Helmholtz Association Perspectives for junior researchers Dr. Caroline Krüger Forschen in Europa, September 2012 HELMHOLTZ MISSION . Seeking solutions for major societal challenges with cutting-edge research . Think big, act big: Developing and operating complex infrastructure and large-scale facilities for the national and international scientific community . Creating wealth for society and industry through transfer of knowledge and innovation PAGE 2 FACTS AND FIGURES . 33,634 Staff . 11,369 scientists & engineers . 6,234 PhD students . 1,623 vocational trainees . Budget 2012: €3.4 billion . €2.1 bn: Institutional funding (90% federal, 10% local) . €1.1 bn: Third-party funding . €0.1 bn: Other (Helmholtz Institutes, National Centres for Health Research) Germany's largest scientific research organisation. PAGE 3 HELMHOLTZ CENTRES . Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) . Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY . German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) . German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) . German Aerospace Center (DLR) . Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) . Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) . GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research . Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB) . Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) . Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ . Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) . Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht - Centre for Materials and Coastal Research (HZG) . Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (HMGU) . Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ, German Research Centre for Geosciences . Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch . Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (associated) (IPP) . 01/01/12: Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research – GEOMAR PAGE 4 18 HELMHOLTZ CENTRES Helmholtz Centre Branch of a Helmholtz Centre Dresden Freiberg Helmholtz Institute Helmholtz Head Office UlmUlm PAGE 5 CUTTING-EDGE SCIENCE IN NETWORKS The six research fields Energy Key Technologies Earth & Environment Structure of Matter Aeronautics, Space Health and Transport PAGE 6 RESEARCH FIELD ENERGY For Example: Reducing CO2 Emissions . Solar-thermal power stations . Bioliq pilot plant . Geothermal pilot plant . CO separation with membranes SOLHYCO/DLR 2 and CO2 sequestration . Nuclear fusion (ITER) ASDEX UPGRADE/IPP PAGE 7 RESEARCH FIELD EARTH & ENVIRONMENT For Example: Understanding Climate Change . Polar research with the ice- breaker Polarstern and the Neumayer Station . Earth observation with satellites Polarstern/AWI . Understanding atmospheric changes with the HALO aircraft . The climate initiative REKLIM HALO/DLR and Regional Climate Offices PAGE 8 BROAD VARIETY OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS . 260 joint appointments . Promoting joint initiatives through: . 14 Helmholtz Alliances . 5 Helmholtz Institutes Karlsruhe Institute of Technology . 110 Virtual Institutes . 164 Helmholtz Young Investigators Groups . German Centres of Health Research . Excellence initiative . Merger of university and non-university research centres creates the KIT Helmholtz Zentrum München . JARA: Jülich Aachen Research Alliance PAGE 9 HELMHOLTZ INTERNATIONAL . Base for new large-scale facilities with international participation, e.g. XFEL, FAIR . Participation in international projects, e.g. ITER . Liaison offices in Brussels, Moscow, Beijing . Bilateral partnerships around the world . 6,267 visiting scientists at Helmholtz Centres PAGE 10 Talent Management – We care for Talents . Little Scientists’ House . 25 Helmholtz School Labs . 1,623 trainees . 6,234 doctoral students . 13 Helmholtz Graduate Schools and 20 Helmholtz Research Schools . New: Helmholtz Postdoc Program . 164 Helmholtz Young Investigators Groups with tenure option . Excellence Programme for female professors . Helmholtz Management Academy . Mentoring PAGE 11 Helmholtz Postdoc Program . Start of new program in 2012 . Annual Call for 20 positions . 100.000 € (approx. 130.000 $) per year . Funding period of 3 years . Possibility to attend management seminars and participate in mentoring programme . Scientific independence in an early career stage . Stay abroad is possible . At least 50 % of positions will be granted to women SEITE 12 Helmholtz Postdoc Program Requirements and Selection Process Requirements . 0-1 year after PhD . Scientific excellence Selection process . Helmholtz Centre: Pre-Selection . Helmholtz Head Office: Pre-Selection after written assessments from international reviewers . Helmholtz Head Office: Final Selection by interdisciplinary panel SEITE 13 Helmholtz Young Investigators Groups . Annual Call for 20 new groups . 250.000 € (approx. 350.000 $) per year (staff, infrastructure, material) . Funding period of 5 years . Possibility to use the large scale facilities and infrastructure of the Helmholtz Centre . Scientific independence in an early career stage . Reliable career prospects based on proven research performance (Tenure Option) . Possibility of a jointly appointed Junior Professorship SEITE 14 Helmholtz Young Investigators Groups Requirements and Selection Process Requirements . 2-6 years after PhD . 6 month stay abroad (for Germans) . Scientific excellence Selection process . Helmholtz Centre: Pre-Selection . Helmholtz Head Office: Pre-Selection after written assessments from international reviewers . Helmholtz Head Office: Final Selection after oral presentation in front of an interdisciplinary panel SEITE 15 Helmholtz Young Investigators Groups Application . Next Call: Mid-February 2012 . Submission of Proposal at Helmholtz Centre by End of March 2012 . Submission of Proposal at Helmholtz Head Office by End of May 2012 . Final Selection: September 2012 . The Call is published on our website and in scientific journals like „Nature“ and „Science“ PAGE 16 How to become a Postdoc at Helmholtz outside the Programmes Option 1: Check the vacancies at our website .Vacancies of all Helmholtz Centres .Comprehensive search engine ANA .Currently 260 open Postdoc-Positions www.helmholtz.de/jobs_talente/ PAGE 17 How to become a PostDoc at Helmholtz outside the Young Investigators Groups Programme Option 2: Contact the Helmholtz Centres directly At www.helmholtz.de/en you find: . A list of all Helmholtz Centres . An overview of the 30 research programmes within the 6 Helmholtz research fields . Further contact details Based on this information you can decide: . In which programme your research interests might fit in . At which Helmholtz Centre you would like to work The next step would be to adress the respective contact person and present your project/introduce yourself PAGE 18 Promoting Young Scientists on an International Level . China - Helmholtz-CAS* Joint Research Groups - Helmholtz-China Scholarship Council Exchange . Russia - Helmholtz-Russia Joint Research Groups . European Union - Award for ERC Starting Grantees * Chinese Academy of Sciences PAGE 19 Helmholtz Management Academy Good research needs good management . Personnel development and qualification for (future) managerial responsibility . Promotion of a consistent and integrative leadership throughout Helmholtz . Courses in General Management for Young Talents and Upper Management Level . Creating a strong network within Helmholtz PAGE 20 Helmholtz Mentoring Programmes Spotting talents – Developing competences . Mentoring Programme of the Helmholtz Management Academy and for Young Investigators Group leaders . Taking the lead… (“In Führung gehen”) – Helmholtz Mentoring Programme for young female managers (science/administration) . More than 100 executives are actively involved in Helmholtz Association’s Mentoring Programmes Talent management – an essential part of Helmholtz culture PAGE 21 Thank you for your attention! www.helmholtz.de [email protected].