Internships for PhD students

An internship at CWI offers you the unique opportunity to work with leading researchers on the frontier of mathematics and computer science. CWI prides itself on having a stimulating and interdisciplinary research environment, and connecting fundamental research to impactful application in science, industry, and society. More details are found below If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].

Job description

We offer a three-month internship at CWI under the supervision of a CWI researcher who supports your visit. Your travel to Amsterdam will be paid for, and your accommodation in Amsterdam is fully arranged and covered by the internship program. You will also receive a monthly stipend of 1200 euros to help cover your daily expenses.

Requirements

Include in your application a brief CV and a research proposal. Only focus on the things you feel are relevant to the internship you are applying for.

• Your resume includes:
  • Your email address
  • Institute/university address and phone number
  • Academic research area and topic of PhD
  • Contact details of your PhD supervisor
  • Any awards you have received, articles you have published or conference presentations you have given. We do not need to see copies of any awards or publications, just a reference to them.
  • Expected graduation date.
• Your research proposal (max. 2 pages) includes:
  • The name of the CWI research group and researcher who will host you
  • A brief but concrete outline of your research plan for the internship
  • The available dates for your 3-month internship. It is recommended that you indicate a period of 5-6 months during which the internship will take place. We will schedule the exact dates according to availability of housing etc.
  • A brief and concrete overview of the impact the internship will have on your research and career.

The terms and conditions down below are not relevant for this vacancy.

Terms and conditions

The terms of employment are in accordance with the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Research Centres ("CAO-onderzoeksinstellingen"). The initial labour agreement will be for a period of 18 months. After a positive evaluation, the agreement will be extended by 30 months. The gross monthly salary, for a PhD student on a full time basis, is € 2,884 during the first year and increases to €3,801 over the four year period. Employees are also entitled to a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary and a year-end bonus of 8.33%. CWI offers attractive working conditions, including flexible scheduling and help with housing for expat employees.

Please visit our websites for more information about our terms of employment: 
https://www.cwi.nl/jobs/terms-of-employment and
https://www.nwo-i.nl/en/working-at-nwo-i/jobsatnwoi/​​​​​

Information and application

Every application begins with contacting one of our research staff with a brief outline of what you would like to collaborate on. They will pre-select the candidates that can apply, and those who are selected will receive an invitation to apply through the CWI website, supplying a brief CV and an application form. At the same time, the CWI host will supply a letter of support to the internship committee.

Application form

The committee will judge the proposals on:

• Feasibility: Is the research proposal sufficiently concrete to be able to produce tangible results within the internship?
• Embedding: How well does the internship connect to existing research lines and/or collaborations of the host?
• Impact: What is the potential for lasting impact of the internship on the career of the applicant and / or the research program of the host?

The time line is as follows:

• Contact CWI research staff to discuss potential project ideas | Applicant | By October 1st 2025
• Pre-select candidates and invite them to apply. | CWI host | By November 1st 2025
• Apply for internship through the CWI website | Applicant | By December 1st 2025
• Send letter of support to internship committee | CWI host | By December 1st 2025
• Select and notify applicants and host | Internship committee | By December 21st
• Contact applicants and host to arrange further details | Human resources | January 2026
• Internship takes place | Applicant and host | March 2026-March 2027
• Submit final report to internship committee | Applicant | Within 1 month of finishing the internship

Visa requirements

To enter the Netherlands, you might need a visa. Whether you need a visa is based on your nationality. The embassy in your country of residence can guide you through the whole procedure, step by step. Be aware that the application process may take long, depending on your nationality, so take this into account when scheduling the internship.

Housing

CWI will arrange, and pay, for housing in the vicinity of CWI. Depending on availability this will be a small studio apartment or equivalent. If you have any special requirements regarding accessibility, please notify us as soon as possible.

Diversity code

CWI encourages a diverse workforce: we endeavour to develop talent and creativity by bringing people from different backgrounds and cultures together. We recruit and select based on capabilities and talent. We strongly encourage everyone with the appropriate qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical abilities.

About CWI

Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) is the Dutch national research institute for mathematics and computer science and is part of the Institutes Organisation of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The mission of CWI is to conduct pioneering research in mathematics and computer science, generating new knowledge in these fields and conveying it to trade, industry, and society at large.

CWI is an internationally oriented institute, with 160 scientists from approximately 27 countries, an informal atmosphere and short lines of communication. We have an activity committee that organizes after-work activities and an informal women’s network.  

CWI is located at Amsterdam Science Park, which is a major location for scientific research in the Netherlands. Next to CWI, Science Park houses several other national research institutes, many startups and scale-ups, the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX), and the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam.