Group Leader Position in Nutrition and Health

With this call, the Biomedical Research Institute of Lleida (IRBLleida) aims to strengthen a strategic research line in nutrition and health, leveraging both the institute’s internal capabilities and the opportunities offered by the socio-economic environment of Lleida. The prominent presence of the agri-food sector in the region and the existence of research centers such as Agrotecnio provide a privileged setting for developing research projects with strong translational and territorial components. This initiative also aligns with the strategy of distinguishing IRBLleida’s scientific activity within the Catalan research system by promoting areas of interaction between biomedicine and food sciences. Through this recruitment, IRBLleida seeks to attract research talent capable of leading innovative projects that contribute to understanding and improving human health through nutrition, while fostering multidisciplinary collaboration and alliances with the local ecosystem.
Priority Research Areas. The call is open to consolidated or emerging research groups in the field of nutrition and health, with a translational focus and the ability to generate synergies with the scientific and business ecosystem of Lleida. Particular consideration will be given to the feasibility of collaboration with local scientific and business stakeholders. Research lines may include, but are not limited to:

• Precision nutrition and personalized medicine: including studies in nutrigenomics, microbiota, nutritional metabolomics, and biomarker identification to tailor diets to individual characteristics.
• Diet, microbiota, and chronic diseases: mechanistic and translational approaches to the influence of diet and gut microbiota on diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, or neurodegenerative disorders.
• Functional foods and bioactive compounds: study of nutrients, metabolites, and natural products of agri-food origin with preventive or therapeutic effects.
• Nutrition across the life cycle: impact of diet on maternal health, child development, healthy aging or frailty.
• Digital tools and clinical nutritional assessment: development of technologies to monitor nutritional status or implement personalized nutritional interventions.

Candidate Profile. The call is open to both established and emerging researchers with a solid scientific track record focused on biomedical research in the field of nutrition and health.

General requirements for all candidates:

• Demonstrated research experience through high-quality scientific publications in the field of nutrition and health, with a clear orientation toward biomedical research.
• Commitment to translational research and interaction with clinical, experimental, or public health environments.
• Willingness to actively integrate into the IRBLleida scientific community and collaborate with other research groups.

For emerging researchers:

• Completion of postdoctoral stays at international centers of excellence.
• A professional trajectory showing a clear orientation toward leading a research group.
• Participation in competitive projects and initial contributions as a senior researcher.

For established researchers:

• Recognized scientific leadership in their field, supported by impactful publications,notable contributions, and active participation in scientific networks.
• Proven ability to attract competitive funding, both for projects and for hiring researchpersonnel (predoctoral, postdoctoral, etc.).
• Experience in team leadership and coordination of multidisciplinary or internationalprojects.

What We Offer. Joining IRBLleida means becoming part of a center of excellence accredited by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), recognized as a CERCA center of excellence by the Government of Catalonia, and awarded the European HRS4R distinction for excellence in human resources management in research. Located within a hospital campus, IRBLleida offers a truly translational biomedical research environment in direct contact with clinical activity. The institute has over 9,000 m² of space dedicated exclusively to biomedical research, equipped with state-of-the-art scientific facilities, and hosts 36 research groups covering all areas of biomedicine (basic, translational, and clinical) fostering a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary ecosystem. We offer:

• Incorporation as a group affiliated with IRBLleida, with access to the institute’sinfrastructure and scientific core facilities.
• Support for the initial establishment of the group and integration into the institution,with the possibility of a negotiated startup package.
• Adequate space to carry out the research activity of the group.
• Competitive salary: €37,000–€47,000, depending on the candidate’s career stage.
• Inclusion in the institute’s tenure track program for 3+2 years, with the possibility ofstabilization into the IRBLleida tenure program upon successful scientific evaluations.
• Opportunity for collaboration with a network of biomedical and agri-food researchers.
• Potential synergies with hospitals, universities, and technology centers in the region.

Application Submission. Required documentation must be submitted through the link provided in the jobs section of the IRBLleida website (https://www.irblleida.org/en/jobs/) before the 31st of January 2026. To formalize their application, candidates must submit the following:

• Candidate’s CV
• Narrative CV
• A research plan with objectives at 3 years and 5 years
• Motivation letter including a justification of strategic alignment with IRBLleida andpotential collaborations

Evaluation Process. The evaluation will take place in two phases. In the first phase, the submitted documentation (CV, research plan, strategic justification, and motivation letter) will be assessed by the Director of the Institute, focusing on the scientific quality and track record of the candidate, the excellence and feasibility of the proposed research plan, strategic alignment with IRBLleida and the region, capacity for collaboration and institutional integration, and potential to attract funding.
Candidates who pass this first phase will be invited to IRBLleida to give a public scientific seminar and attend a closed-door interview with members of the IRBLleida Management and the Internal and External Scientific Committee.
Candidates who successfully complete the selection process will receive an offer with details of the conditions for their incorporation as a new research group at IRBLleida, including salary, lab space, and a potential startup package.