Research Associate Professor

Opportunistic Architectures Lab

Deadline for receipt of applications: November 28, 2025 23:59 AoE (29 November 2025, 13:59h Europe/Madrid Time)

IMDEA Networks is looking for outstanding research leaders seeking a new stage in their careers, where they can build, fund, and lead their own research team in an environment that fosters scientific excellence.

Our Research Associate Professors* are typically experienced researchers with a tenured position, assuming a position of responsibility by building, funding and leading their own research team of postdocs, PhD students, engineers and support. Research Associate Professors are not required to teach and can focus full-time on research if they so wish.

* USA academic equivalent: Associate Professor.

Research area

All areas of networking, specifically network protocols and systems, wireless networking, network measurements and analytics, and related network science areas.

As Research Associate Professor your responsibilities are

• Development of the research line in Opportunistic Architectures, focused on the design and implementation of SDR/SDN-based protocols and solutions aimed at enhancing the intelligence and adaptability of communication networks and services in the edge-cloud continuum.
• Maintenance and continuous improvement of experimental laboratories for the Opportunistic Architectures research line, which, in addition to incorporating advanced wireless communication equipment, rely on computational models and infrastructure that enable context-aware and self-adjusting communication systems.
• Conducting cutting-edge scientific research in computer networking and network science
• Building and funding a strong team including PhD Students, postdocs, and other staff, directing their work, and supervising the PhD Students in their PhD program
• Publishing regularly in leading conferences and journals
• Identifying and taking the lead in preparing proposals for funded research projects, contracts and grants
• Creating value by developing transferable IPR (patents, software, …) and collaborating in standards bodies
• Managing your own research budget, which includes a basic research budget provided by the Institute, plus the funds that the Research Associate Professor attracts for his/her research and for the Institute
• Attending conferences, establishing research collaborations, giving talks and seminars, hosting visitors, etc.
• Supervising PhD Students towards their Ph.D. degree

Scientists applying for this position have the following attributes

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, with at least 5 years of research experience in the area of networking
• A number of high impact publications
• Successful track record in developing transferable technologies through international patents and licensing agreements
• We particularly value systems oriented research
• High level of proficiency in both written and spoken English (please note: Spanish is not required).

IMDEA Networks Institute offers

• The opportunity to work with colleagues of world-class standing
• First-class research laboratories and facilities
• A personal research budget, which covers basic research costs and allows you to hire PhD students from the first day
• The possibility to personally manage the funds attracted by submitting project proposals and research agreements with external entities
• Internationally-competitive salaries and relocation packages
• A share of IPR revenues arising from your work here
• Full support to transfer your results to industry or to start-up your own company
• The unrivalled quality of life to be enjoyed in the Madrid region

Equal Employment Opportunity

IMDEA Networks Institute aims to increase the proportion of women and therefore qualified female applicants are explicitly encouraged to apply. Until a balanced ratio of men and women has been achieved at the institute, preference will be given to women if applicants have similar qualifications. IMDEA Networks Institute actively promotes diversity and equal opportunities. Applicants are not to be discriminated against in personnel selection procedures on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, religion or ideology, age, sexual orientation (anti-discrimination). People with disabilities who have the relevant qualifications are expressly invited to apply.