CALL 05-2026-1 Predoctoral Contract on Autonomous Networks for the 6G-TENET project

Who are we looking for ?

The Services as networkS (SaS) and Open Simulations (OpenSim) research units are looking for a PhD candidate to actively participate in the 6G-TENET project (Trustworthy Open 6G Telco Automation).

We are looking for a highly motivated, enthusiastic, empathic person, with passion for research and desire to learn, aiming at significantly improving her or his scientific career in a stimulating environment and within a dynamic and internationally recognized research group.

The research activity of the project in which the candidate will be involved takes a global view to complex systems and studies some of the fundamental design tenets for the construction of the 6G telco cloud, both at the architecture and algorithmic levels. This includes scalable telco clouds, flexible functional splits, native trustworthiness, trustworthy AIML, decentralized cognitive agents, and digital twin models.

What do we offer? :

• We offer a 4-year predoctoral contract in the framework of the 6G-TENET project (PID2024-160874OB-I00) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and by ERDF, EU
• Annual gross salary according to EPIF (RD 103/2019) and CTTC salary tables applicable to predoctoral researchers (R1 category). Full-time contract: 7,5 h/day. Flexibility 37.5 h/week according to CTTC working time policy
• Expected professional category: R1. According to CTTC internal regulations and applicable salary tables. The professional category is based on the qualifications and experience of the applicant according with CTTC professional categories procedure (https://www.cttc.cat/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Update-professional-categories.pdf).
• Prospect start date: Mandatory before or on June 1^st, 2026 (latest). Contract starts on day 1 of the corresponding month.
• Enrolment in a PhD Program (PhD fees paid by CTTC)
• Continuous training, access to lab facilities, state of the art infrastructure and polyvalent working spaces, participation in scientific events and R&D projects, complementary skills development.
• We have great benefits for employees:
  • Paid time off: vacation (33 working days per year), holidays, sick and parental leave and more
  • Up to 3 days of Telework per week (2 fixed + 1 upon request). Other requests may be studied to accommodate special needs.
  • Flexible working hours for work-life balance

Qualifications and Experience

• We are looking for an enthusiastic, energetic person, with ability and motivation to conduct high-quality research, aiming at significantly improving his or her career perspectives in both public and private sectors. The successful applicant should have the competencies of R1 category.
• Required qualification/Eligibility:
• Candidates must have a University degree and must have been enrolled in an official Telecom/Electrical Engineering/Computer Science/Applied Physics, or closely related fields Master program that provides subsequent access to a PhD program according to the Spanish legal regulations.
• Be admitted to a PhD Program (at the time of formalizing the contract).
• Candidates must not hold a PhD title.

• Selection criteria. Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
• Criterion 1. Academic and/or scientific and technical career of the candidate (up to 50 points)
  • Subcriterion 1.a) Scientific and technical contributions (up to 45 points)
    • The candidate’s academic record and other curricular merits will be assessed, as well as the suitability to the tasks to be performed based on the candidate’s training and professional experience.
  • Subcriterion 1.b) Mobility and internationalization (up to 5 points)
    • The relevance and impact of the candidate’s stays at national and international centers and/or in the industrial sector on his/her research career will be assessed, taking into account the prestige of the host institution and the activities carried out during the stay.
• Criterion 2.Suitability of the candidate for the research activities to be carried out (up to 50 points)

The candidate’s suitability for the program, project, or research activities to be carried out will be assessed based on prior training and experience. The added value that the project will represent for the candidate’s research career, as well as the value contributed to the host center and the research team, will also be taken into consideration.

The technical skills/experience that will be considered are:

• • Knowledge of networking and communication networks/systems
  • Cloud knowledge
  • AIML knowledge
  • Programming skills in Python and C++, and network simulation
  • Experience in experimental cloud and network systems
  • Oral and written English communication skills

Even if you do not meet all the technical skills, we encourage you to apply.

The candidates’ past performance but also future potential will be considered as criteria for selecting researchers.

How to apply?

All applications must include:

1. A complete CV.
2. Transcripts of the BSc and MSc degrees.
3. Copy of the BSc degree diploma (and MSc degree diploma, if available).
4. Cover letter stating the motivation and suitability of the candidate.

The application documents must be submitted in pdf format through this online application.

*ONLY APPLICATIONS VIA WEB WILL BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.*

CVs and any other information gathered during this process will be handled confidentially

Who are we?

• The Center Tecnològic de Telecomunicaciones de Catalunya (CTTC) is a non-profit public sector research institution dedicated to fundamental and applied research activities, focused mainly on technologies related to the physical, data link and network layers of communication systems and Geomatics.
• CTTC received the “HR Excellence in Research” award in 2015 from the European Commission and successfully passed into the Award Renewal phase in 2023. This is a recognition of the Institute’s commitment to develop a Human Resources Strategy for Researchers (HRS4R), designed to bring the practices and procedures in line with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (Charter and Code). Our institution’s comprehensive analysis and HRS4R action plan meet all the requirements of progress and quality of our HR policies. CTTC promotes itself as a provider of a stimulating and favourable work environment for researchers.
• The CTTC is located in the beautiful Mediterranean Technological Park of Castelldefels, a science park that houses the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, research institutions, innovative companies and startups. The PMT-UPC is located 10 minutes’ walk from the beach and the city center of Castelldefels, also close to childcare centers, public schools and the best international schools. It can be reached by car, train (RENFE) and various bus lines.
• We have 2 buildings on campus, with state-of-the-art facilities, comfortable work spaces, meeting rooms, and multipurpose spaces, as well as social spaces.
• The institute has a multicultural environment with more than 160 members (scientific, technical and administrative staff) from all over the world.

CTTC offers and promotes a diverse and inclusive environment and welcomes applicants regardless of age, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

The CTTC seeks to increase the presence of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages them to stand as candidates.

It is also committed to increasing the number of people with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages their applications.