ORFeus: decoding the dark proteome
Welcome to the official ORFeus recruiting platform!
ORFeus is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN) under Horizon Europe: 15 academic groups, 12 industry and research partners, and a panel of independent academic advisors, training 15 doctoral candidates across Europe. The network investigates the dark proteome, the proteins and peptides made from overlooked or non-canonical open reading frames and what they mean for human disease, combining ribosome profiling and translatomics, proteogenomics, mass-spectrometry proteomics and immunopeptidomics, large-scale genomics, and machine learning to map novel translation products and test their potential as targets for diagnosis, immunotherapy, and drug development in cancer and beyond.
Each doctoral candidate runs an individual project within this shared program, with two academic supervisors, an industry or partner secondment supervisor, and an independent academic advisor, a secondment of around three months with a partner organization, and network-wide schools, workshops, and conferences.
On this website, you can submit your application to up to three of our 15 projects. For each project, you will have to complete the recruitment process. So if you want to apply to 3 different projects, you have to complete the process 3 times.
Please take care to read all eligibility requirements and project information, and please do not apply to more than three projects; this will lead to automatic ineligibility of all your applications!
See the bottom of this page for a list of Frequently Asked Questions, and visit the project website for more information: http://orfeus-dn.eu/
The 15 ORFeus projects (please click through for all)
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Application timeline
Recruitment open
Eligibility checks
Supervisors nominate 4-6 for introduction
Introduction call with supervisors
Full interview + presentation
You receive an offer!
You start your project
Important information
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How to apply
All ORFeus positions use this central hiring platform; you do not apply to the host institution directly. You submit one application per project, so up to three applications in total if you are interested in 3 projects. You can indicate which position in your top three the respective project fall into during the application procedure for that project.
The application uses structured, criteria-based questions. You will provide:
● Answers to a few eligibility questions, so we can confirm you meet the MSCA rules.
● A checklist of the techniques used in the projects you rank, with a short line of evidence for each technique you have used.
● A short motivation for each project you choose, explaining your interest in it and in ORFeus.
● A curriculum vitae.
● Optionally, a short video introduction. This is not required and you will not be disadvantaged if you do not include one.
● Contact details for two academic referees. We ask your referees for letters directly, and only if you are shortlisted for interview, so you do not need to arrange letters when you apply.
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Evaluation procedure
Applications open on 1 October 2026 and close on Thursday 22 October 2026, 23:59 CET. We assess every application against the weighted ORFeus criteria: academic excellence (40%), research potential and motivation (30%), communication (20%), and international experience (10%). Shortlisted candidates have a short introductory call, then a formal interview with both academic supervisors.
ORFeus and its partners recruit in an open, transparent, and merit-based way, in line with the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of gender, age, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic, and we are committed to equal opportunity and a balanced research workforce.
If you need any adjustment to take part in the recruitment process, contact Simon Venneman, ORFeus program manager (s.t.venneman@prinsesmaximacentrum.nl), and we will make reasonable arrangements. For questions about this position, contact Simon Venneman at the same address; but please check the ORFeus project website first, as it answers most questions.
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MSCA eligibility
You must meet all of the following on your recruitment date:
● You do not already hold a doctoral degree. If you have defended a doctoral thesis but the degree has not yet been formally awarded, you are not eligible.
● Mobility rule: you must not have lived or carried out your main activity (work, studies, and so on) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before your recruitment date. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays, and time spent in a procedure to obtain refugee status under the Geneva Convention do not count toward the 12 months.
● You hold, or will hold before the start date, a degree that formally entitles you to enroll in a doctorate, and you can enroll in the doctoral program at the Hubrecht Institute / Utrecht University.
Candidates of any nationality may apply. There is no limit on prior research experience, as long as you do not already hold a doctorate.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Am I eligible?
You qualify if you do not already hold a PhD, will have a master's degree (or an equivalent qualification that gives access to doctoral study) by the time you start, and meet the mobility rule. The mobility rule means you must not have lived, worked or studied in the country of your chosen host institution for more than 12 months in the three years before your recruitment date. Short stays such as holidays do not count. Applicants of any nationality are welcome.
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Can I apply if I already have a PhD?
No. MSCA Doctoral Networks are designed for researchers who have not yet obtained a doctoral degree. If you already hold a PhD and are interested in the research areas covered by ORFeus, you are welcome to contact us about other possible collaborations.
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What exactly is the mobility rule?
The mobility rule is an MSCA eligibility requirement. At the time of recruitment, you must not have resided or carried out your main activity (work, studies) in the country of your host institution for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before your recruitment date. Short stays such as holidays, conferences or language courses do not count. The rule is assessed per project, so you may be eligible for a project in one country but not another.
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Can I apply from outside Europe?
Yes. ORFeus is open to applicants of any nationality, from any country. You will need to meet the general eligibility criteria including the mobility rule. If you are recruited, your host institution will support you with visa and work permit arrangements where needed.
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How does ranking work?
You choose up to three of the 15 projects and rank them in order of preference. Every project you rank will consider your application, not only your first choice. You do not have to rank three; rank only the projects you would genuinely accept. Ranking more than one project widens your options without reducing your chances for your top choice.
Please make sure you apply individually to each project that you want to apply to, and indicate your top 3 preference per project; please be mindful here, e.g. only put one project on spot 1, one on spot 2 and one on spot 3.
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How long is the position?
Each position runs for 36 months (three years). In some cases an extension may be possible depending on the policies of the host institution.
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What are the process steps and timeline?
After applying, we will review whether you are indeed eligible according to the MSCA guidelines, which is your responsibility to make sure. Supervisors will then rank applicants and make a shortlist of 4-6 people (sometimes more) to have a short introduction call with. If satisfactory, you will be invited for a full interview where you are expected to present some of your work and motivation. All interviews are in principle virtual.
Applications open 1 October 2026 and close on October 22. Shortlisting and interviews follow in November/December, decisions are communicated late 2026 to early 2027, and positions start in March 2027. The exact start date depends on the project and host institution.
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Do I need reference letters now?
No. However, after applying you will immediately receive a follow-up email asking to provide up to two reference contacts. After providing these, the recruitment platform will automatically enquire with your reference contacts whether they are available to provide comments, once you reach the interview stage. So it might be a good idea to inform your reference contact(s) that a request is coming their way, so that they accept!
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What about visas and work permits?
If you are recruited, your host institution will guide you through the visa and work permit process. We recommend starting this as early as possible once you receive an offer, as administrative timelines vary by country. Make sure to check the specific requirements for your host country well in advance.
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What is an MSCA Doctoral Network?
A Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network is an EU-funded program that brings together universities, research institutes and companies to train doctoral researchers through connected PhD projects on a shared research topic. Each researcher is employed at a host institution but trains across the whole network through schools, workshops, and secondments at partner organisations.
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Will I need to attend all the network training events?
Yes. The network-wide schools, workshops, and other training activities are a core part of the program and are mandatory for all doctoral researchers. They are designed to complement your individual research project. All training costs, including travel and accommodation for network events, are covered.
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What is a secondment?
A secondment is a period you spend working at another organisation in the network, typically an industry partner at a different institution. ORFeus includes a mandatory industry secondment of around three months and a shorter academic secondment of around four weeks (primarily virtual). Secondments are fully funded and planned with your supervisors to fit your project and career goals.