Senior Researchers & Faculty
Roughly 530,000 people are employed in the research and development sector. More than 300,000 scholars and researchers work as professors, lecturers, assistants, academic staff and teachers in German higher education. Roughly 200,000 of them have full-time posts. Senior researchers can find excellent working conditions in the fields of science, teaching and research.
In addition to universities and other higher education institutions, hundreds of non-university research institutions offer excellent research opportunities for international senior researchers. Approximately 10 billion euros a year are spent on research and development at non-university research institutions in Germany. Three-quarters of this budget is spent on natural and engineering sciences. Outside higher education, the non-university research centres of the Helmholtz Association, the Max Planck Society, the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the Leibniz Association are counted among the world’s best research establishments. Research here is international and members of research teams come from all over the world. As a result, the research language is usually English.
With its excellent infrastructure, its well-equipped research facilities, its broadly based funding opportunities and favourable living conditions, Germany offers international researchers very good conditions for a successful research career.
Established researchers can gain experience, develop research collaborations or work towards a professorship. A career in industry is also an option.
Germany places great emphasis on cooperation with international groups of researchers working together on a particular research project.
Short-term research stays in Germany can strengthen research cooperation and enhance an individual’s research profile.
A visiting professorship at a German university enables international researchers to strengthen cooperation with German research institutions and establish international contacts.
A professorship at a German university is an interesting opportunity for experienced researchers who want to spend more than a temporary visit or a short-term research stay in Germany.
Prestigious and highly endowed research prizes enable international researchers to realise projects in Germany.
German industry also looks for qualified personnel worldwide. Experienced researchers are primarily in demand in applied research in automotive and mechanical engineering, in the electrical industry and the chemical and pharmaceutical sector.
Although it is useful to speak the local language, English is the working language in many laboratories and institutes in Germany.
There are many funding opportunities for foreign scientists in Germany. Read more about interesting funding programmes by several funding and research organisations.
Jump directly:
to the main navigation,
to the top of the page
