Heidelberg: Call for short time Fellowships 2026

Institute for Medical and Data Ethics (IMDE)
Heidelberg University, Faculty of Medicine

The Institute for Medical and Data Ethics (IMDE) at Heidelberg University, under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Dr. Eva Winkler, is pleased to announce its 2026 Fellowship program. It invites applications from exceptional EU-based researchers—from Master’s students to Post-docs. We are looking for scholars dedicated to advancing the field through close collaboration during a residency at our institute.
The institute is dedicated to research the ethical implications of modern healthcare and digital transformation. It is distinguished by its highly interdisciplinary approach, integrating expertise from medicine, philosophy, and social sciences to address challenges in biomedical research and data-driven medicine. By combining normative ethical analysis with empirical social research, the IMDE explores vital issues such as data governance, AI ethics, end-of-life decision making, patient participation, and children within the healthcare system. For more information, please visit the Institute for Medical and Data Ethics website (https://imde-heidelberg.de).

Program Overview
This fellowship offers a unique opportunity for academic growth and interdisciplinary collaboration. It is designed to facilitate the initiation or completion of a specific research project – such as a peer-reviewed publication or a grant proposal – or to conduct spin-off research to an already existing project. The research should aim at leveraging intensive scholarly exchange with the Institute’s members.

Candidates may apply for a funding period lasting between 2 and 6 months.
Financial support is provided via a research position remunerated according to the German TV-L salary scale, with Master’s students remunerated at group E 10 and graduates holding a Master’s degree or doctoral equivalent at group E 13 (detailed salary tables are available here). The extent of the position is tied to the duration of the fellowship:
• 2-month stay: 100% position
• 6-month stay: 33% position (Stays between 2 and 6 months are calculated proportionally.)

Please note that travel and accommodation expenses must be covered by the fellow.

Application Requirements
Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence and submit a proposal for a project to be completed during their stay. Criteria for eligibility are:
• EU or UK citizenship
• A degree relevant to data and health ethics research (e.g., medicine, philosophy, social sciences).
• Alignment or synergy with the IMDE research priorities.
• Feasibility and clarity of the proposed project.
• Academic excellence.

The application must include:
• A brief cover letter.
• A comprehensive Curriculum Vitae (CV).
• A Project Proposal (max. one page) including a specific research question, the corresponding research method, the intended outcome, and a timeline. The project must have a focus in medical or data ethics. In your proposal, please explicitly state your preferred time window and the requested percentage of the position.

Submission & Timeframe
Fellowships can commence as early as August 15, 2026, and must generally be concluded by December 18, 2026 the latest. An exception applies to 5- or 6-month fellowships, which may extend until February 15, 2027.

Deadline for the submission is May 31, 2026. 

Please submit your application materials electronically to the following address: IMDE-office@med.uni-heidelberg.de 

If you have any questions please contact:
Mr. Markus Herrmann: Markus.Herrmann@nct-heidelberg.de 06221-56-37125 or
Mr. Lukas Kiefer: LukasSimeon.Kiefer@med.uni-heidelberg.de 06221-56-38732

Heidelberg University is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from qualified individuals of all backgrounds.