Junior scientists
Funding and support for early-career researchers
Funding and support for early-career researchers
There are various ways and means to finance a doctorate. Most doctoral candidates are employed as research assistants at the university or a university-related research institute, finance themselves or receive a scholarship.
Each form of financing has advantages and disadvantages that must be weighed individually.
At the University of Tübingen, positions for doctoral students are advertised via the job portal.
The University of Tübingen does not award any doctoral scholarships. However, doctoral students of all subjects have the opportunity to apply for the state graduate funding. More information can be found here.
All major funding agencies also offer their own doctoral scholarships: Overview
There is the possibility to apply for a STIBET-scholarship for international, non-European students who are struggeling financially while finishing their PhD. For further information, please send an e-mail to simone.hahne@uni-tuebingen.de
The Graduate Academy will be glad to advise you.
The Graduate Academy's Consultation offer
Consulting for financial funding for Doctoral candidates & those interested in doing a PhD
Funding opportunities for qualified researchers
Financial funding for qualified researchers; DFG-programs, European Counsil funding
The Graduate Academy
Qualification, consultation & information
Researcher development
Researcher development concepts and networks for researchers
Information platform Graduate Academy
Intramural funding opportunities
Contact persons
Do you have further questions?
You can find the right contact person on the Researcher development & Graduate Academy's team page.
In addition, you will find some worth knowing content on the topic of financing and funding in the Graduate Academy's Information platform.
Emmy Noether Junior Research Groups
The Emmy Noether Programme gives exceptionally qualified early career researchers the chance to qualify for a university professorship by leading an independent junior research group. The groups are funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) for a period of six years.
Athene Programme
The Athene Programme at the University of Tübingen aims to support women on their way into academia, starting with their studies and ending with a professorship.
In the various programme lines Athene Mentoring, Athene Grant and Athene Advanced, offers are made (or still being developed) for different target groups, which are tailored to different
- career phases (e.g. studies, doctorate, postdoc, junior professorship, NG leadership, etc.)
- Individual framework conditions and needs (e.g. international women scientists, trans*, inter* and non-binary people, first generation, migration background, care responsibilities ...)
- study and subject cultures and structures.
The programme is financed from budget funds and funds from the Excellence Initiative.
If you are interested in the Athene Programme as a whole or in a specific funding line and would like to be added to the information mailing list, please send a short message via E-mail.
ERC Starting Grant
The European Research Council (ERC) was founded by the European Commission to sponsor basic research. It provides funding to outstanding researchers conducting pioneering work in their fields. . ERC Starting Grants enable promising junior researchers to establish their own research units. Each project sponsored receives up to 1.5 million euros for up to five years.
Counselling centre at the University of Tübingen: Elisabeth Baier (Devision II Research)
Post-Doctoral Studies ("Habilitation")
General information
The habilitation serves to demonstrate the special ability to independently represent a research area/subject represented at the Faculty of Science in research and teaching (Venia Legendi). A successful habilitation leads to the award of the title "Privatdozent". This is also associated with the right to supervise doctorates at the Faculty of Science and to act as an examiner and reviewer in doctoral procedures.
For the Habilitation procedure, you need a mentor from the relevant department who is a professorial member of our faculty.
The Habilitation Regulations of the Faculty of Science were approved by the Senate on 9 December 2010. It is recommended that you make an appointment with Dr. Elaine Huggenberger before submitting your habilitation application.
Important notice:
- Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
- Complete documents must be received by the Dean's Office 14 days prior to the meeting of the Postgraduate Affairs Board in order to be considered.
- Link to the next meeting dates of the Postgraudate Affairs Board
Download
Information (in german only)
Interim evaluation (in german only)
Submission of the Habilitation (in german only)
- Form Habilitation application pdf
- Form List of teaching courses excel
- Explanations to the Habilitation application pdf
Habilitation exams
- Habilitation exams take place as onsite events. In principle it is possible to do the Habilitatin exam in an online format provided the approval of the relevant department.
- The oral habilitation examination is conducted by the Department´s Speaker.
- A short protocol (in german) is prepared and kept on file.
Junior Professorships (W1)
Junior professorships with and without tenure track
Tenure track procedure
The tenure track procedure is designed to offer excellent young scientists attractive career prospects at the University of Cologne. At the end of a successfully completed tenure track procedure, they are transferred to a permanent professorship.
