Join us

Who will thrive

SQUASH is seeking 40 postdoctoral researchers of any nationality or background to drive innovation in quantum science through ambitious, independent projects.

To be eligible for the evaluation process, you must meet the following criteria on the date of the call deadline:

• Have been awarded a doctoral degree (if you have successfully defended your doctoral thesis but have not yet been formally awarded the degree, you will also be eligible to apply).
• Comply with the Mobility Rule, i.e., you must not have resided or carried out your main activity in Slovenia for more than 12 months in the 3 years prior to the call deadline.
• Propose a postdoctoral research project with complete freedom to choose its specifics, as long as it aligns with one or more of the programme’s key research areas.

The SQUASH program values an inclusive culture and believes diversity is the key to success, so SQUASH warmly welcomes applicants from underrepresented groups. Note also that SQUASH offers a dedicated allowance to support applicants with family and special needs (more information about working conditions can be found in Our Promise to You and Employment conditions).

Our promise to you 

Support: You will join one of the already well-established groups with an excellent research background and receive expert mentoring from world-renowned quantum scientists to ensure the best outcomes for your individual scientific projects. We promise you a tailored training plan designed to address the specific needs of each of you, complemented by ongoing career guidance.

Quantum Science: Quantum mechanics, which explains the principles of matter formation from subatomic particles to galaxies, has led to remarkable technological achievements and is the foundation of future technologies. Join this exciting field.

Upgrading Skills: As part of the programme, you will have the opportunity to develop and upgrade transferable skills across three key pillars: Leadership, Personal Development, and Communication, tailored to each postdoctoral researcher’s unique needs.

Appreciation: We understand your worth, which is why we are offering you highly attractive working conditions with a competitive monthly salary of €5,100 gross + Mobility allowance of €500 + Family allowance of €500 (if applicable).

Sense of Belonging: SQUASH honors and respects the diversity of our staff and is dedicated to provide equal opportunities to all postdoctoral researchers regardless any personal circumstances or backgrounds.

Highly Attractive Working Conditions: You will be employed on 3-year fixed-term contracts with competitive salary, family-friendly perks and all the rights associated with employment in Slovenia. We’ll equip you to do your job with integrity.

Employment conditions 

An employment relationship will be formed in full compliance with the relevant provisions:

• Employment on 3-year fixed-term contracts, with all the social rights associated with employment in Slovenia.
• The contract will be signed for 40 hours per week, with 10 national holidays and 25-30 paid personal days (depending on age and social circumstances, such as the number of children).
• The contract will be signed for a gross salary of €5,100 monthly, which includes appropriate social security provisions (including health insurance, social security, parental benefits, and pension scheme).
• A Mobility allowance of €500 monthly will be added to the salary to cover private mobility-related costs (e.g., travel and accommodation expenses).
• The Family allowance of €500 monthly will be added to the salary for anyone who has family obligations during the programme, i.e., those who have persons linked to them by marriage, or a relationship with equivalent status (as recognized by the legislation of the country where this relationship was formalized), or dependent children.
• The Mobility allowance and Family allowance may be subject to taxation under certain circumstances, which will be discussed individually.

Other allowances and conditions:

• Travel allowance that will cover work-related travel (secondments, meetings, seminars, etc.). This sum will be cumulative but can only be used if travel takes place.
• Anyone requiring additional assistance due to disabilities will be able to request additional financial support in the form of a Special needs allowance.
• Additional secondments, referred to as Secondment subsistence, will be paid to researchers after the approval of the Executive Board for secondments to places with a high cost of living.
• You will be granted a Research budget up to €350 per month to support your innovative work.
• Office space will be provided, along with a personal computer and/or laptop, and access to technology platforms within the academic department or research group relevant to the subject area.
• You will have access to about 20,000 licensed e-journals (Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, etc.) and more than 170,000 licensed eBooks through the Jožef Stefan Institute Library.

