Career Paths
The Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) offers a wide range of career opportunities for all professional groups employed at the center. Young researchers have the opportunity to found their own groups, for instance aided by the Helmholtz Investigator Groups program. In cooperation with our partner universities, we appoint professorships on two different levels.
Careers at HZI
Our center offers a structured career development process with ongoing support for all employees. The main target group is scientific staff, including doctoral students, postdocs and young researchers. Besides intensive scientific training, young researchers at HZI receive the opportunity to improve their soft skills and advance their interdisciplinary knowledge. Structured processes are designed to facilitate the exchange of professional experiences at the center so that postdocs can benefit in particular from senior staff.
-
PhD Programmes
Several PhD programs offer high-class education. Together with its partner institutions, HZI has established HZI International Graduate School For Infection REsearch (GS-FIRE) and developed other specialized curricula. These include joint PhD programs in “Infection Biology” and “Dynamics of host-pathogen interactions – DEWIN” together with MHH and University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Other notable examples are the “RNAmed- Future Leaders in RNA-based Medicine” and “RNA & Infection” programs in partnership with the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, the “Interdisciplinary Graduate School for Natural Product Research” as well as the “Training ALliancE for Novel Microbiome-Modulating TherapieS” program at HIPS and Germany’s first PhD program in Epidemiology, co-organized with MHH.
By participating in the “Helmholtz Graduate School for the Structure of Matter” and “BIOMEdical Data Science (BIOMEDAS)”, HZI is also a partner in PhD programs that aim to educate the future generation of data and information scientists. These structured programs are designed to facilitate the timely and successful completion of PhD theses, including preparation for a future career in industry, academia, or other key positions.
-
Postdocs
At HZI, postdoctoral researchers have the opportunity to realize their own projects, thereby strengthening their scientific independence and developing their own research profile. To this end, HZI offers a reliable framework (Guidelines for Career Support in the Postdoc Phase at the HZI) and a variety of measures to strengthen both professional and personal skills. The HZI Postdoc Office provides individual support, and postdoctoral researchers are encouraged to participate in career workshops, lectures, and mentoring administered by the HZI Graduate School.
-
Junior Research Group Leaders
Apart from the Helmholtz Investigator Groups program, HZI is supporting excellent young scientists via other programs or third party grants. The HUMAN-MICROSTAR program, launched in 2023/24, includes the establishment of up to 20 new junior research groups at the center. In accordance with HZI’s internal tenure track guidelines, junior research group leaders may ultimately receive tenured positions based on approval by an external review panel.
-
Professorships
HZI provides every support needed to promote talents also in the transition to more senior positions. In cooperation with our partner universities, HZI is appointing professorships on two different levels: “W2” for group leaders and “W3” for department heads.
Career services at the HZI
Welcome Office
The Welcome Office assists all employees with the preboarding process. A focus is on supporting newly arrived international employees. For example, the Welcome Office provides support with issuing hosting agreements, visa applications and dealing with the infamous German bureaucracy. The Welcome Office also offers information on accommodation and assistance with all work-related matters.
Postdoc Office
With the Postdoc Office, the HZI provides a central point of contact and service for all postdocs and junior research group leaders. The Postdoc Office advises and supports young scientists in all aspects of their career and skills development. It offers a variety of target group-specific training measures, such as courses to strengthen scientific, professional, personal and leadership skills, information on career-related external offers, and individual counselling. Structured mentoring and career development programs for postdocs are currently being developed.
Advanced Training
Dedicated clinician scientist programs with MHH will be further developed to strengthen in-house expertise in clinically oriented translational research.
For scientists seeking a career in translational infection medicine, the TRAIN Academy of the biomedical Translation Alliance in Lower Saxony offers a unique two-year extramural program.
Personnel Development
The HZI supports all employees - scientific, technical or administrative staff - in the performance of their duties and with regard to their further career paths. To this end, the Personnel Development offers a wide range of measures to promote the development of skills for all employees, to provide the necessary qualifications to fulfil their tasks and goals. The aim is to provide optimal support for employees at the HZI in their career development and to promote skills and competencies that are important for both the HZI and for individual professional development.
Family Office
The Family Office is a service point for all employees at all of HZI’s locations. It advises, accompanies and supports our employees who have family obligations, such as caring for children or relatives. Parents are supported by a cooperation with a well-known family service provider, but also by the Family Office’s own offers such as regular holiday childcare. The HZI pursues the goal of sustainably promoting the compatibility of career and family, which is why it has once again been re-certified as a family-friendly employer in 2024 through the ‘audit berufundfamilie’.
Vocational Training at HZI
The Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) offers young people the opportunity to lay the foundations for a successful professional future. Our practical and varied vocational training programs not only open up interesting career opportunities, but also the chance to participate in groundbreaking research projects. With us, trainees not only learn theory, they can also apply what they have learned directly in practice. In this way, they gain valuable experience that prepares them ideally for their professional future.
