Scientific Internships (Year-Round)

Students who are either pursuing or have obtained a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in the natural or computer sciences, mathematics or any related discipline are eligible to apply for a scientific intern position at ISTA. A scientific intern can be appointed for periods ranging from 2 months to 1 year.

Candidates are selected by the head of a research group (Professor or Assistant Professor) or the staff scientists and the appointment is subject to the availability of sufficient funds for the salary of the scientific intern and a formal approval of the Academic Affairs division.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis, and those interested in an independent scientific intern position at ISTA should contact the respective group leader or staff scientist directly.

Eligibility
  • Be a student or a recent graduate of a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in the natural sciences, computer sciences, mathematics, or a related discipline.
  • Be available for at least 2 months to conduct the internship at ISTA.
  • Have interest in topics related to the work of at least one of our research groups and be willing to share it with the group leader and team members.
  • Have a good command of English (ISTA’s working language).
Application
  1. Identify which research group / scientist you’re most interested in working with. In order to find out about the range of research groups available, please browse this overview of research groups or list of staff scientists.
  2. Once you’ve found a research group you’d like to work with, email the research group leader / staff scientist directly, remembering to include:
    –  a short intro to your background, and your motivation to work with them
    –  an attached CV (in PDF format), listing relevant experience, education history
    –  possible dates for your internship (start date must be at least 2 months ahead)
  3. If they are interested in hosting you as a scientific intern in their group, they or their assistant will be in touch with you for further steps, requesting further information through our application portal.

Please note:

  1. Not all research groups/units are able to accept an intern. Before applying, candidates should take a closer look at the webpages to make sure their profile and research interests match the groups’ research topics.
  2. We only take complete applications into consideration. Incomplete and/or irrelevant applications will NOT be processed.
  3. Due to the sheer volume of applications we receive, we only reply to selected candidates.
Timeline

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis, therefore there is no central deadline.
But, your registration in the application portal (step 3 in the application process) must be completed at least 2 month before your start date. Plan ahead to ensure this timeline can be meet considering the application needs to be reviewed by the research group before you get to that step.

Fee and Salary

ISTA does not charge any processing or application fees for any of its programs at any stage.
Scientific interns will have an employment contract with ISTA and receive a minimum salary of EUR 1,583 gross/month. You cannot be employed as a scientific intern in ISTA if you are employed or funded elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions
  • I am interested in multiple research groups; can I apply to more than one group?

    You may certainly reach out to more than one group leaders at the same time. It’s quite common to contact multiple groups when looking for a research opportunity, and doing so can help you better understand your options. We recommend selecting laboratories that closely match your academic background and research interests, and clearly stating your preferences. Make sure your interest aligns with each individual group and explain how.

  • As an intern at ISTA, can I work under two or more professors during the course of the internship?

    At ISTA, we strongly foster interdisciplinarity and encourage collaboration across research groups. While each intern is hosted by a primary research group and supervised by one professor, it is certainly possible (and welcomed!) for interns to engage with multiple groups during their stay.

    Many of our research projects naturally span across disciplines, and we support interns who wish to explore connections beyond their main group. Such collaborations can often be arranged informally, depending on the project and mutual agreement between the groups involved.

    We encourage you to mention your broad research interests in your application, as this helps us identify opportunities that best match your interdisciplinary goals.

  • What do faculty members look for?

    It is important for you to show passion and interest for the research topic of the group you’re applying to. Having the relevant educational background is a must, while having transferable/related research experience or technical skills and know-how would be a big benefit.

  • I am a PhD student at another institute/university, am I eligible for an internship or visit at ISTA?

    Research groups at ISTA host visiting PhD candidates from other institutions for 2 to 12 months on an individual basis. Follow the same application process as for the scientific Internship opportunity outlined above and apply by contacting the respective group leader or staff scientist including your CV, motivation, and preferred internship dates. If selected, you may be eligible for a higher salary range than the intern’s salary stated above. Upon selection, the research group will share next steps and specific conditions for your visit at ISTA as a PhD student.

  • I have a scholarship I could use for an education or a traineeship abroad, am I eligible for an internship at ISTA and use this scholarship?

    If you receive funding through European or other mobility programs (e.g. Erasmus+), you may be able to join a research group at ISTA as a visiting student between 2 and 6 months, subject to the research groups’ availability to host such visitors. Visiting students at ISTA are not employees and do not get a salary. To join ISTA as a visiting student, the external scholarship must last between 2 and 6 months, and its objective must be international training and further education to support your studies.

    Follow the same application process as for the scientific Internship information outlined above and, if selected, the research group will share next steps and specific conditions for your time at ISTA when having funding.

  • Does participation in the Scientific Internship Program improve the chances of admission to the ISTA PhD Program?

    No. Participation in the Scientific Internship Program does not improve or guarantee your chances of admission to the ISTA PhD Program. Applications to the PhD Program are evaluated independently based on the program’s admission criteria, and completing an internship at ISTA does not provide preferential treatment in the admissions process.

  • Are there any housing opportunities at ISTA during my internship?

    ISTA owns and operates apartments at its Campus in Klosterneuburg, and interns may be eligible to stay in them, subject to availability. Both short- and long-term accommodation options are available. You can find more information on the options and prices here.

    If you are accepted for an internship and decide to accept the offer, our Campus services will send you an email with instructions on how to proceed with your residence booking. For more information on housing options, check our webpage.

    You can also check for a place in Klosterneuburg, where ISTA is located, or in Vienna, which is only a 25-minute bus ride away from ISTA. You can check in well known platforms for shared flats or apartments in Austria like Willhaben (www.willhaben.at), THE FIZZ (www.the-fizz.com/en/student-accommodation/vienna-brigittenau), WIHAST (https://www.wihast.at/en/).

  • Will visa assistance be available if I am offered an internship at ISTA?

    If you are offered employment as an intern at ISTA and you are not from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you will need to apply for a visa in order to legally work and reside in Austria. When you get an offer from ISTA, you will be sent information on how to apply for your visa from abroad and the needed documents from ISTA.

    If you are visiting under the Erasmus+ framework (when you have a scholarship and a residence permit from another EU country) or equivalent, please check with your home institution for guidance as the support we can provide for these cases is limited.

For any further administrative questions, please contact predoc@ista.ac.at
For those who hold a PhD, please contact postdoctoral.office@ista.ac.at

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