Postdoctoral Fellowships in Ultrafast Science – LEAPS ULTRAFAST Programme
LEAPS ULTRAFAST invites applications for its first call, offering 27 fully funded postdoctoral fellowships of two or three years for researchers in ultrafast science who wish to work at Europe’s most advanced large-scale light sources across academia and industry.
About the Programme
LEAPS ULTRAFAST is a five-year MSCA COFUND postdoctoral fellowship programme dedicated to ultrafast science at large-scale light sources. Fellows perform outstanding, individually driven research, build a professional network, and develop career awareness for diverse paths in academia and industry — supported by a dedicated Career Development training programme that combines ultrafast science and large-scale photon sources with transferable skills.
Fellows will:
- Perform cutting-edge research in ultrafast science with access to over 20 large-scale facilities, including synchrotrons, free-electron lasers, and table-top lasers.
- Follow a structured Career Development programme covering scientific and transferable skills — communication, project management, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
- Build a professional network across eight leading European photon-science institutions and collaborate with world-leading experts.
Applicants must have:
- A PhD degree or successfully defended doctoral thesis by the programme call deadline.
- At least one original publication (accepted, in press, or published) in a peer-reviewed journal as first author or an equivalent contribution.
- Compliance with the MSCA mobility rule: not more than 12 months of residence or main activity in the recruiting country during the 36 months before the deadline. Recruited researchers may be of any nationality.
LEAPS ULTRAFAST encourages researchers returning after career breaks (e.g., parental or care leave) to apply. While PhDs should ideally have been awarded within the past five years to support early-career researchers and in order to acknowledge that postdoctoral positions should be transient in the career of a researcher, candidates with documented career breaks will also be considered. LEAPS ULTRAFAST integrates gender and diversity considerations into all selection.
Key Dates
- Applications open: 6 July 2026
- Deadline: 30 September 2026
- Interviews: week of 9 December 2026
- Fellowship start: beginning of 2027
Learn more & Apply
Applicants select a preferred research area and are encouraged to contact the hosts in advance to discuss feasibility. A project proposal (using the template available at call opening) and a CV with PhD/MSc certificates and recommendation letters are required. Application forms and templates are available on the LEAPS ULTRAFAST website: