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[nr1yet_geek]

I was wondering if someone could enlighten me on the hiring process in Germany. Is it as HR driven as in the US? In particular, do you have to have your application packet submitted by the due date or are German universities more flexible and can invite potential candidates even though their package did not arrive in time? Thanks in advance.

[wet_blanket]

Well, the Germans are famous for being flexible with time.  And who wouldn't want a colleague who can't meet a deadline?

To answer your question seriously, I have no idea.  You could try asking in the "working overseas" section of the fora; there might be some folk there who can answer your question.

[euro_ir_nerd]

The first thing to know about German universities is that these are state-funded institutions and hence function a lot like bureaucracies. This means that - in theory - every little step of the selection process must be 100% by the book. (In practice, however, the byzantine nature of the system invites nepotism and favoritism. If you have a buddy at the university or a famous professor pushing your candidacy, your chances are much improved.) If any part of the process violates any of the rules and regulations this is sufficient grounds to overturn the whole process. So yes, your materials have to arrive on time; late submissions will probably not even be considered. In addition, be prepared for the process to take a looooong time. Here's why:

• After receiving applications, the selection committee puts together a short list.
• Optional: Applicants on the short list are asked to submit additional publications. Further winnowing of the list.
• Remaining short-listed applicants are invited to an interview.
• Selection committee asks outside experts for reviews of the top candidates.
• After all the reviews are in, the committee submits a "top-three" list of candidates to the administration.
• In a beautifully choreographed dance of bureaucracy, the faculty committee, the senate, the university president, the cleaning lady and - depending on the university - various other bodies have the possibility to derail the process which takes a month or two even under the best of circumstances.
• An offer is extended to the person at the top of the list. Negotiations ensue, usually taking one to three months. If #1 declines, an offer is extended to the next person and so on.

On average, hiring someone at the professor level takes about a year in Germany, in some cases it has been to take much, much longer.

[jruiz]

There was an article in the CHE a while back which detailed that the title "Doktor" could only be used for those who had earned PhDs from German universities.

[euro_ir_nerd]

There was an article in the CHE a while back which detailed that the title "Doktor" could only be used for those who had earned PhDs from German universities.

Not true. If you have a degree from a non-German university, some faceless bureaucrat has a list of countries/institutions whose PhD they trust (and US universities will be on this list). If you've got your PhD from some other place, you might have to provide some documentation that demonstrates this institution's academic qualities.

[qrypt]

There was an article in the CHE a while back which detailed that the title "Doktor" could only be used for those who had earned PhDs from German universities.

Not true. If you have a degree from a non-German university, some faceless bureaucrat has a list of countries/institutions whose PhD they trust (and US universities will be on this list). If you've got your PhD from some other place, you might have to provide some documentation that demonstrates this institution's academic qualities.

Apparently your faceless bureaucrat doesn't know all the rules, then -- otherwise why would the police have investigated these guys? 

Here's the thread in question: http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,48035.0.html

[qrypt]

And if you look here, you'll see he is referred to as Professor Ian T. Baldwin, not Prof. Dr. Ian T. Baldwin like his colleagues.  Apparently the charges were dropped, but he is still not Dr.

[sandgrounder]

This is actually quite funny. Traditionally Germany didn't recognise foreign PhDs (law dates back to the Nazi period); then some of the less conservative Laender realised this made them look slightly ridiculous and starting shifting ground. Since 2001 anyone with a PhD from the EU can call themselves Dr bla bla PhD (but they cannot use the German doctoral title for their subject eg Dr bla bla rer nat). This did not apply to US or any other PhDs though who could only call themselves Jack Smith PhD unless individual regions had changed their policy - Hamburg and Baden-Wuertemburg if I remember rightly were progressive on this. But the academics who firmly believe that no non-German degree is worth the paper it's written on still fought to deny American PhDs in particular and eventually with their effort to prosecute the case grypt mentions shot themselves in the foot big style. In 2008 after much embarassing publicity, it was decided folks with PhDs from  Australia, Canada, Japan, Israel got the same right as EU PhDs. There are still restrictions though on US and Russian PhD recognition - for US ones they must be from a university classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university, not sure what the rules on Russia are. But anyone with a qualifying US PhD can now finally call themselves Dr in Germany without the risk of prosecution. (But don't think the people who ever cared about this, think it's a real degree - they don't - and this is why there are still some disciplines where foreigners are a distinct rara avis in Germany).
Oh and OP euro-ir-nerd is absolutely right, must be on time and conform to every last tedious convention to stand a chance.

[maja_mikkels]

One important point is missing in this discussion:

The title of "Doctor" is also a title of honor in Germany. You cannot hold this title if you have been convicted of a felony crime.

So in order to convert your academic qualifications - your PhD - into the honorary title, you have to submit your degree along with your "polizeiliches Fuehrungszeugnis" (criminal records) to the Ministry of Culture of the Land in which you wish to work.

Otherwise, academically, the title of "Doctor" is actually worth less in Germany than in other countries because there is another level of qualification above it that most universities demand from any applicant for a professor position: the "Habilitation".

[sunny_side_up]

Applications usually go directly to the search chair. If you are late submitting your materials, I would e-mail the search chair if they are okay with it. They usually have the flexibility if they want to, i.e. if they are interested in you. On the other hand, if they have 200 quality applications on the table they may not want to/need to. It's just like in the US in that respect.

It doesn't really matter if you are supposed to call yourself "Doktor". What matters is if your foreign PhD is equivalent and "counts" as a qualification to become a Professor - and it does (I am assuming a US or European PhD). So what if you title is Prof. Name, PhD, instead of Prof. Dr. Name? The only place you might ever use it is your letter head anyway.

[bashir001]

It has not been a matter of recognition of the research doctorates of other countries. It is well known in Universities in Germany, which foreign doctoral degrees to consider equal to domestic ones. If not, one can ask the official database www.anabin.de

However, until that case mentioned above, it was not allowed for non-EU PhDs, to call themselves "Dr. non-EU". Instead, they had to use the original form, which is "non-EU, PhD". That's all. Again: of course, the foreign PhDs were and are considered equivalent to German Dr.-degrees. Those degrees will qualify for a "Junior Professorship", but not for any senior Professorships. For the latter, an additional track record of fully independent research is needed.

[thisisme]

You need to have a PhD to apply for a professorship position, but it does not matter what is the exact title you hold from another country. SCs rather look at your accomplishments. This needs to include independent research performed after completion of PhD (as bashir mentioned).

To clarify:

Otherwise, academically, the title of "Doctor" is actually worth less in Germany than in other countries because there is another level of qualification above it that most universities demand from any applicant for a professor position: the "Habilitation".

This is not true.

Dr. and PhD are equivalent and entitle you to apply for positions equivalent to assistant professor (Junior professor, or any postion where you do your Habilitation, may be named group leader, assistant or else). 

To apply successfully for a associate professorship position you need to have "a Habilitation or equivalent accomplishments", that is, publications, teaching, service, comparable to what you need to get tenure and/or promotion to associate in the US. At most German universities you will the be hired directly with tenure.

Thus requirements are quite comparable and there are many examples of foreigners hired for German prof. positions and vice versa. The main difference is that there is no tenure track system where you move up at one university (only recently very rarely) but you have to switch your affiliation again (i.e. apply..) to become tenured associate at another university.

Most openings you see announced internationally are for associate (W2) or full (W3) professor postions.


As for the timing, I would just send a short email to the SC chair and ask whether an application could still be considered.

[higherandhigher]

Just to clarify about the use of the title Dr. in Germany--shortly after the incident mentioned in this thread, the rules were improved.

Ph.D.  holders from US universities classified by the Carnegie Foundation as Research University--Very High Research Activity or Research University--High Research Activity may use the title Dr. without any additional steps for recognition. [Also applies to degrees from India, Canada, Australia, and Israel.]
http://www.anabin.de/dokumente/grundaus2.pdf
http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/classifications/index.asp?key=63&search_flag=true&ref=783&start=783&BASIC2005=15&class_displaycount=10000&class_start=1
http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/classifications/index.asp?key=63&search_flag=true&ref=783&start=783&BASIC2005=16&class_displaycount=10000&class_start=1

Unfortunately, I can't find an English translation for use in this thread.

[henry002]

 I would like to find a position on a military base. I am looking for a position that is available in a hospital and or clinic. If you have any information or tips I would really appreciate your guidance. I did hear that it is difficult to find a position and the process is long. How do you like Germany?