Qualification paths for early career researchers

The University of Hohenheim views itself as a vibrant and inspiring location for research, teaching, and development, especially for early career researchers in the postdoc phase both nationally and internationally:  Personnel development is a strategic field of action, qualification paths and the corresponding requirements are transparent, there is a culture of openness to constructive feedback from professors, and cross-faculty thinking and interdisciplinary cooperation are promoted.

When systematically planning their own careers, early career researchers are aided by transparency about the various qualifications paths and requirements in a university context: Information on doctorates, habilitations, and appointments including tenure-track professorships as well as positions in teaching and research can be found on the pages for these topics.

Doctoral candidates

Doctoral candidates are early career researchers who are working toward a doctorate. In this qualification and orientation phase, they are challenged to develop their career prospects as soon as possible.

The development and support of early career researchers during their doctorates is an important task for the university. The Hohenheim Graduate Academy supports talented early career researchers during their doctorates. It ensures that doctoral candidates have good framework conditions for completing their doctorate successfully. It has a key role in the administrative management of the doctoral procedures for all three faculties, coordinates matters relevant to doctorates, and also offers services for networking, advising, and qualification.

 

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Postdocs

Postdocs are early career researchers who are finished with their doctorates and are working on an additional qualification and orientation phase at the university or a research institution.

At the University of Hohenheim, the postdoc phase is considered the decisive one in the career biography of early career researchers. Besides focusing their own research profile, the aim is to make a final decision either for or against an academic career.

In Hohenheim, the postdoc phase is set to last a maximum of three years. This time limitation is meant to ensure that

  • the additional scientific qualification can be completed in a timeframe that does not exceed the 12-year limit set by the WissZeitVG.
  • the decision for leaving academia can be made at a stage in which it is still relatively easy to re-orient careers.

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Tenure-track professors

Tenure-track professors are outstanding early career researchers in a six-year qualification and trial phase on the path toward a tenured professorship.

In 2012, the University of Hohenheim established the first tenure-track professors. This career path enables independent research and includes personnel responsibility.  
The University of Hohenheim accompanies the newly appointed tenure-track professors with individual coaching sessions and thereby makes it possible for them to adjust well to the university on the one hand and, on the other, to reflect on their own - possibly new - role as a manager and become more effective in their daily working life.

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Heads of junior research group

Outstanding early career researchers with research experience after their doctorates can implement their own research project by leading an independent junior research group, qualifying themselves for a professorship or other management position.

Programs for heading junior research groups offer the chance to research independently with generous financial support and to obtain initial management skills.

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Habilitation candidates

Habilitation candidates are early career researchers who are typically employed for a fixed term at the university and are continuing their scientific qualification.

Habilitation candidates in Hohenheim have access to many different personnel development offers.

 

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Research associates without further qualification goals / Science managers

Research associates are early career researchers who continue to be employed by the university after their doctorate. They work scientifically but are not attempting to obtain further formal scientific qualifications (such as a habilitation). Only in a few cases is it possible to remain at the university with a permanent contract.

In light of the Scientific Fixed-Term Contract Limitations Act, permanent functions are particularly interesting for this group if they want to continue their career at the university. These kinds of positions are possible in scientific areas (e.g. lecturers for certain topic areas, highly specialized supervision of research equipment) as well as in the area of science management (e.g. executive directors in Dean’s Offices). Examples in Hohenheim are the executive managers of the three research centers, the director and module manager positions in the Core Facility, and the head of the Graduate Academy. In general, however, there are only a very limited number of these types of positions available.

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Careers outside of the university

For academics with doctorates who are striving for a career outside of university research and teaching, there are many different possibilities for employment (e.g. business, ministries, agencies, foundations, self-employment, etc.).

Non-university research institutions as well as research departments in companies also offer interesting career options in the area of science and research.

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Contacts

Dipl.-Päd. Julia Kettelhack

Human Resource and Organizational Development (APO4)
Director
+49 711 459 22862
E-Mail

Irena Rathgeb

Human Resource and Organizational Development (APO4)
Personnel development for the scientific areas
+49 711 459 23099
E-Mail