How To Apply

THE APPLICATION FOR 15 PhD POSITIONS IS OPEN!!!! – Deadline April 30, 2025

Applications are invited for 15 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) positions to be funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Training Network on “Social aWareness for sErvice roboTs” (SWEET) within the Horizon Europe Programme.

The network will train 15 DCs in the context of research and development for “Socially Aware Robotics.” The SWEET consortium is formed by 10 beneficiaries including 7 academic and 3 non-academic organizations plus 15 partner organizations to cover a full training programme on scientific, technical and personal development skills which will include secondments in current world-leading countries (Spain, Germany, UK, Italy, Sweden, France, South Korea, Japan) to gather the necessary knowledge and implement it in Europe.

Each DC will spend 50% of their total contracted time (36 months) in a mandatory secondment at other partners/beneficiaries identified by the project, in accordance with the MSCA DN-ID mobility requirements and training objectives.

CANDIDATES

We are looking for talented and highly motivated early career researchers with a degree giving access to PhD studies in a domain relevant to the DCs position(s) of interest, such as Computer Science, Machine Learning, Psychology, Robotics, Engineering, Cognitive Science, or related field. We welcome applicant with expertise in interdisciplinary research methods, including experimental, qualitative, and user-centred approaches. We expect dedication and enthusiasm for experimental research, combined with scientific curiosity and the capacity to teamwork in an interdisciplinary environment. Preferred qualifications include excellent grades, research talent and personal ambition. Applicants should have excellent command of English, together with good academic writing and presentation skills.

Fulltime employments as PhD students are offered for 3 years. The starting date of the contract is negotiable, but ideally it would be September 2025.

BENEFITS

SWEET doctoral candidates will benefit from:

• A competitive salary. Successful candidates will be employed on a 36 month contract with a gross salary of approx. 3,400 euros per month*; plus 600 euros mobility allowance and (if applicable) 500 euros family allowance.
• Outstanding training aimed at fostering scientific, technical, and transferable skills with the chance to join high-level training events.
• Integrated Academy / Industrial research activities.
• Scientific advice from internationally recognized experts.
• A solid mentoring strategy followed up through a personalized career development plan.
• VISA Expenses will be covered by the project.

For further information please visit the MSCA website.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

European and non-European students are invited to apply to any of the 15 fellowships. The applicant can select up to three different positions, providing a preference ranking.

To be eligible, the candidate

• should ideally possess a master’s degree in a relevant academic field or a comparable degree that allows them to embark in a PhD (applications from candidates who already possess a doctoral degree cannot be considered).
• must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the institution that recruits the student for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date. Short stays such as holidays and/or compulsory national service are not taken into account.
• must be willing to spend a prolonged time at other institutes/countries of the network during the PhD thesis period.