The process usually consists of a 4-year phase followed by a 2-year phase, each of which is concluded by an evaluation. The result of the interim evaluation serves to determine the qualification as a university lecturer and, in the case of a positive result, leads to an extension of the professorship or the employment contract for a further two years. The final evaluation serves as a quality-assured basis for the decision on the continuation of the professorship or the employment contract.
Junior professorships without tenure track
The junior professorship without tenure track offers young academics the opportunity to perform research and teaching tasks independently at an early stage of their career and to qualify for a lifetime professorship. With the establishment of the junior professorship, a new career path was created that is intended to provide young scientists with a modern and independent access to a professorship.
Junior professorships without tenure track are usually limited to six years. After four years, the junior professor undergoes a interim evaluation, which corresponds to the interim evaluation of junior professors and research assistants with tenure track. The result of the interim evaluation also serves in these procedures to determine the qualification as a university teacher and, in the case of a positive result, leads to an extension of the professorship or the employment contract for another two years.
Evaluations
The forms for the application to open the respective proceedings are available on request at gremien@mnf.uni-tuebingen.de.
Information on the interim evaluation of Junior Professor and Junior Lectureships
Quality assurance concept according to § 51b LHG for Junior Professors with tenure track and evalation statutes concering Junior Professors and Junior Lectureships
(deutsch, konsolidierte Lesefassung, Satzung vom 12. Oktober 2018 mit zweiter Änderungssatzung vom 15. Juli 2021, veröffentlicht in den Amtlichen Bekanntmachungen Nr. 23/2018 und Nr. 22/2021)
Quality assurance plan according to § 51 b LHG for assistant professorships with tenure track and evaluation statute regarding assistant professors and junior lecturers
(english, consolidated version, statute of 12 October 2018 with second amendment of 15 July 2021, published in the University of Tübingen’s official notices, the Amtliche Bekanntmachungen, no. 23/2018 and no. 22/2021)
Conatct for the Interim Evaluation: Stefanie Welsch E-Mail
Conatct for the Final Evaluation: Maria Moroff E-Mail
Time schedule
Month 0: Start of the junior professorship
Month 6: Perspective discussion 1
Month 31: Perspective discussion 2
Month 34: Junior professor applies for interim evaluation
- Department proposes commission
- Commission is approved by the Faculty Council and Rectorate
- Request for self-evaluation report (4 weeks deadline)
- Request for statement from Dean of Studies
- Appointment for meeting
- Create final report
- Contract extension / certificate for a further 2 years
Month 55: Perspective discussion 3
Month 58: Junior professorship applies for final evaluation
- JP applies for final evaluation
- Department proposes commission and external evaluators
- Approval of EC by Faculty Council and Rectorate
- Request for self-evaluation report, statement from Dean of Studies and expert opinion
- Appointment for meeting
- Create final report
Month 72: End of contract (for W1) or transfer to W3 (for W1 TT)
Research Data Management
RDM for the Natural Sciences
Research data management (RDM) methods, tools and procedures can differ depending on the scientific discipline. Different types of data require different solutions. Each subject area has its own standards or recommendations based on the requirements of the specific data and research processes.
The following information has therefore been compiled specifically for researchers in natural sciences.
Core Facilities
for the Natural Sciences
Core Facilities offer overarching yet subject-specific and individual counseling on the topic of RDM and therefore are recommended as a first point of contact:
QBiC
The Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC) provides consultation for natural and life scientists on the management of their specific research data. The Core Facility also offers various services, e.g. generating and analyzing high-throughput data and has specialized in bioinformatics and omics technologies.
QBiC
support@qbic.zendesk.com
+49 7071 29-82530
LISA+
The Center for Light-Matter Interaction, Sensors and Analytics (LISA+) consists of a multidisciplinary nano-structuring and analysis laboratory of the departments of physics, chemistry, geosciences, biology and medical materials science. LISA+ offers various technologies as well as methods and provides consultation on planning, utilization and knowledge transfer - also in the area of research data management within the natural sciences.
LISA+
info@lisaplus.uni-tuebingen.de
+49 7071 29-76260
TSM
Tübingen Structural Microscopy (TSM) specializes in the geosciences, life sciences and material sciences. The Core Facility offers (cryo)electron microscopy and thus expands the services of the Network Electron Microscopy Tübingen (NET). Services range from sample preparation, instrument operation and imaging to interpretation and analysis. Training formats and consultation are offered as well, also for research data management.
