Max Planck Doctoral Positions in Computer and Information Science

About the role

Fully funded PhD positions through the International Max Planck Research School for Computer and Information Science (IMPRS-CIS). Students are jointly supervised by faculty at Saarland University, the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, and the two Max Planck Institutes, Software Systems and Informatics. Topics span machine learning, programming languages, security, computer vision, computational biology, and theoretical computer science. Deadline 31 August 2026 for the spring 2027 intake.

Responsibilities

• Carry out original PhD research in your chosen topic area, under joint supervision.
• Take the IMPRS-CIS coursework, advanced topics across CS and information science.
• Present work at international conferences such as ICML, NeurIPS, OSDI, POPL, USENIX Security, CCS.
• Publish a doctoral thesis within 3 to 4 years.

Requirements

• Master’s degree (or its equivalent) in computer science, mathematics, electrical engineering, or a closely related field, with excellent grades.
• Strong research aptitude shown through Master’s thesis, internships, or publications.
• Fluent English. Coursework and supervision are conducted entirely in English.

Nice to have

• Publications, preprints, or open-source contributions.
• Research internship experience at a top lab.
• Demonstrated interest in one or more IMPRS-CIS research areas.

How to apply

Open the IMPRS-CIS application portal at the apply link. Submit CV, transcripts of all university degrees, statement of purpose, research statement, three reference letters, and (optionally) sample publications or theses. Applications are reviewed in three rounds, the 31 August 2026 deadline is for the spring intake; check the portal for the autumn intake deadline.