Do you hold a university degree and are interested in joining the management team of a leading research institute in the water sector in the Madrid region?

IMDEA Water Institute focuses its research on wastewater treatment, nature-based solutions, membrane technologies, bioelectrochemical technologies, water reuse, water quality, economic and institutional analysis, ecotoxicology, antibiotic resistance, algae and cyanobacteria, cyanotoxin bioremediation, and microbial ecology.

IMDEA Water is seeking a management professional with knowledge of knowledge transfer to join the institute’s R&D&I Projects Office. The selected candidate will be nominated by IMDEA Water for the 2026 R&D&I Technical and Management Staff Call (PTA 2026) funded by the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI).

This call funds a full-time, three-year employment contract. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis; therefore, hiring is subject to the grant being awarded by the AEI.

Profile

• R&D&I Management Officer: to support knowledge transfer activities and the dissemination of research results. Degree requirement: Applicants must hold a higher university degree equivalent to EQF Level 7 (MECES 3). Essential requirement: Demonstrated knowledge of knowledge and technology transfer.

Requirements

• University degree plus Master’s degree obtained no later than 10 December 2026.
• Not employed by IMDEA Water on the application submission date.
• Not currently holding a PTA contract from a previous call.
• Applicants may only apply through a single R&D institution.

Previous professional experience is not required, although it will be considered positively. Applicants must demonstrate training or qualifications evidencing knowledge in knowledge transfer. A proportion of the grants is reserved for applicants with a disability equal to or greater than 33%.

What IMDEA Water Offers

• Full-time three-year employment contract in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid, Spain).
• Minimum gross annual salary of €27,185.
• Opportunity to work closely with research groups, companies, and public administrations.
• Support and guidance throughout the AEI application process.

About IMDEA Water

IMDEA Water operates in a multidisciplinary environment across four main research areas:

• Sustainable water resources management
• Water quality and pollution
• Water treatment and reuse
• Economic and institutional analysis

The institute has laboratories for chemical analysis, soils, biology and microbiology, and geomatics, as well as several pilot-scale facilities.

In addition, a dedicated infrastructure supplies wastewater and groundwater from the campus directly to the pilot plants, enabling research under real-world conditions.

More information: https://water.imdea.org/scientific-infrastructure/

What Should You Send Us Now?

Please send:

• Your CV
• A motivation letter (maximum one page), indicating the profile you are applying for to empleo@agua.imdea.org. Subject line:“Expression of Interest PTA 2026 – [First Name Last Name]”

Applicants applying through the disability quota should also attach the corresponding disability certificate.

DEADLINE

Friday, 13 November 2026 (inclusive)

However, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their documentation as early as possible.

What Happens Next?

No later than Wednesday, 18 November 2026, IMDEA Water will inform all applicants of the outcome by email.

IMDEA Water will support the selected candidate throughout the preparation of the AEI application and will provide guidance by email at each stage of the process.

Please reserve the following dates:

• 24 November to 10 December 2026 (2:00 PM): Registration on the AEI platform and submission of the application form, including the abbreviated CV (CVA) and activity report.
• Before Friday, 11 December 2026: Submission of signed documents to IMDEA Water.

The AEI is expected to publish the results of the call during 2027. If the grant is awarded, the selected candidate is expected to start within three months of the award notification.

Further Information

PTA 2026 Call: https://www.aei.gob.es/convocatorias/buscador-convocatorias/ayudas-contratos-personal-tecnico-gestion-idi-2026

IMDEA Water will process personal data received solely for the management of this selection process and, where applicable, for the submission of the grant application.

IMDEA Water is committed to equal opportunities and diversity in its recruitment processes.