CIAL Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025
- Omran Aburayya
- May 22
- 3 min read
If you're a postdoctoral researcher passionate about food science, nutrition, and sustainability, the Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL) in Madrid, Spain, invites you to apply for the 2025 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships. CIAL offers a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment with cutting-edge infrastructure, making it an ideal host for researchers aiming to advance their careers in food science and health research.
📝MSCA Fellowship Summary
Location: Madrid, Spain
Host Institution: Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL), jointly operated by the Higher Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM)
Study Level: Postdoctoral
Target Group: Researchers with a PhD and up to 8 years of research experience
Fields of Study/Focus:
Value & Coverage:
Living allowance
Mobility allowance
Family, long-term leave, and special needs allowances (if applicable)
Funding for research, training, and networking activities
Management and indirect costs
Duration:
European Fellowships: 12–24 months
Global Fellowships: 24–36 months (including a mandatory 12-month return phase)
Application Deadline:
Expression of Interest to CIAL: 30 June 2025
MSCA Application Deadline: 10 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time
Start Date: To be determined upon selection
Eligible To: Researchers of any nationality meeting the eligibility criteria.
🧪 Fellowship Overview
CIAL is a premier research center focusing on the intricate relationships between food, nutrition, and health. Organized into three departments—Food Bioactivity and Analysis, Food Biotechnology and Microbiology, and Production and Characterization of Novel Foods—CIAL employs advanced tools like metabolomics, proteomics, genomics, and microbiomics to pioneer research in food science. The institute has a strong track record in international collaborations and EU-funded projects, including hosting previous MSCA Postdoctoral Fellows.
📘 Areas of Research
Functional foods and bioactive compounds
Foodomics: proteomics and metabolomics
Sustainable food production and circular bioeconomy
Food safety assessment and microbiology
Nutrition, microbiota, and health interfaces
🎓 Fellowship Benefits
Financial Support:
Competitive living and mobility allowances
Additional allowances for family, long-term leave, and special needs (if applicable)
Funding for research, training, networking, and management costs
Professional Development:
Access to state-of-the-art research facilities
Mentorship from leading scientists in the field
Opportunities for international collaboration and networking
Enhanced career prospects within the European Research Area
✅ Eligibility Criteria
Academic Qualifications:
Hold a PhD degree at the time of the MSCA application deadline
Have no more than 8 years of full-time equivalent research experience post-PhD
Mobility Rule:
Must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Spain for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the MSCA call deadline
Nationality:
Open to researchers of any nationality
📄 Application Procedure
Step 1: Expression of Interest to CIAL
Interested candidates should submit the following documents to international.CIAL@cial.uam-csic.es by 30 June 2025:
Motivation Letter
Curriculum Vitae
Brief description of the proposed research idea (maximum 1 page)
Name of the potential host group or senior researcher at CIAL who could support the application
Step 2: MSCA Application
Upon acceptance by CIAL, applicants will collaborate with their host supervisor to develop and submit the full MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship proposal by 10 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time.
📌 Additional Information
CIAL's research focuses on understanding the physiological effects of food components on human health and disease prevention, improving their safety and sensory properties, and identifying molecular mechanisms through advanced tools such as metabolomics, proteomics, genomics, and microbiomics.
The institute fosters cutting-edge research into the complex relationships between food, nutrition, and health, aiming to apply nutritional science to promote public well-being and support sustainable economic development.
🔗 OFFICIAL CALL LINK
