City:  Leipzig
Date:  Nov 4, 2025

Unsolicited Application for a Bachelor's or Master's Thesis

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (www.fraunhofer.com) currently operates 76 institutes and research units throughout Germany and is a leading applied research organization. Around 32 000 employees work with an annual research budget of 3.4 billion euros. 

At the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, we bring together the expertise of our employees to drive medical progress. Our focus is on cell and gene therapy, pharmaceuticals and vaccines, molecular and immune diagnostics, and other innovative topics. We are the professional home for scientists, engineers, laboratory technicians, and administrative staff who work together in the service of health.

 

Are you looking for an opportunity to expand your theoretical knowledge with practical experience as part of a thesis? Then you've come to the right place! At Fraunhofer IZI, we regularly mentor committed talents who want to conduct cutting-edge research with us.

 

What you will do

At our institute, our employees delve into exciting projects and develop individual products and services for our clients, primarily from the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. Research at the Fraunhofer IZI focuses on the fields of immuno-oncology and infectious disease pathology.

 

Immuno-oncology offers an innovative approach to cancer therapy and complements traditional methods such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery. The immune system is specifically activated in order to effectively combat abnormal cells. Our researchers are working on the development of new immunotherapies that will expand the range of treatments in the future and give patients new hope. Together with our partners, we at the Fraunhofer IZI are driving forward the implementation of these pioneering approaches in clinical practice.

 

Infectious diseases pose a constant challenge to global health - for humans and animals. To counteract these threats, we at Fraunhofer IZI are researching the mechanisms of disease transmission and development as well as innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Our infectious disease pathology team works closely with international partners to develop technologies for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases.

 

During your thesis, you will gain insights into the day-to-day work of a research institution and have the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge you have acquired during your studies in a practical setting. You will learn about our structures and processes in the scientific and technical business areas and be entrusted with a responsible institute-related topic. Use this springboard to launch your career in research and development and take an important step in your professional development. In your unsolicited application, you are welcome to specify a specialist area or topic that you are particularly interested in. You can find an overview of our business areas and departments here.

 

What you bring to the table

  • You are an enrolled student, preferably in the natural sciences, (bio)engineering or a related field of study.
  • Ideally, you have already gained some experience through internships, vacation jobs or working student positions in the field you are interested in, but this is not a must. In any case, please always include a short cover letter with your application in which you explain your motivation for a thesis at the Fraunhofer IZI. There, you can also optionally indicate whether you are particularly interested in a specific research area.
  • You are confident in communicating in German and/or English and enjoy working in an interdisciplinary team.
  • Your way of working is characterized by reliability and you approach new challenges independently and flexibly.

 

What you can expect

  • Thanks to our close links with industry, creative research freedom meets real added value for society. You will help shape the medicine of tomorrow and gain exciting insights into the leading organization for application-oriented research in Europe.
  • You will be part of a dedicated team and have the opportunity to actively shape your area of work. Our flat management hierarchy supports the independent work of our employees.
  • Cutting-edge research is only possible with cutting-edge equipment: we offer you everything a researcher's heart desires on a total of almost 8000 m² of laboratory space.
  • You will gain valuable preparation for future research positions through practice-oriented work in which you will learn or deepen the scientific techniques relevant to your thesis. During your time with us, we offer personal support at eye level.
  • Additional benefits: free parking and secure bicycle parking spaces with charging stations for electric vehicles as well as discounted employee prices in the institute canteen.

 

Please note: We cannot offer remuneration for the writing of theses. However, you can expect an exciting research topic and intensive professional supervision.

 

We value and promote the diversity of our employees' skills and therefore welcome all applications - regardless of age, gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, ideology, disability, sexual orientation and identity.

 

Interested? Apply online now via our career portal. We look forward to getting to know you!

 

Do you have questions about the position or the application process? We’re here for you: 


Lea-Sophie Fingerhut
Strategic Personnel Development & Recruiting
Email: bewerbung@izi.fraunhofer.de  
Phone: +49 341/35536-9224

Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI 

www.izi.fraunhofer.de 

 

Requisition Number: 81688                Application Deadline:

 


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