TSM
stefan.fischer@tsm.uni-tuebingen.de
+49 7071 29-78929
NFDI Consortia
for the Natural Sciences
NFDI consortia offer subject-specific services and information on the topic of RDM. They are suitable contacts for additional, discipline-specific consultation:
With Tübingen Participation
DAPHNE4NFDI
DAPHNE4NFDI is a consortium for data from photon and neutron experiments. The offerings and services are therefore tailored to researchers in physics and chemistry, but may also be suitable for the fields of catalysis, life sciences, materials science and archaeology.
NFDI4Earth
The focus of the NFDI4Earth consortium is on earth system research. Researchers in the geosciences and related disciplines can find support here for questions relating to research data management.
NFDI4Objects
NFDI4Objects combines the humanities with the natural sciences through its focus on archaeology. All disciplines conducting research in the field of material remains of human history will find expert contacts there.
Further Consortia
FAIRmat
The FAIRmat consortium focuses on physics, more specifically on the chemical physics of solid substances and condensed matter physics. However, services in the areas of synthesis, experimentation, theory and simulations may also be of interest to other disciplines within chemistry or engineering.
PUNCH4NFDI
Within physics, PUNCH4NFDI focuses on the fields of particle physics, astroparticle physics, hadron and nuclear physics as well as astronomy. The consortium offers services and expertise for the often extensive amounts of data generated in these disciplines.
MaRDI
MaRDI stands for Mathematical Research Data Initiative. The consortium offers services in the field of RDM for mathematical research and all disciplines that use mathematics within the research process. Mathematical research data can be, for example, databases, mathematical objects, aspects of scientific computing, models, algorithms or data from statistical analyses.
NFDI4Biodiversity
The NFDI4Biodiversity consortium focuses on research data in biology, ecology and biodiversity research. Biodiversity encompasses genotypic, phenotypic and functional diversity as well as the interaction of species, populations and ecosystems.
NFDI4Cat
Catalysis research and catalysis-related sciences such as chemical engineering and process engineering will find suitable advice at NFDI4Cat. As catalysis is interdisciplinary and has high practical relevance, the consortium bundles various disciplines and services.
NFDI4Chem
The NFDI4Chem consortium focuses on all subject areas within chemistry. Researchers in scientific disciplines related to chemistry will find advice and services on research data management here.
NFDI4DataScience
NFDI4DataScience focuses on research data in data science and artificial intelligence (AI). As these research areas affect different disciplines, the consortium is initially concentrating on the fields of language technology, biomedical research, information sciences and social sciences.
NFDIxCS
NFDIxCS serves the research field of computer science and thus offers a contact point for all computer science disciplines. Researchers within these disciplines can find advice and services on research data management here.
Research Projects on RDM
within the Natural Sciences
RDM structures and services have been and are being developed and used in numerous research projects. The following projects involve and have involved researchers from Tübingen.
Depending on the nature of your own research data, tools and/or expertise developed within the projects may be helpful for data management:
binAC
Bioinformatics and Astrophysics Research Cluster
The BinAC - Bioinformatics and Astrophysics Research Cluster is part of the bwHPC initiative (High Performance Cloud Computing). BinAC was funded by the DFG and the state of Baden-Württemberg from 2016 to 2021.
The aim of the concept is to provide researchers with optimized HPC resources for their disciplines, consisting of hardware, software and support.
BioDATEN
Research Data Center
Since 2019, four research data centers have been funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg. Within the data centers, researchers are to work closely with data centers and libraries to enable access to and use of digital data sets.
BioDATEN - Bioinformatics Data Environment is one of these four centers, which was funded from 2019 to 2023. The aim was to support bioinformatics workflows across the entire life cycle of the data. This facilitates access to the various independent infrastructures at regional, national and international level.
INF-Project
TRR 356 PlantMicrobe
Information Management and Information Infrastructure in Collaborative Research Centers (INF) can be applied for as a subproject in Collaborative Research Centers (CRC) or CRC/Transregio (TRR) of the DFG. They serve to develop and implement project-specific data management concepts and to establish and operate the associated infrastructure.
The INF project Virtual Environment for Research Data and Analysis (VERDA) of the TRR 356 - PlantMicrobe is based in the natural and life sciences. The TRR will run from 2023 to 2026.
