Doctorate – what now? Career advancement within the smartNETWORK

Career advancement within the smartNETWORK is an integral part of your promotional program and not limited to the final phase. The following applies to both an academic as well as a non-academic career path: the basis of a good career lies in an optimally supervised and structured doctoral program.

Together with their supervisor(s), the doctoral students decide which measures would best facilitate their preferred career path. These qualification steps can be made an obligatory part of your study agreement or doctoral agreement.

Academic career paths

For those who aspire to an academic career, information on funding programs for post-docs is at least as important as reading relevant university job advertisements. We have compiled a list of various Internet portals that can help you to get a general idea of the situation.
Additionally, job advertisements can be found in the big daily and weekly papers.

• The (German) Association of University Professors and Lecturers [de] has compiled an extensive list of various funding possibilities and job advertisements under “Young Scientists” (“Wissenschaftlicher Nachwuchs”)
• The German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsmeinschaft – also known as DFG) is the most important institution for research funding in Germany. For post-docs, it is possible – among other things – to apply to the DFG for funding for one’s own position. You can find further information on this and other funding programs here.
• The Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation also offers various funding programs for young scientists.
• The Internet portal University Positions [de] offers young academics the possibility to access information on job advertisements at German universities.
• Academics [de] is an international online job center for jobs in the field of academics that aren’t limited to universities.

 

Careers for women

The Network of Female Scientists [de] (Wissenschaftlerinnen im Netzwerk – also known as WiN) at the WWU specifically offers support for women. WiN is a network made up of female students and (young) female academics, who have come together to promote intercommunication on academic careers.

The database of the Center of Excellence Women and Science (CEWS) [de] is also specifically for (young) female academics. Its goal is to raise the proportion of women in leading positions both in science and business.

Non-academic career paths

The following links can be helpful during the search for positions beyond the university:

• The WWU’s Career Service has an extensive database [de] with job advertisements in various companies.
• The WWU’s Center for Transfer of Research (Arbeitsstelle Forschungstransfer – also known as AFO) offers support if you wish to become self-employed or set up your own business. Additionally, the AFO arranges contacts between science and business.
• EXIST [de] is a program sponsored by the federal government which funds start-up companies right after receiving your academic degree.
• The online job center Academics [de] also offers jobs in non-academic institutions.

The WWU’s Career Service

The WWU’s Career Service offers various events that can be helpful in planning one’s own career path – e.g. to attain key qualifications/skills, to develop your own individual personality or to learn professional decision making. Additionally, the Career Service also has an extensive network.