesis, the constraints that consistency principles impose on moduli spaces, cosmological models, and physics beyond the Standard Model will be explored, as well as their connections to mathematical geometry, black holes, and holography. The project will combine methods from quantum field theory, geometry, and string theory, in close connection with the fields of particle physics, cosmology, and quantum physics.
PIX2026- Particle Physics in the Standard Model and Beyond
This predoctoral project focuses on the study of fundamental issues in particle physics, including the properties of the Higgs boson, flavor physics, neutrino masses and oscillations, and models of new physics beyond the Standard Model. Scenarios with implications for astrophysics and cosmology will also be explored, such as those involving axion-like particles.
During the thesis, theoretical models and phenomenological tools will be developed to interpret the results of current and future experiments at accelerators and in neutrino detectors, contributing to the search for new physics and to the understanding of fundamental interactions.
PIX2026- Origin and Composition of the Universe: Astroparticles and Cosmology
This pre-doctoral project aims to investigate some of the major open questions about the Universe, such as the nature of dark matter, dark energy, and the origin of cosmic structure. The research will combine theoretical models of particle physics, gravity, and cosmology with the analysis of data from astronomical observations and gravitational wave detectors.
During the thesis, tools will be developed to interpret data from large international collaborations and to test models of inflation, dark matter, and theories of gravity, contributing to the development of multi-messenger astronomy and to the understanding of the fundamental physics of the Universe.
PIX2026- Matter and Quantum Fields
This project focuses on the study of quantum systems in which complex collective phenomena emerge, combining tools from quantum field theory, condensed matter physics, and quantum information. The research may address the dynamics of strongly interacting systems, such as lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD), as well as the study of topological materials, many-body systems, and new quantum states using gravitational holography techniques.
During the thesis, theoretical and computational methods will be developed with applications to particle physics, quantum computing, and the design of algorithms and platforms for quantum information processing, within a highly interdisciplinary research environment.