1 July 2026

Photo: UniWind

The moment comes for most postdocs sooner or later: the first meeting with a supervisor after finishing the PhD, in which terms like "W1 salary scale" or "tenure track" suddenly come up – along with the question of how one's own academic career should actually continue. Anyone who feels lost in that moment is not alone: the German science system, with its federal particularities, complex position categories, and fixed-term qualification phases, is often considered hard to navigate even by experienced researchers.

This is exactly where the new UniWinD Special "Career Orientation in the German Science System" comes in. The freely accessible handbook was developed by the working group "Transparency and Information on Career Paths" of the UniWinD Postdoc Support Network – with Dr. Alexandra Franzke from SICSS as one of the authors.

The handbook is aimed at postdoctoral researchers in the early (R2) and advanced (R3) career phases. It explains position categories, legal frameworks such as the Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz (Fixed-Term Research Contracts Act), and the specifics of civil servant versus employee status in academia. A dedicated chapter addresses what matters for eligibility for a professorship – from publications to research funding to networking. At the heart of the publication is a detailed conversation guide that helps researchers systematically prepare for orientation meetings with their supervisors.

The handbook is also suitable for onboarding new postdocs, as well as for advisors and leaders in science management. It is available in German and free of charge; an English version is currently in preparation.

Access the publication