Cave-dwelling animals that have lost their eyes and pigmentation over thousands of generations. Planarians that regenerate. Cavefish that have evolved in complete darkness. And a research group asking fundamental questions about how life adapts to the extreme. This internship is for biology students who want to do real science — not just observe it.
Laboratory for Molecular Genetics at Ruđer Bošković Institute in Zagreb is offering a research internship in the evolutionary biology of cave-adapted animals. The lab investigates convergence, phenotypic plasticity, and the evolution of adaptive traits using multidisciplinary approaches and diverse model organisms.
⚠️ This internship offers no financial compensation. Applicants must secure their own funding — for example through Erasmus+ or other mobility programmes.
What Is This Role About?
Interns join an active research group working at the interface of field biology, ecology, genetics, molecular biology, developmental biology, and experimental evolution. The lab currently runs two main research lines — one focusing on cave-adapted planarians and one on cavefish Astyanax mexicanus — both comparing cave and surface populations to understand adaptation to dark, nutrient-poor environments.
In planarians, the focus is on convergent loss of pigmentation — investigating whether the same molecular mechanisms underlie this widespread trait across different taxa. With cavefish, the lab raises ancestral surface populations in complete darkness for multiple generations and studies the resulting morphological, physiological, and molecular changes.
What Interns Can Work On
Depending on interests and background, interns can engage in:
🖥️ Bioinformatic analyses
🔬 Image analysis
🧫 Wet lab research — organismal or molecular
⚠️ Please indicate your preference for project and model organism in your motivation letter.
In addition to research, the selected intern will participate in daily laboratory tasks and animal husbandry duties(several hours per week).
What You Will Gain
🔬 Practical experience in experimental design, work with laboratory animals, molecular biology, bioinformatics, functional genetics, phenotyping, data analysis, and scientific writing
🧠 Participation in lab meetings and scientific discussions
📊 Opportunity to graphically and statistically analyse data gathered during the internship
📝 Assistance in drafting a scientific manuscript upon successful project completion
🎓 Possibility to use results for a thesis project — MSc or partial PhD — depending on your institution
📜 Recommendation letter upon successful completion
⏰ Flexible working hours and autonomy
🔭 Possibility to continue as a PhD student depending on funding and performance
Who Should Apply?
🔹 Biology Master's students or recent graduates interested in pursuing a research career in science and academia
🔹 Genuinely curious and passionate about evolutionary biology research
🔹 Open to learning, ambitious, and quick to adapt
🔹 Able to work independently and collaboratively
🔹 Detail-oriented and organised
🔹 Proficiency in English is essential
🔹 Must secure own funding — e.g. Erasmus+ grant
How to Apply
⚠️ Send a one-page Motivation Letter and CV as a single PDF to hbilandz@irb.hr
📧 Subject line: Erasmus internship application
📄 Name the PDF file: Erasmus internship application_your surname
⚠️ Content in the email body will not be considered during selection. All necessary information must be included in the PDF.
Activity Details
📅 Internship Period: 01 June 2026 – 31 December 2027 (flexible start date — minimum 6 months, up to 12 months)
📍 Location: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Croatia
⏱️ Commitment: Full-time
⏳ Duration: Minimum 6 months
Deadline
⏰ 20 May 2026
Apply & More Information
🔬 Lab website: https://bilandzija.irb.hr/
📄 Published research examples:
https://elifesciences.org/articles/51830
https://www.zoores.ac.cn/article/doi/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2022.528
🔗 Official listing: https://erasmusintern.org/profile-recruiter/
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