IMDEA Materials Institute, one of the seven Madrid Institutes for Advanced Studies (IMDEA), is a public research centre founded in 2007 by Madrid’s regional government. The goal of the Institute is to do research at the forefront of Materials Science and Engineering, attracting talent from all around the globe, and collaborating with companies in an effort to transfer knowledge into valuable technology.
The Institute is organised into 18 research groups, each of them participating in one or more broad research programmes. Being a medium size centre, researchers are encouraged to collaborate with other top research groups, leading to an open, collaborative environment, also drawing international scholars.
As a result of its growth, over 160 people do research at the Institute, including 18 group leaders, more than 40 post-doctoral scientists and more than 70 predoctoral students. The state-of-the-art experimental and computational facilities enable the groups to do research at the forefront of Material Science and Engineering, currently publishing above 190 JCR journal articles per year. Our continued effort to collaborate with companies has led us to sign more than 120 industrial projects. In them, we work with companies all over the world, helping to address their more complex technical challenges, transforming our know-how into better products, and tackling some of the most pressing problems in Material Science and Engineering.
In parallel, personnel that has left the Institute are now working in companies and universities inside and outside Spain, helping to improve society through a better understanding and usage of materials.
The IMDEA Institutes are research centres of excellence based in the Region of Madrid. They were established as independent foundations between 2006 and 2007 at the initiative of the regional government.
They are focused on seven strategic areas for society from a business, scientific and technological point of view: water, energy, nanoscience, networks, nutrition, software and materials.
The mission of the IMDEA Institutes is to foster excellent research, development and innovation (R+D+I) and to create an efficient model for scientific and technological development in collaboration with the productive sector. To achieve this mission, the Institutes develop their own excellent and internationally recognised science and technology, applying it effectively to enhance the competitiveness of the Madrid economy, increase business productivity and improve public services. They also attract and train outstanding talent, promote the dissemination of scientific knowledge to maximise its social value, and transfer research results to society through an effective technology transfer model based on patent generation and intellectual property protection, the creation of technology-based companies, participation in science outreach activities, collaboration with public and private organisations at both national and international levels, and involvement in scientific and technological networks. In addition, the IMDEA Institutes maintain close links with the business sector throughout every stage of the knowledge-generation process and actively encourage interdisciplinary collaboration.
The foundations that govern the IMDEA Institutes support a forward-looking R+D+I model built on three fundamental pillars: researchers, public administrations and businesses. In accordance with their statutes, their boards of trustees include representatives from public administrations, universities and research centres, internationally renowned scientists in fields related to each foundation’s objectives, and representatives from businesses connected, directly or indirectly, to the sectors aligned with those objectives. Since the creation of the Institutes, businesses have played an active role in shaping their design and strategic goals and in monitoring their results. They contribute by assessing the scientific, economic, commercial and social impact of IMDEA’s activities and by collaborating through a variety of mechanisms, including partnership agreements and participation in research groups.
The IMDEA network of institutes was created in accordance with the IV Regional Scientific Investigation and Technology Innovation Plan (PRICIT 2005-2008) of the Community of Madrid with the aim of satisfying social needs through R+D+I (Research, Development and Innovation) and passing them on to society.
The IMDEA institutes (acronym for Madrid Institute of Advanced Studies) were set up under the legal form of a foundation, with around seven strategic areas for the society of Madrid from a business, scientific and technological point of view: water, diet, energy, materials, nanoscience, networks and software.
In its design, Public Administrations, universities, well-renowned scientists and companies have participated since its inception, at the initiative of the regional Government.
The IMDEA Institutes use an open and international competitive recruitment process for researchers through international job postings published on their web pages and in the print editions of some of the world’s most renowned scientific journals such as Science o Nature.
The applications sent are evaluated by the consulting scientific committees of each institute. Said committees are comprised of external scientists, with worldwide recognition, who guarantee the international excellence of the candidates.
These job postings are aimed mainly at attracting first-rate scientists to our region who are working outside Spain. These job positions are open to everyone whether Spanish or not.