Family-Friendly Working Enviroment:

We’re all about family here! We don’t offer just a Family allowance, but also flexible work hours that give you the freedom to balance life and work. In Slovenia maternity/paternity/parental leave is paid: because family time should be well-spent, not spent worrying about bills. Some of you might need daycare. No problem! Nursery spots are heavily subsidized (up to age 6), and if public schools are in the cards, guess what? They are good quality and free. Ljubljana also offers private international schools in English, German, and French from kindergarten all the way to high school, so even your little ones will feel right at home. Integration with the family just got a whole lot easier.

Let us help you get on board

We recommend following these steps before submitting your application:

• Determine the main research area and sub-field for your project proposal, and develop an initial concept for your research project.
• Search the SQUASH website’s database for potential primary supervisor(s) in your chosen research field.
• Reach out to your selected primary supervisor(s) to confirm whether your project aligns with their research group, and if they are willing to support and mentor you.
• Register on the SQUASH online application platform and thoroughly review the Guide for Applicants.
• Begin your application on the platform, gather all required documents (see the required documents in How to apply).
• Complete and submit your application before the call deadline.

Applicants are advised to contact a supervisor as early as possible.

How to apply?

​Applications must be submitted through the SQUASH web portal before the call deadline. Only applications written in English will be considered.

The SQUASH portal requires you to first register and then complete sections related to the following:

• Personal details,
• Eligibility,
• Academic profile,
• Non-academic experience,
• Details of involvement in any communication, outreach, or dissemination activities (excluding scientific publications),
• Research area they are applying for, and
• Ethical issues (see more information in Ethics and law base).

In addition, you must upload the following documents:

• Europass CV with a standard academic and research record, including a complete list of publications.
• A motivation statement (max. 2 pages), addressing a predefined set of questions through which the you explain your interest in the SQUASH programme.
• A project proposal (max. 10 pages) addressing how the proposal aligns with one or more of the four key research areas, as well as the aims and objectives of the proposed project, state of the art, originality and innovation of the proposal, research methodology, and expected outputs. It should also include a dissemination and communication plan and, where relevant, an exploitation strategy. The proposal must include a Gantt chart and a financial plan, and specify any need for work on secondment with an Associated Partner or other external location.
• Two letters of support from esteemed scientists external to the SQUASH programme, assessing the applicant’s previous research activities, research capacity, and work experience. Applicants may also include references to letters of support available on the https://academicjobsonline.org/ website.
• Doctoral certificate or a certificate of PhD defense if the doctoral certificate has not yet been awarded (in both cases with notarized English translation).
• Documents that explain any career breaks, if applicable (read more about career breaks in Equal opportunities).

What Calls next?

During the SQUASH project, there will be two planned Calls in:

June 2025
March 2026

Stay tuned! When we get there, the steps will be:

APPLICATION OPENING: The SQUASH platform will be accepting applications.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Only completed applications received before the deadline will be considered for evaluation.

ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT: After the call closes, all correctly completed application forms from applicants who meet the eligibility criteria will be sent for evaluation. You will be informed about the status of your application following the eligibility check.

REVIEWING: Your project proposals will be assigned to reviewers. With 20 opened postdoctoral positions in each call, we will invite the best 40 applicants to the interview stage. To guarantee the scientific excellence of all applicants progressing to the interview stage, only those who score at least 8 points out of 10 will be included. If you are rejected, you will receive your evaluation report and be informed about the redress procedure.

INTERVIEW STAGE: Selected applicants will be invited for an online interview. Each interview will last 40 minutes: 15 minutes for your presentation, 15 minutes for project-related questions, and 10 minutes to discuss your future potential.

FINAL RANKINGS: You will receive your scores based on the interview and will be informed of the final results. Your final score will be calculated with a weighting of 70% based on the written proposal score and 30% based on your interview score. In the event of a tie, the 20 projects with the highest written proposal and excellence scores will be selected.

