Czech Academy of Sciences Postdoc Programme (PPLZ): Salaried 1–2 Year Positions for Early-Career Researchers

Opportunity Overview

The Czech Academy of Sciences' Programme to Support Prospective Human Resources (PPLZ) funds full-time postdoc contracts of 12–24 months at one of its institutes (more than 50, in Prague, Brno and elsewhere). You must have obtained your PhD within the two years before the contract starts, or within four years if you spent a long research stay abroad; family-leave periods do not count. The programme sets no nationality requirement, international experience is preferred, and fluent English is required. The Academy contributes up to CZK 720,000 a year towards salary and the institute adds the rest; for example, the Institute of Psychology offered CZK 60,000 gross a month (about CZK 44,000 net) in 2025, plus CZK 20,000 for conferences and travel, with no teaching duties. You cannot apply to the Academy directly: you contact an institute or research group leader, submit an internal application by the institute's own deadline, and the institute nominates you. There are two rounds a year; in 2025 the Academy's deadlines for institute nominations were 30 April (for a July start) and 30 September (for a January start), with internal deadlines about two weeks earlier. An application usually includes a research proposal, a structured CV, a motivation letter, recommendation letters and proof of the degree.