Career perspectives for junior scientists
In view of the increasing competition for highly qualified personnel between industry and the public sector - and thus also universities - in Germany and internationally, predictable career paths and good employment conditions at universities are an important prerequisite for justifying the decision to pursue an academic qualification and/or professional career at a university. Chemnitz University of Technology is committed to a personnel structure that is appropriate to the tasks, career paths that can be planned with certainty and stable employment conditions. At Chemnitz University of Technology, the following concepts exist for permanent contracts of early-career academics:
1. Permanent term concept for academic staff
In the case of outstanding achievements by junior scientists, it is possible to apply for a permanent position. This is intended to promote junior scientists who have proven to be excellent and to anchor them permanently at Chemnitz University of Technology. The decision on whether to grant permanent employment is made by the University Management. The prerequisite for this is the fulfillment of certain criteria.
More information can be found under the following link:
2. Senior assistant positions
In order to enable professors with both a high level of research activity and a high teaching load to achieve even greater efficiency and planning security and to secure their ability to act, and also to offer academic staff predictable career paths in academia, the Rectorate has made it possible to establish senior assistantships. Corresponding criteria for the establishment of senior assistantships have been announced. Due to their long-term affiliation with the professorship, the holders of senior assistantships should be able to relieve the professorship holder in a targeted manner and, if necessary, to represent him or her in specific areas of responsibility. In addition, they should play an important role in maintaining and passing on the expertise available at the professorship, which is constantly developing. In this way, the opportunities for excellent research and teaching at Chemnitz University of Technology are to be further increased in the medium and long term and the conditions for early-career academics are to be further improved and secured. The criteria for senior assistant positions were modified and published in July 2022.
More information can be found under the following link:
3. Research multiplier positions
Research multiplier positions, i.e. the conversion of a 50% budget position into a permanent position and thus the unlimited part-time employment of academic staff, are aimed at generating capacity at high-performing professorships for the creation of new doctoral positions financed by third-party funds. The relevant criteria and the application process for research multiplier positions were last modified and published in July 2022.
More information can be found under the following link:
4. Functional positions
Functional positions are permanent positions which, on the basis of a concept agreed between the faculty and the rectorate, should not be filled primarily for qualification purposes, but due to permanent tasks, particularly in teaching and research.
In 2024 the criteria for making academic staff in functional positions permanent were last modified by the Rectorate.
More information can be found under the following links:
Rundschreiben 66/2022
Rundschreiben 22/2024
5. Lecturer with special responsibilities
Positions for lecturers with special responsibilities (LbA) may be established in areas of activity in which the teaching of practical skills and knowledge is of primary importance. As a rule, lecturers with special responsibilities unshall be employed with a permanent contract.
6. Teaching position
Establishment of a teaching position concept in order to generate a higher teaching load in areas with a high teaching load on the one hand and to offer academic staff a long-term perspective in the area of teaching on the other.
More information can be found under the following link:
7. Tenure-track (junior) professorships
Tenure-track (junior) professorships were introduced at Chemnitz University of Technology with the promise of transfer to a permanent professorship in the event of a positive tenure evaluation (without job reservation). This is intended to enable early-career academics to enter the university structure at an early stage, combined with academic independence even in the qualification phase at post-doc level. The TU Chemnitz also successfully participated in the second round of approval of the Federal-Länder Programme for the Promotion of Young Academics (WISNA Programme). As a result, five so-called tenure-track professorships can be filled in the next few years. For each of the tenure-track professorships, the TU Chemnitz will receive a grant of around 118,000 euros per year for up to a maximum of ten years from the Federal-Länder Programme for the Promotion of Young Academics.
More information can be found under the following links:
Rundschreiben 08/2019
Uni aktuell: TU Chemnitz ist erfolgreich im Bund-Länder-Programm zur Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses
