The International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE) is seeking postdoctoral and early-career researchers to join the centre through the 2026 Ramón y Cajal and Juan de la Cierva calls. Both programmes are funded by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) and offer opportunities for scholars to develop their careers at one of CIMNE’s nine research clusters or three innovation units.
CIMNE’s research and innovation activities span a broad range of disciplines, from computational mechanics, advanced materials, and artificial intelligence to environmental modelling and digital technologies. Its research addresses challenges in climate change adaptation, sustainable mobility, energy, industrial processes and health, combining fundamental scientific research with applied innovation and technology transfer.
The Juan de la Cierva programme supports early-stage postdoctoral researchers seeking to further their scientific training at a Spanish research institution. It provides funding for three-year contracts and, in broad terms, is open to researchers who obtained their PhD between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2026.
The Ramón y Cajal programme is aimed at researchers with an established postdoctoral track record, supporting their progression towards independent research careers and stable positions within the Spanish research system. The scheme provides five years of funding and, under the general eligibility criteria, accepts candidates who obtained their PhD between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2024, with certain extensions permitted.
The 2026 edition introduces significant changes to Ramón y Cajal, notably the requirement for applicants to present their own R&D project, with a requested budget of at least €200,000 in direct costs, which they will lead as principal investigators.
How to apply
Researchers interested in joining CIMNE through either programme must first contact the research group or principal investigator willing to host them. After this step, they should complete the centre’s expression-of-interest form, selecting the appropriate programme (Juan de la Cierva 2026 or Ramón y Cajal 2026). Expressions of interest must be submitted by 20 November 2026 for Juan de la Cierva and 30 November 2026 for Ramón y Cajal.
Following this initial step, candidates should coordinate the preparation of their applications with CIMNE. Ramón y Cajal applicants must prepare their independent research proposal. The required documentation must be submitted to CIMNE by 24 November and 4 December 2026, respectively. The official AEI deadlines for candidates are 26 November for Juan de la Cierva and 10 December for Ramón y Cajal.
Further information on eligibility requirements, application procedures and funding conditions is available on the official AEI pages for Juan de la Cierva 2026 and Ramón y Cajal 2026.
For enquiries about applying through CIMNE, candidates may contact fellowships@cimne.upc.edu.