INF-Project
CRC 1253 CAMPOS
Information Management and Information Infrastructure in Collaborative Research Centers (INF) can be applied for as a subproject in Collaborative Research Centers (CRC) or CRC/Transregio (TRR) of the DFG. They serve to develop and implement project-specific data management concepts and to establish and operate the associated infrastructure.
The INF project Data Infrastructure and Data Communication Environments of the CRC 1253 - CAMPOS was based in the geosciences. The CRC ran from 2017 to 2021.
EOSC-Life
Building a Digital Space for the Life Sciences
EOSC-Life - Building a Digital Space for the Life Sciences was an EU-funded project within the natural sciences in the field of biology with a funding period from 2019 to 2023.
The aim was to bring together 13 Europe-wide life sciences research institutions in the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures to create an open, digital, collaborative space for life sciences research.
de.NBI
German Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure
de.NBI - German Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure was a BMBF-funded project within bioinformatics with a funding period from 2014 to 2021.
The aim was to provide bioinformatics services for researchers within the life sciences in Germany and Europe. Since 2022, the de.NBI network has been continued at Forschungszentrum Jülich.
Further Information
RDM for the Life Sciences
Research data management (RDM) methods, tools and procedures can differ depending on the scientific discipline. Different types of data require different solutions. Each subject area has its own standards or recommendations based on the requirements of the specific data and research processes.
The following information has therefore been compiled specifically for researchers in life sciences.
Contact Persons at UKT
for the Life Sciences
Researchers at the Faculty of Medicine can find support for data storage and management at the Department für Informationstechnologie und Angewandte Medizininformatik. The department includes the following two areas:
Geschäftsbereich IT (GB-IT)
The Geschäftsbereich Informationstechnologie (GB-IT) pools all of the University Hospital's IT concerns and offers expertise and infrastructure in the area of data storage.
GB-IT
IT-Service-Desk@med.uni-tuebingen.de
+49 7071 29-81081
Medical Data Integration Center (meDIC)
The Medical Data Integration Center (meDIC) develops innovative IT solutions for the life sciences. As a Data Integration Center (DIZ) within the framework of DIFUTURE and the Medizininformatik-Initiative (MII), it offers various services in the field of data management.
meDIC
medic.info@medizin.uni-tuebingen.de
+49 7071 29-84335
Core Facilities
for the Life Sciences
Core Facilities offer overarching yet subject-specific and individual counseling on the topic of RDM and therefore are recommended as a first point of contact:
QBiC
The Quantitative Biology Center (QBiC) provides consultation for natural and life scientists on the management of their specific research data. The Core Facility also offers various services, e.g. generating and analyzing high-throughput data and has specialized in bioinformatics and omics technologies.
QBiC
support@qbic.zendesk.com
+49 7071 29-82530
NFDI Consortia
for the Life Sciences
NFDI consortia offer subject-specific services and information on the topic of RDM. They are suitable contacts for additional, discipline-specific consultation:
With Tübingen Participation
DataPLANT
The DataPLANT consortium deals with data management in basic plant research. It therefore offers expertise for all disciplines that conduct research on plants within biology or similar subject areas.
GHGA
The German Human Genome Phenome Archive (GHGA) is a consortium for all life sciences that deal with human genome data. This primarily addresses researchers in biomedical disciplines.
NFDI4Immuno
NFDI4Immuno provides infrastructure and expertise for scientists involved in immunological research. This can relate to both human and animal immunology.
NFDI4BIOIMAGE
The NFDI4BIOIMAGE consortium focuses on biological image data and image analysis. At its core are (light) microscopy and bioimage informatics.
Further Consortia
NFDI4Health
The NFDI4Health consortium specializes in personal health data. The focus lies on epidemiological, public health and clinical study data.
NFDI4Microbiota
The focus of NFDI4Microbiota is on microbiology. The consortium concentrates in particular on omics data. Researchers within the life sciences will find services and expertise here.
Research Projects on RDM
within the Life Sciences
RDM structures and services have been and are being developed and used in numerous research projects. The following projects involve and have involved researchers from Tübingen.
Depending on the nature of your own research data, tools and/or expertise developed within the projects may be helpful for data management:
binAC
Bioinformatics and Astrophysics Research Cluster
The BinAC - Bioinformatics and Astrophysics Research Cluster is part of the bwHPC initiative (High Performance Cloud Computing). BinAC was funded by the DFG and the state of Baden-Württemberg from 2016 to 2021.