REDRESS PROCEDURE: All applicants have the right to request a review of the selection process if you believe an error occurred during the eligibility check or evaluation that could have affected the results. Requests for review must be submitted within 7 days of receiving the results from the eligibility check, evaluation, or interview. The review will focus on procedural issues and possible errors; it will not challenge the scientific or technical judgments of qualified experts.

Evaluation criteria

Coming soon.

Ethics and law base

The Ethical Must-Haves you need to follow:

• Respecting human dignity and integrity
• Ensuring honesty and transparency towards research subjects, notably obtaining free and informed consent (as well as assent when relevant)
• Protecting vulnerable persons
• Ensuring privacy and confidentiality
• Promoting justice and inclusiveness
• Minimizing harm and maximizing benefit
• Sharing the benefits with disadvantaged populations, especially if the research is carried out in developing countries
• Respecting and protecting the environment and future generations

All applicants are requested to complete an Ethics Appraisal Procedure, which consists of:

1. Ethics Issues Table (EIT) (everyone)
2. Ethics Self-assessment (if any issues apply in EIT)
3. Ethics Statement (if any issues apply in EIT)

As an applicant submitting a project proposal, you should be aware of, and comply with, ethical principles and applicable international, European, and national laws.

Key sources of EU, international and national law include:

• European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity
• The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
• The European Convention on Human Rights and its Supplementary Protocols
• The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD)
• Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia Nos. 33/91-I, 42/97, 66/2000, 24/03, 69/04, 68/06, 47/13, 75/16 and 92/21)
• Scientific Research and Innovation Activities Act (ZZrID)

Equal opportunities

SQUASH is all about Equality and Inclusion!

SQUASH honors and respects the diversity of our staff and provides equal opportunities to all of you, regardless of sex and/or gender, nationality, race or ethnicity, health condition, disability, religion or faith, age, social status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, family status, pregnancy or motherhood, or any other personal circumstance.

We’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment, and here’s how we make it happen:

• Our leadership teams (Executive Board, Governing Board, International Selection Team, Supervisors) are gender-balanced and qualified in spotting and eliminating unconscious bias. No one gets left behind!
• Every participant in our program, along with all our recruited postdocs, will sign the Gender & Diversity Commitment. Because for us, commitment to equality is key.
• Family matters! If you have family obligations during the program (spouse, partner, or dependent children), you’ll receive a monthly Family allowance to support your family needs. In case parental leave occurs during the SQUASH program, 160 days of paid parental leave for each parent is guaranteed in Slovenia, which is transferable to the other parent to some extent and can be extended in specific cases determined by law. In addition, parents/caretakers are entitled to paid maternity (105 days) and paternity (15 days) leave.
• The program will also extend the duration of the postdoctoral position accordingly, provided that this period remains within the duration of the action.
• Researchers with unusual career paths, additional nonacademic knowledge, and qualifications are welcome to apply, and the International Selection Team will positively consider these factors at all stages of the evaluation process.
• We get it—life happens. That’s why we instruct our reviewers to take into account any periods of delay, career breaks, or reduced activity due to maternity/paternity leave, caregiving duties, or long-term illness. You’ve got a story, and we’re listening!
• The applicant’s scientific achievements will be considered in the context of the institutions they have been able to attend prior to their application. Additional workloads for duties such as teaching or laboratory classes will also be taken into account. Working time in the industrial sector (intersectoral mobility), which often leads to reduced scientific output (e.g., scientific publications), will be looked upon positively since time spent outside academia can bring valuable experiences that will benefit the program.
• We are dedicated to helping you settle in Slovenia: you will have our support while you take care of your visa, residency permit, bank account, health services, and even help you find schools for the little ones.
• Your safety matters, which is why all postdoctoral researchers will receive a briefing on preventing and responding to (gender-based) violence, harassment, and mobbing.

At SQUASH, we believe in a diverse, inclusive environment where everyone gets a chance to shine.

Process framework