Status:Closed

Opening date: 19 December 2024

Closing date: 11 February 2025

Thesis

Context and objectives

IM2B supports the creation of new interdisciplinary synergies within its scientific community, and encourages the emergence of new research themes. The "doctoral contracts" call for proposals is an opportunity to train young researchers in collaborative, interdisciplinary research.

For this 2025 call, the Institute will co-fund up to 2 doctoral contracts at a rate of 50%. These contracts will have to meet high quality standards. They will focus on inter-laboratory or inter-sector collaboration. Additional co-financing may come from the project leader's own research programs (ANR, ADEME, industrial partners, etc.), other institutes or external partners.

Selected PhD students must be enrolled in one of the IM2B's 3 partner doctoral schools. They will receive a budget of €4,000 to take part in international conferences or training courses related to their research or professional project.

Call procedure

This call for proposals takes place in three steps:

  1. Call for thesis projects, involving at least one IM2B member. Call closes on February 11, 2025 at 2:00 pm.

The IM2B doctoral contract selection committee selects 4 or 5 thesis projects.

  1. Publication of calls for applications from students with a Master's degree (or equivalent).

Thesis project leaders select a candidate and submit his/her application to the IM2B by June 20, 2025 at 2:00 pm.

  1. Candidates are interviewed by the IM2B doctoral contract selection committee on July 7, 2025.

 

Eligibility requirements

Thesis projects:

Projects co-supervised by two Researchers/Teacher-Researchers/Research Engineers, at least one of whom holds an HDR.

At least one of the co-supervisors must be from an IM2B UMR. The 2nd co-supervisor may be from :

  • another IM2B UMR,
  • another UMR on the Aix-Marseille site. French UMRs outside the Aix-Marseille site are not eligible,
  • an Internationally-renowned research organisation (subject to the feasibility of a co-supervised thesis),
  • a company based in France, preferably in the South of France (this criterion is not mandatory).

A co-supervisor may submit only one thesis project to this call for proposals.

The project must fall within the scope of at least one of the Institute's 4 strategic axes:

  • Biodiversity, molecular mechanisms and machines
  • Metabolic diversity and cellular approaches
  • Inter-organism dialogue
  • Biotechnologies: bioenergy, environment, health

The project must be written in English according to the application form.

Applications:

Following the call for applications for pre-selected thesis projects, applications for doctoral contracts must be complete and written in English.

 

Selection criteria

Thesis projects:
  • Quality and novelty of the scientific question
  • Added value of the collaboration in terms of complementary expertise (interdisciplinary or intersectoral nature).
  • Emerging collaborations are favored
  • Project ambition and feasibility (including co-financing)
Applications:

Candidates shortlisted by thesis project co-supervisors are auditioned by the IM2B selection committee, a representative of the Plinius cursus doctoral program and partner doctoral schools.

Applicants are evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Academic quality (ranking, grades and letters of recommendation)
  • Ability to adapt and work on a collaborative research project
  • Mobility / Internationally
  • English language skills
  • Quality of oral presentation
  • Scientific maturity

Documents

Key dates

  • Opening of the call for thesis projects: December 19, 2024
  • Deadline for submission of thesis projects: February 11, 2025 at 2:00 pm
  • Application deadline: June 20, 2025 at 2:00 pm
  • Candidate hearings: July 7, 2025
Agnès
Kammoun
Project manager, Deputy Co-Director Technology platforms and value enhancement
IMM
agnes.kammoun@univ-amu.fr