The aim of the concept is to provide researchers with optimized HPC resources for their disciplines, consisting of hardware, software and support.
BioDATEN
Research Data Center
Since 2019, four research data centers have been funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg. Within the data centers, researchers are to work closely with data centers and libraries to enable access to and use of digital data sets.
BioDATEN - Bioinformatics Data Environment is one of these four centers, which was funded from 2019 to 2023. The aim was to support bioinformatics workflows across the entire life cycle of the data. This facilitates access to the various independent infrastructures at regional, national and international level.
IMeRa
Virtual Research Environment
Virtual or digital research environments are working platforms that have been developed to enable scientists to conduct research together from different locations at the same time.
IMeRa - Integrated Mobile Health Research Platform is a virtual research environment (VRE) for the life sciences, in particular for research and patient-related data that is collected, provided and accessed via mobile devices.
INF-Project
TRR 356 PlantMicrobe
Information Management and Information Infrastructure in Collaborative Research Centers (INF) can be applied for as a subproject in Collaborative Research Centers (CRC) or CRC/Transregio (TRR) of the DFG. They serve to develop and implement project-specific data management concepts and to establish and operate the associated infrastructure.
The INF project Virtual Environment for Research Data and Analysis (VERDA) of the TRR 356 - PlantMicrobe is based in the natural and life sciences. The TRR will run from 2023 to 2026.
INF-Project
TRR 209 Liver Cancer
Information Management and Information Infrastructure in Collaborative Research Centers (INF) can be applied for as a subproject in Collaborative Research Centers (CRC) or CRC/Transregio (TRR) of the DFG. They serve to develop and implement project-specific data management concepts and to establish and operate the associated infrastructure.
The INF project Standardized Biobanking, Evaluation of Human Sample and Model Systems, Databases, Bioinformatics in TRR 209 - Liver Cancer was based in the life sciences. The TRR ran from 2017 to 2022.
GDI
European Genomic Data Infrastructure
GDI - European Genomic Data Infrastructure is an EU and BMBF-funded project in the life sciences with a funding period from 2022 to 2026.
The project aims to bring together 22 countries to establish a cross-national network of genome data that can be used for the purposes of biomedical research and personalized medicine.
EOSC-Life
Building a Digital Space for the Life Sciences
EOSC-Life - Building a Digital Space for the Life Sciences was an EU-funded project within the natural sciences in the field of biology with a funding period from 2019 to 2023.
The aim was to bring together 13 Europe-wide life sciences research institutions in the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures to create an open, digital, collaborative space for life sciences research.
de.NBI
German Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure
de.NBI - German Network for Bioinformatics Infrastructure was a BMBF-funded project within bioinformatics with a funding period from 2014 to 2021.
The aim was to provide bioinformatics services for researchers within the life sciences in Germany and Europe. Since 2022, the de.NBI network has been continued at Forschungszentrum Jülich.
DIFUTURE
Medical Informatics Consortium
DIFUTURE - Medical Informatics Consortium is a BMBF-funded project in the life sciences. The funding period was from 2018 to 2021; since 2023 up to 2026, the university is involved in a follow-up project within Module 1A.
The aim was and is to jointly collect data from patient care under strict data protection requirements in order to improve treatment options in the future. The departments involved are medicine, computer science, biostatistics and bioinformatics.
In the follow-up project, the developed structures are to be further expanded, consolidated and linked with existing structures. The local partner in Tübingen is meDIC - Medical Data Integration Center at Tübingen University Hospital (UKT).
ANOVAGET
Annotation and Visualization of Genomic and Transcriptomic Data for Molecular Tumor Boards
ANOVAGET - Annotation and Visualization of Genomic and Transcriptomic Data for Molecular Tumor Boards was a project within the life sciences that was funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg from 2020 to 2022.
The aim of the project was to develop software for analyzing sequencing results in order to facilitate decisions on different forms of therapy.
IDEM
Integrated Digital Consent Management for Clinical and Research
IDEM - Integrated Digital Consent Management for Clinical and Research was a project in the life sciences with a funding period from 2021 to 2022. The project was funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg.
The aim of IDEM was to digitize the consent management of patient data. Patient consent can thus be found faster and better, stored securely and passed on to parties within the patient supply chain.
Further Information