The University of Oldenburg offers the temporary financing of an assistant to relieve the workload of junior professors, junior research group leaders, tenure track professors and other academic researchers with a doctorate in phases when family life makes particularly heavy demands. NEW: Postdoctoral researchers who need support in continuing their scientific career due to a disability or chronic illness are also eligible to apply.

Target group: The target group is limited to early-career postdoctoral academic staff in temporary employment who are still pursuing further academic qualifications (junior and tenure-track professors, junior research group leaders, postdoctoral candidates seeking a Habilitation, and holders of qualification positions (FWN positions)).

Scope:   Up to 3 months (in exceptional cases, 4 months)

Costs: None for applicants.

Application:  Interested scholars should submit an informal written application by post or email to the Vice President for Early Career Researchers, Equal Opportunities and Diversity, via the Graduate Academy. The application must explain the need for support. Only reasons related to improving the applicant’s work-life balance or related to a disability or a chronic illness may be acknowledged. The application must specify the tasks that the assistant is to perform, as well as the number of working hours and the estimated period in which the assistant’s support will be needed. The support can be granted for 3 months at the most, although in exceptional cases (e.g. in the event of long-term illness of a child or a person in need of care), 4 months of support may be granted. The application may only be submitted once.

Required information:

• Justification of the need to hire an assistant
• Description of the activities that the assistant will perform
• The number of hours that the assistant will work per month
• Qualifications held by the assistant (BA or MA or without degree)
• Duration of the need for assistance
• Cost calculation
• If applicable, proof of belonging to the target group (only status of employment; evidence of disabilities and chronic illnesses are not required)

Subject to the availability of sufficient funds, the applications will be processed in the order in which they are received.

The applicant will be informed of the decision by the Graduate Academy.

The applicant will be responsible for personnel management and supervision and will ensure that the funds are used in accordance with the purpose of the grant.

Appointments: At any time, according to individual needs.

Evaluation: When the support has ended, the applicants will be asked for brief feedback that will be used for evaluation (1 page at most).

Please note: Temporary employment of student assistants (studentische Hilfskräfte) is generally possible without any problems. The temporary employment of academic assistants (wissenschaftliche Hilfskräfte) is subject to specific legal regulations. Therefore, please contact Division 1 before initiating a contract in order to clarify individual conditions.

If you are interested, please contact by email or phone:

Dr Susanne Elpers, Department for Research and Transfer, Graduate Academy.